Saturday, October 11, 2025 | Vol. 69 No. 6 | 40 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 GAMES NATION Infiltrators in voters’ list pollute spirit of Constitution, says Amit Shah Cinema Deepika speaks out on demanding 8-hour work shifts Yashasvi Jaiswal’s seventh Test hundred propels India in the 2nd Test in Delhi Edit The attack on CJI Gavai & politics on caste thereafter Peace Nobel for Venezuelan Opposition leader in hiding Agencies OSLO Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, known as Venezuela’s Iron Lady for her relentless fight for democratic rights, has won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, beating out US President Donald Trump, who had openly campaigned for the honour. The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the decision on Friday, recognising Machado for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela” and for Briefs Top PSU bank jobs open to private sector The government has opened senior management positions in public sector banks, including the State Bank of India (SBI), to private sector candidates. Out of four positions of Managing Director in SBI, one position has been opened for private sector candidates and persons working in public sector financial institutions. So far, all MD and chairman positions have been filled by internal candidates. Besides SBI, there are 11 public sector banks, including Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India and Bank of India. According to revised guidelines, candidates must have a minimum of 21 years of experience with at least 15 years of banking experience and at least 2 years at the bank board level, as far as private sector candidates are concerned. SEE MONEY Tata Trusts board meets Tata Trusts’ board discussed routine issues, staying away from contentious matters, in its meeting held on Friday amid murmurs of a rift among the trustees over board appointment and governance issues. “Today's meeting was routine, with no contentious issues discussed,” a source said, adding that there were presentations on various hospital and rural development projects. The meeting comes against the backdrop of the top brass of the Tata Group, including Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata and Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, calling on Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Tuesday. SEE MONEY ‘POLITICS OVER PEACE’ The White House sharply criticised the Nobel Committee’s decision, accusing it of bias. “President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will,” White House spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a post on X. “The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.” Cheung’s comments came shortly after the announcement, as Trump’s supporters celebrated his Gaza ceasefire deal online. her “struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.” “The committee com- mended Machado as a brave and committed champion of peace who keeps the flame of democracy burning during a growing darkness,” the announcement read. Machado says she is in "shock" to hear news that she had been awarded the Nobel Peace prize this year. In a video sent by her press team to the AFP news agency, Machado tells Edmundo González - who replaced her as candidate when she was barred from running - "I'm in shock!". "We're shocked with joy," replies González, who went into exile almost a year ago. 4Contd on | nation 4See also | World NO BELL TOLLS FOR TRUMP FIRM HANDSHAKE | India moves closer to official recognition of Taliban government which seized power in Afghanistan in 2021 DELHI TO UPGRADE MISSION IN KABUL Ashwin Ahmad NEW DELHI External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India faced a “shared threat” in “crossborder terrorism” with Afghanistan. The minister made these remarks in a meeting with Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Friday in New Delhi. “We have a common commitment towards growth and prosperity. However, these are endangered by the shared threat of cross-border terrorism that both our nations face. We must coordinate efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” the minister said in his opening remarks. Jaishankar also announced that India would upgrade its mission to a full-fledged em- bassy in Kabul. “India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan. Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience. To enhance that, I am pleased to announce today the upgrading of India’s Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of Embassy of India.” The announcement by the external affairs minister suggests that India may be moving closer towards official recognition of the Taliban government, which seized power in 2021. New Delhi had then closed its embassy in Kabul but reopened a technical mission a year later to facilitate trade, medical support, and humanitarian aid. 4Contd on | nation ‘Ambassador’ Gor hits the ground running Ashwin Ahmad NEW DELHI US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael J. Rigas are in India from October 9 to October 14. The announcement, which was made in a White House press statement released on October 9, stated that Ambassador Gor and the deputy secretary would be meeting with their Indian government on a range of bilateral issues that include a “safer, stronger, and more prosperous Indo-Pacific.”  A US embassy spokesperson in India made it clear that Ambassador Gor was not formally taking over his new assignment.   “This is just a short trip. His Gor and US Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael J Rigas are in India from Oct 9-14 and will hold meetings on a range of issues We will not allow any (element) to threaten anyone else or use the territory of Afghanistan against others. Daesh is a challenge for the region, and Afghanistan is at the frontlines of this struggle. AMIR KHAN MUTTAQI Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan SIT TO PROBE HARYANA IGP SUICIDE Rajesh Moudgil CHANDIGARH presentation of credentials and move to India will occur at a later date that has not yet been determined.” Gor was formally nominated by President Trump on August 22 this year and confirmed in an en bloc vote (51-47) by the US Senate on October 7. A six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed by the Chandigarh Police to probe the alleged suicide of Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, even as his wife and IAS officer Amneet P Kumar on Friday accused the police of filing an incomplete and diluted FIR that failed to name the key accused — Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarnia. The SIT, led by Chandigarh IGP Pushpendra Kumar, includes SSP Kanwardeep Kaur, SP (City) KM Priyanka, DSP Traffic Charanjit Singh Vik, SOPO South Jujt Kaur, and SHO PS-11 (West) Jarveer Singh Rana. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation offgrid Mehra, money, tonnes of honey FPJ News Service BHOPAL Bhopal has seen scams, stings and shady deals before — but never one that came with a side of honeycombs. When the Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta raided retired Public Works Department Chief Engineer GP Mehra’s homes on Thursday, they expected the usual trappings of corruption — a few lakhs in cash, some jewellery, maybe a car or two. What they found instead could only be described as The Sweetest Scandal Ever Told. The early-morning raids, MARÍA CORINA MACHADO When anti-corruption sleuths went hunting for cash, they stumbled upon a retired engineer’s sticky empire — dripping in gold, silver, cottages, and 17 tonnes of honey carried out by four Deputy Superintendent of Police– rank officers, spanned four locations — Mehra’s two residences in Bhopal, his farmhouse in Narmadapuram district, and an industrial unit in Govindpura. What started as a disproportionate assets probe turned into a treasure hunt — complete with gold, silver, luxury cars, construction projects and, unbelievably, tonnes of honey. At his primary home in Bhopal’s Manipuram Colony, officers found `8.79 lakh in cash, jewellery worth `50 lakh, fixed deposits of `56 lakh, property papers valued at `55 lakh and expensive furniture fit for royalty. The haul was impressive — but nothing compared to what awaited them next. 4Contd on | nation We have a common commitment towards growth and prosperity. However, these are endangered by the shared threat of crossborder terrorism that both our nations face. We must coordinate efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. DR S JAISHANKAR External Affairs Minister J&K STATEHOOD Centre gets 4 weeks to reply FPJ News Service NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Friday granted the Union Government four weeks to file its reply to applications seeking the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The matter was heard by a bench of Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran, which recorded the submission of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that while peaceful elections were held in the region last year, more time was required to consider the issue in light of security concerns and the recent Pahalgam terror attacks. “Elections were conducted peacefully, and a government has been elected. In the last six years, there has been substantial progress in J&K,” Mehta submitted, adding that the recent Pahalgam incident must be factored in before taking a final decision. 4Contd on | nation ‘COURAGE AND INTEGRITY’ N obel Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes was asked about the clamour to give the prize to Trump, who had said it would be an insult to the US not to award it to him, New York Post reports. However, the deadline for nominations was Jan. 31 — just days into Trump’s second term in office — meaning all nominations Trump has earned this year for settling conflicts across the world are for the 2026 prize. Still, instead of pointing out the timing factor, Frydnes suggested that a last-minute switch wasn’t made because the US leader doesn’t live up to it. “In the long history of the Nobel Peace Prize, I think this committee has seen many types of campaign, media attention,” Frydnes said, without naming Trump. 4Contd on | nation Mumbai police housing revamp Maharashtra to unlock 75 plots for 40,000 new homes for city cops Ravikiran Deshmukh MUMBAI In a significant step toward resolving Mumbai’s long-pending police housing crisis, the Maharashtra government has decided to redevelop 75 plots across the city to construct 40,000 new residential units for the police force. The move aims to address decades of housing shortages that have forced many personnel to live far from their workplaces, undermining their efficiency and morale. A 15member high-level panel has been set up to spearhead it. Headed by the Additional Chief Secretary (Home Department), the committee will examine the existing state of police colonies, explore redevelopment models, and recommend a comprehensive blueprint for the new housing township. The Managing Director of the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) has been appointed as the committee’s member-secretary, signaling that the state may bring in private developers to expedite construction. The panel includes top bureaucrats and civic officials, underlining the scale and inter-departmental coordination required. Among its members are the Commissioner of Police, the Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Vice President and CEO of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), and the CEO of the Slum Redevelopment Authority (SRA). Notably, Ashwini Bhide, Additional Chief Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), is also part of the panel, indicating high-level government backing for the project. 4Contd on | nation