Friday, July 25, 2025 | Vol. 68 No. 251 | 31 Pages Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL INDIA EDITION | www.freepressjournal.in ● Leader in E-paper circulation NATION INDIA bloc and other Oppn parties hold a protest against EC’s SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar. ED searches 35 locations; Anil Ambani group downplays link Ashish Singh MUMBAI The ED on Thursday conducted searches at over 35 locations in Mumbai linked to entities of the Reliance Anil Ambani Group (RAAGA) companies, as part of its probe into alleged money laundering involving over Rs 24,000 crore, officials confirmed. The searches, conducted under Section 17 of the PMLA, are focused on senior executives associated with RAAGA. The ED is examining financial transactions involving more than 50 companies and 25 individuals. The Mumbai residence of industrialist Anil Ambani has not been covered in the operation, sources clarified. The group (Reliance Anil Ambani) has distanced itself from the ongoing probe. In an official statement, the group clarified that Ambani had resigned from the board of RCom in 2019 and currently holds no board position in either RCom or Reliance Home Finance Ltd (RHFL). 4Contd on | nation GAMES Rishabh comes out to bat after being ruled out of wicket-keeping duties due to a fractured toe Urvi Mahajani The Bombay High Court on Thursday cleared the way for immersion of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols over six feet in natural water bodies, while directing the State to ensure that the PoP idols up to six feet are mandatorily immersed in artificial water tanks. A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne clarified that the interim directions will be applicable till March 2026 with regard to all festivals which involve idol immersion. ■ Doubling of bilateral trade to $120 billion by 2030 ■ Unprecedented access into each other’s markets ■ Duty free access to 99% of Indian exports ■ Adoption is expected only by mid-2026 Ashwin Ahmad Looking ahead NEW DELHI Prime Minister Modi signed the long-awaited FTA - officially known as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement - with his British counterpart Keir Starmer in London on Thursday. Government officials stated negotiations for the agreement that began three years ago would see a doubling of bilateral trade to $120 billion by 2030 and also unprecedented access into each other’s markets Speaking at a joint press conference with Starmer, PM Modi stated today marked a “historic day in our bilateral agreements.” Describing the agreement as a “blueprint for our shared pros- Agencies Aviation regulator DGCA has warned Air India of action for breaching safety standards related to crew fatigue management and training. DGCA has issued four showcause notices to the airline for violations related to cabin crew rest and duty norms, training rules and operational procedures. The notices were issued on July 23 on the basis of volun- T perity,” he said the trade deal also had global ramifications. “Agreements reached between two democracies and two of the world's major economies will lend support to global stability and prosperity,” he said. The FTA will see a drop in tariffs from both nations. Fig- Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar BJP sources on Thursday made it clear that the party had no intention of yielding the post of Vice-President, vacant after the sudden resignation by Jagdeep Dhankhar, to any of its NDA allies and would like to see one of its own leaders, who believes in the party’s ideology, occupy the second highest constitutional post in the country. The party sources spoke up on the matter as there was speculation that the post may ures released by the Commerce Ministry stated that the agreement has ensured duty free access to 99% of Indian exports unlocking $23 bn in opportunities for labour intensive sectors. 4Contd on | nation 4See also | Money, nation Secretary Vikram Misri had this to say. "With regard to discussions related to the United States, we are in the United Kingdom. We were discussing an FTA agreement between India and the UK. The focus was on that. Naturally, the overall environment of global trade was referred to, but I would like to emphasise that even more it underlines the significance of the India-UK FTA." PoP idols up to six feet are to be immersed in artificial water tanks. HC interim directions will be applicable till March 2026 with regard to all festivals which involve idol immersion. “As the Ganesh festival will be celebrated from August 26 till September 6, we grant permission for immersion this year,” the bench noted. The court was hearing petitions challenging the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) 2020 guidelines banning both manufacture and immersion of PoP idols in tary disclosures made by AI on June 20 and 21. The airline selfreported the problems, which occurred this year and last year, just days after one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners crashed in Ahmedabad, killing 260 people. "We will respond to the notices within the stipulated period. We remain committed to the safety of our crew and passengers," an AI statement said on Thursday. 4Contd on | nation natural water bodies. Initially, a PIL was filed by Thane-based environmentalist Rohit Joshi, through advocate Ronita Bhattacharya, seeking strict implementation of the CPBC guidelines banning immersion of PoP idols in natural water bodies. 4Contd on | nation ‘112 AI pilots called in sick after crash’ AI witnessed a "minor increase" in sick leaves reported by pilots across its fleet in the aftermath of the AI-171 crash, with 112 pilots reporting sick in a single day on June 16, Civil Aviation MoS Murlidhar Mohol told the Lok Sabha on Thursday. This year till July 21, five airlines reported to DGCA 183 technical defects, including 85 by the AI group, in their aircraft, he said. Next VP will be our own: BJP NEW DELHI he two prime ministers announced the strategic roadmap for India-UK relations through the India-UK Vision 2035 document. The document, which outlines deeper partnerships in trade, technology, defence, climate and education over the next decade. The document states both PMs will meet regularly to provide strategic direction and oversight while its implementation will be reviewed annually by the External Affairs Minister of India and the Foreign Secretary of the UK. TRUMP CROPS UP: Asked whether US President Donald Trump figured in the talks, Foreign DGCA slaps 4 notices on Air India for lapses MUMBAI Edit Thaw in India, China ties India, UK in landmark Free Trade Agreement Immersion of PoP idols above 6 feet in natural water bodies MUMBAI Cinema ...And we ran into the Saiyaara jodi! The decision on the new Vice-President will be taken after PM Modi’s return from his foreign tour next week. next go to either Janata Dal United leader and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar or his party colleague and union minister Ram Nath Thakur. The buzz got louder as Thakur also met BJP president J.P, Nadda on Wednesday. However, the BJP has cleared the air around the subject and stated that it was a routine meeting and that the decision on the new VicePresident would only be taken following PM Narendra Modi’s return from his visit to the UK and the Maldives next week. On why the names of Kumar and Thakur figured prominently in the media recently, the party sources said it was most likely because Bihar is headed for Assembly elections. 4Contd on | nation WHODUNNIT? KOKATE CLIP PROBE POINTS TO ‘OUTSIDER’ Ravikiran Deshmukh MUMBAI The legislature secretariat has submitted an internal inquiry report to State Council Chairman Prof. Ram Shinde regarding the viral video clip showing Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate allegedly playing rummy on his cellphone during House proceedings. The report is believed to have concluded that the cameras installed inside the Council to record the proceedings did not capture any member of the House recording the incident. Instead, the clip appears to have been filmed by an outsider using a cellphone with HD quality from the visitors' gallery on the first floor, the secretariat is believed to have said in its report. Efforts to contact Prof. Shinde for confirmation of the report's contents were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar told mediapersons on Thursday that a decision on action against Kokate will be taken after meeting the minister next week and consulting CM Devendra Fadnavis. Pawar, who is the NCP president, urged ministers to be cautious about their public conduct and statements. 4Contd on | nation Temple defaced in Melbourne Agencies MELBOURNE A Hindu temple and two Asian-run restaurants in Melbourne were defaced with racist graffiti earlier this week, triggering deep concern and outrage among community members in Australia. The Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Boronia was found vandalised with redpainted racial slurs on Monday, Australia Today said. 4Contd on | nation SC STAYS BOMBAY HC 7/11 VERDICT ACQUITTING 12 Urvi Mahajani MUMBAI The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the verdict of the Bombay High Court acquitting all the 12 accused in the 7/11 Mumbai train blasts case of 2006, while hearing a plea by the Maharashtra government. A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and NK Singh, while issuing notices to the accused, Issues notices to accused, clarifies they need not surrender clarified that they need not surrender. Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, representing the state, told the bench they were seeking a stay on the high court order, and not ask- Rahul claims ‘100%’ proof of EC cheating Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI A day after he alleged that the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections in the state was nothing but an exercise to deprive eligible voters their right to franchise, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed that this party, which had carried out a sample exercise in Karnataka to show how “theft” of votes, had “100% proof” of its “tactics to steal votes”. Talking to the media on the issue in the Parliament complex, Gandhi charged that “The Election Commission is not functioning as the Elec- Thousands and thousands of new voter registrations, voter deletion; we’ve caught them. I want to send a message to the Election Commission: if you think you’re going to get away with it, you’re mistaken. We are going to come after you. Rahul Gandhi tion Commission of India should. Today, they made a statement that's complete nonsense. The fact of the matter is, the EC isn't doing its job.” 4Contd on | nation 4See also | nation ing to bring the accused back to jail. “There are certain findings by the high court which may affect our other ongoing MCOCA trials,” Mehta said, adding that the same can be recorded by the apex court. The clarification was sought after Justice Sundresh remarked that all the accused were released from prisons after the HC verdict. 4Contd on | nation Cannot allow the dead on voters list: CEC PTI NEW DELHI Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Thursday strongly defended the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters’ list in Bihar, stating that the poll body cannot allow names of deceased individuals, those who have permanently migrated, or those registered at multiple locations to remain on the electoral rolls. 4Contd on | nation