08062022-TTB-01.qxd 6/7/2022 11:50 PM 13 AFTER WIN, BORIS TO FOCUS ON POLL AGENDA WORLD /thetribunechd Page 1 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 142 NO.157 | 12 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HARYANA wednesday | 8 june 2022 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com New rules to pick CDS, 3-starofficers eligible Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service World Bank cuts India’s growth forecast to 7.5% Washington, June 7 The World Bank on Tuesday cut India’s economic growth forecast for the current fiscal to 7.5% as rising inflation, supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions taper recovery. This is the second time the World Bank has revised its GDP growth forecast for India in the current fiscal 2022-23 (April 2022 to March 2023). INSIDE Air surcharge: Leh and beyond Rs 2.00 New Delhi, June 7 In what will expand the arc of choices before the government to appoint a new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), a notification has been issued to alter the rules of selection. The amended rules will allow serving or retired Lt General-rank officers to be eligible for the post, but with the condition that the age at the time of appointment is under 62 years. The new notification means that the announcement of CDS is likely to be made anytime now. Effectively, the Chiefs of the three armed forces, who retire at 62 years or after putting in 3 years of service (whichever is earlier), will not be eligible unless they get selected before the retirement date or retire before NOTIFICATION OUT, SELECTION LIKELY SOON ELIGIBILITY AGE CAPPED AT 62 YEARS ■ Serving or retd Lt General, Air Marshal & Vice Admiral under 62 yrs to be eligible for CDS post ■ These officers can be considered for top post along with serving chiefs of tri-services ■ Post vacant since the death of Gen Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash on December 8 last year ■ Government issued separate notifications as part of Air Force Act, Army Act and Navy Act AGE CRITERIA RULES OUT RECENTLY RETIRED CHIEFS ■ Govt can extend the service of CDS ■ The 3 Chiefs who retired recently maximum till 65 years of age ■ Tenure of 3 service Chiefs is 3 years of service or till they turn 62, whichever is earlier — Gen MM Naravane, Admiral Karambir Singh and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria — will not be eligible as they are over 62 they reach 62. It also means almost two dozen serving and retired Lt Generals, Vice Admirals and Air Marshals are in the fray. Officers at these positions in the forces retire at 60 years of age. continued on page 9 Punjab ex-minister Dharamsot arrested for forest dept scam MOOSEWALA KILLING 4 shooters identified; His successor Gilzian also named in FIR for illegalities eight arrested so far Jupinderjit Singh Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 7 The Punjab Vigilance Bureau today arrested former Forest Minister and Congress leader Sadhu Singh Dharamsot in a corruption case related to felling of trees and other illegalities. Former minister Sangat Singh Gilzian, who held the forest portfolio in the Charanjit Singh Channi-led government, has also been named in the FIR. The action came on the basis of purported entries in a diary seized from forest contractor Harmohinder Singh, alias Hummy, who was arrested on June 2 along with Mohali DFO Guramanpreet Singh over illegal construction of farmhouses on forest land. The diary entries showed commission ranging from Rs 100 for lower-rung staff to Rs 500 for the minister was charged for each tree that was felled. Kamaljit Singh Kamal, a journalist with a Punjabi IN BRIEF 3 tiffin bombs dropped by Pak drone seized JAMMU: A major tragedy was averted when the police and BSF recovered three tiffin bombs dropped by a Pakistani drone along the International Border in the Akhnoor sector. INSIDE Wanted in SA, Gupta brothers held in UAE DUBAI: Indian-origin fugitive businessmen Rajesh and Atul Gupta, who were among South Africa's most wanted suspects in a graft case, have been arrested by the Dubai Police. PTI Hyderabad gangrape: MLA’s son arrested HYDERABAD: The police have arrested all six accused in the Jubilee Hills gangrape. Barring one adult, remaining accused are all minors. The son of an MLA is among the accused. TNS Another plea against Places of Worship Act NEW DELHI: A fresh plea has been filed in the SC against the Places of Worship Act on the ground that it legalised illegal occupation of historical places of worship. BACK PAGE Sadhu Singh Dharamsot comes out of District Court, Mohali. VICKY ‘TOOK ~1 CR/PERMIT’ SADHU SINGH DHARAMSOT Corruption in issuance of felling permits (allegedly charged ~1 crore/permit), transfers/postings, purchases and issuance of NOCs SANGAT SINGH GILZIAN ~800 per tree commission in installation of 80,000 tree guards; allegedly pocketed ~6.4 crore newspaper who was Dharamsot’s media adviser, and Chamkaur Singh, former Range Officer-cum-OSD to the minister, have also been arrested. Indian Forest Service officer Amit Chauhan, forest guard Dilpreet Singh, Gilzian’s personal assistant Kulwinder Singh Shergill and Sachin Kumar have also been named in the FIR. A Vigilance spokesperson said Dharamsot was arrested for his alleged involvement in organised corruption pertaining to the issuance of permits for cutting of khair trees, transfer of officials, departmental purchases and issuance of noobjection certificates. Hummy, as per the diary entries, allegedly paid Rs 7 lakh bribe in a single felling season. He alleged that there were 15 other contractors in Mohali who too had to pay bribes, else they were denied felling permits or were threatened with hefty penalties. The payment to Dharamsot was allegedly routed through Kamaljit, a resident of Khanna and Shiv Sena leader who was enjoying Punjab Police security. The spokesperson continued on page 9 Chandigarh, June 7 The Punjab Police today claimed to have identified four shooters allegedly involved in the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala and raids were on to nab them. They also officially announced the arrest and nomination of eight persons for providing logistic support, conducting recce and harbouring shooters. INSIDE Rajgarh native Thakur is AAP Himachal chief Shimla, June 7 Announcing its new team for Himachal Pradesh, the AAP today appointed Surjeet Thakur as its state unit president. Rakesh Mandotra was appointed as state secretary, while Nirmal Sharma as president of state women’s wing. Around 400 individuals were appointed at various level of the organisation. Thakur, who continued on page 9 After drawing line over hate remarks, West Asian nations to let matters rest New Delhi, June 7 By summoning the Indian envoys or issuing statements condemning the comments against Prophet Muhammad by now-suspended BJP office-bearers, at least 15 countries have indicated the red line that should not be crossed. At the same time, almost all of them have accepted the clarifications given by Indian diplomats. In fact, Iran, which had also summoned the Indian envoy in Tehran, has gone ahead with the India visit of its Foreign Minister Hossein Despite summoning envoy, Iran FM visits India today as per schedule BJP LEADER ARRESTED Kanpur: BJP leader Harshit Srivastava was arrested here on Tuesday for posting inflammatory content on social media platforms. PTI ADVOCATE TOLERANCE FOR ALL RELIGIONS: UN SECY-GEN Amir-Abdollahian. The Iranian Foreign Minister will meet External Affairs Minis- ter S Jaishankar here tomorrow and then over the next two days travel to Mumbai and Hyderabad to meet Indian businessmen and religious scholars. Though Qatar’s Foreign Ministry expected a public apology from the Indian government, sources said Doha would let matters rest after showing its annoyance by cancelling a dinner for visiting Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu, who also refrained from holding a planned press conference as the Indian continued on page 9 G’gram arms scam kingpin shot by aide Gurugram, June 7 A 42-year-old arms dealer was shot dead allegedly by one of his aides in the city’s Madanpuri road area on Tuesday. Deceased Manish Bhardwaj, alias Kala, was the kingpin of the fake arms licence scam of 2017. The incident led to panic in the city, with cops conducting raids to nab the accused. The police suspect a financial feud RAJNATH IN VIETNAM ON 3-DAY VISIT BACK PAGE Manish Bhardwaj was booked in 2017 interstate fake licence racket as the motive behind the crime. According to the police, Bhardwaj and his aides Sunny Kant and Pramod alias Bablu, were travelling in a Bolero vehicle. The trio drove around for almost two hours. When Bhardwaj was about to get down to pick up his twowheeler, Sunny shot him thrice and fled in another vehicle which was coming behind, the police said. Bhardwaj was rushed to hospital where he was declared dead. An FIR under Section continued on page 9