23092022-TTB-01.qxd 22-09-2022 23:55 Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 142 NO. 263 | 16 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HARYANA RUSSIA, UKRAINE SWAP 270 PRISONERS AMID WAR WORLD /thetribunechd UT STOPS SALARIES OF PROTESTING KASHMIRI PANDITS J&K RUPEE PLUNGES TO PRAGG ENTERS ONLINE RECORD LOW OF 80.79 CHESS TOURNAMENT AGAINST USD BUSINESS QUARTERFINALS SPORT friday | 23 september 2022 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Govt moots law to access encrypted messages on apps Biden backs India for permanent UNSC seat; transformation overdue, says EAM Tribune News Service Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 22 Proposing important changes to the legal framework governing telecommunication in the country, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has introduced a new draft Bill that will change the way internet-based messaging apps like WhatsApp or Signal are used by people. The draft Bill can be read online at the DoT website. The government seeks to consolidate the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1950. The draft Bill proposes a provision to waive fee and penalties of telecom and internet service providers. Importantly for users, apps like WhatsApp, Signal and other over-the-top communication services will soon come under a legal framework allowing interception of messages, the Centre said TO ALSO COVER VOICE, VIDEO CALLS ■ Apps like WhatsApp, Signal to come under legal framework allowing interception of messages ■ At present, messages over these apps are ‘encrypted’ ■ Govt to have power to stop transmission of any message or intercept it ■ Interception to also cover voice, video calls made over such apps citing the new draft telecommunications Bill. At present, messages over these apps are “encrypted”. The draft Bill defines ‘telecommunication services’ to include broadcasting services, electronic mail, voice mail, voice, video and data communication services, audiotex services, videotex services, fixed and mobile services, internet and broadband services and satellite-based communication services. continued on page 10 New Delhi, September 22 US President Joe Biden supports India, Germany and Japan for permanent membership of a reformed United Nations Security Council (UNSC), a senior official of the Biden administration has reportedly said. His remarks came after Biden in his address at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday reiterated his commitment to reforming the UNSC. “The US supports increasing the number of both permanent and nonpermanent representatives of the council. This includes permanent seats for those nations we’ve long supported,” said Biden while pointing out that the time had come for the institution to become more inclusive so that it could better respond to the needs of today’s world. “We have historically and continue to stand behind the idea that Germany, Japan, US REITERATES SUPPORT We have historically and continue to stand behind the idea that Germany, Japan, and India should be permanent members of the Security Council. US official Jaishankar opposes attempt by West to arraign Russia at ICC ❝ New Delhi: India on Thursday called for an immediate end to the conflict in Ukraine while calling out the UN Security Council for its “double standards” in dealing with human rights violation. Pushing back at attempts by the West to arraign Russia before the International Criminal Court, Jaishankar pointed out that “in this very room there has been hesitancy” in sanctioning some of the world’s most dreaded terrorists. Addressing the UNSC, he said politics should “never ever” provide cover for impunity. INSIDE ‘NOT TO HAVE INDIA, NOT GOOD FOR GLOBAL BODY’ ❝ To have such a country (India) not there in the key global councils, obviously, it’s not good for us, but I would also urge it’s not good for the global council in question. S Jaishankar, EAM INDIA’S 2-YEAR TENURE IN UNSC TO END IN DECEMBER and India should be permanent members of the Security Council,” agencies reported the official as stating. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, meanwhile, said India not sitting as a perma- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with Ukrainian PM Denys Shmyhal at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. ANI nent member of the UNSC was “not good for us” and its transformation was “overdue”. Speaking at Columbia University, he said within a few years, India would be the third largest economy and the most populous society in the world. “To have such a country not there in the key global councils, obviously, it’s not good for us, but I would also urge it’s not good for the global council in question,” Jais- hankar said. At present, the UNSC has five permanent members and 10 non-permanent member countries elected for two-year terms. India’s two-year tenure at the UNSC will end in December. Arguments on hijab ban conclude, SC reserves verdict New Delhi, September 22 After marathon 10-day arguments, the Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on petitions challenging the March 15 verdict of the Karnataka High Court refusing to allow hijab in educational institutions in the state. As the arguments from both sides concluded, a Bench of Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia said, “Now our homework starts.” On the final day of hearing on the contentious issue, the petitioners tried to impress upon the top court that the ban on the Islamic headscarf in classrooms must be lifted continued on page 12 Honour ‘one post’ rule, Rahul 106 PFI activists held in tells Gehlot; poll notification out NIAraids across15 states Aditi Tandon KHARGE, TEWARI IN RACE? Tribune News Service Protesting AAP legislators march towards the Punjab Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MANOJ MAHAJAN Assembly session next week, AAP eyes national Oppn slot Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 22 Stopped by the Governor from holding a special sitting of the Assembly to seek a trust vote, Punjab’s AAP government has decided to summon a session on September 27 and to approach the Supreme Court over the Raj Bhavan move. The brouhaha notwithstanding, the current political situation in Punjab did not necessitate any show of strength by the AAP government. The session, it seems, was yet another attempt by AAP to project itself as a plausible alternative to the BJP partic, ularly in view of the forthcoming Assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. With a massive mandate in the elections held a little over six months ago and with no signs of revolt, Governor Banwarilal Purohit chose to withdraw his assent to the session. It was pointed out that House rules did not allow convening of a special session “only to move a trust vote in favour of the state government”. It is clear the AAP government in Punjab attempted a Delhi repeat. The Delhi Government with 62 of the total 70 MLAs held a trust vote earlier this month. The party is campaigning hard in HP and Gujarat with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann as the poster boy, sharing dais with AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal. The AAP strategy clearly is to steal the limelight. And the special House session row has done just that. A senior AAP functionary admitted: “Yes, we are making a noise as we continued on page 10 IN BRIEF Punjab Governor approached again Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 22 Amidst high drama, the Aam Aadmi Party today decided on a “repackaged” session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on September 27 and to move the Supreme Court over the “arbitrary and anti-democratic decision of the Governor to cancel the permission for a special Assembly session”. The AAP legislators, excluding the Cabinet Ministers, Speaker and Deputy Speaker, held a “shanti march.” They intended to march from the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to Raj Bhavan but were stopped by the police at the High Court Chowk, less than a kilometre away from the Vidhan Sabha. continued on page 10 Lalit Mohan JAMMU: A Division Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh gave Tribune News Service J&K one month to file a reply on a PIL seeking to make public the inquiry report on stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine. INSIDE Dharamsala, September 22 The issue of illegal mining in Kangra district has caught the attention of higher authorities after the collapse of a railway bridge over the Chakki rivulet last month. As per official data, the fine collected by the district police in such cases has gone up by 40 per cent. However, despite the higher realisation NEW DELHI: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, NCP’s Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray and DMK’s Kanimozhi are among leaders who will attend an INLD rally in Fatehabad on September 25. BACK PAGE BJP spent ~344 cr on elections in five states NEW DELHI: In its election expenditure report, the BJP submitted to the EC it spent over ~344 crore in polls in five states held earlier this year, 58 per cent higher than it spent five years ago. INSIDE ■ Mallikarjun Kharge’s presence in Kochi sparks talk of whether he could enter the race ■ Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari learnt to be weighing options too ■ Cong’s election authority issues notification for party president’s poll << Rahul Gandhi addresses a press conference in Ernakulam. ANI RAHUL TO TAKE DAY’S BREAK, MEET SONIA IN DELHI TODAY commitment will be maintained,” Rahul said in Kochi where Gehlot joined him in the ongoing ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, a day after insisting that the rule did not apply to a CM who was contesting an internal election. continued on page 10 MAJOR CRACKDOWN STATE KERALA ARRESTS 22 MAHARASHTRA 20 KARNATAKA 20 TAMIL NADU 10 ASSAM 9 UTTAR PRADESH 8 ANDHRA PRADESH 5 MADHYA PRADESH 4 PUDUCHERRY 3 DELHI 3 RAJASTHAN 2 Saurabh Malik HCS marks ‘manipulated’ nod sought to , prosecute HPSC ex-chairman, members Tribune News Service Geetanjali Gayatri Chandigarh, September 22 More than six months after directions were issued against mentioning the religion or caste of an accused, victim or witnesses in an FIR or other official documents prepared during the course of investigation, the Punjab Government has formed a committee to ensure proper implementation. As the issue came up before Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri’s Bench again during hearing of an anticipatory bail plea, the state placed on record a fresh circular dated September 19, reiterating the earlier continued on page 10 Tribune News Service Punjab to drop caste, religion in FIRs; panel formed Chandigarh, September 22 Seventeen years after cases related to alleged irregularities in Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) recruitments were registered, the State Vigilance Bureau has sought sanction from the state government to prosecute the then Chairman, members and the Secretary of the commission for “gross manipulations”. The appointments, against the posts advertised for Haryana Civil Services (HCS) and Allied Services and professors (college cadre), were ‘IRREGULARITIES’ IN 2001, 2004 ■ The appointments made in Haryana during the INLD regime ■ Recruitments against HCS & Allied, Prof (college cadre) posts ■ 696 answer-sheets of 117 candidates inspected by the SVB ■ Irregularities found in 198 of the answer-sheets of 101 candidates 186 OFFICERS UNDER SCANNER 66 120 23 OFFICERS OF 2001 BATCH OF THE 2004 BATCH OF THE 2004 BATCH SERVED NOTICES made during the Indian National Lok Dal regime. Sources said the State Vigilance Bureau (SVB) has, in a report submitted to the government, stated that the entire HCS and Allied Ser- vices examination process of 2001 and 2004 was “vitiated” and the selections were “illegal and arbitrary”. The SVB has also recommended prosecution of the examiners involved in paper-checking Only 1% illegal mining cases in Kangra reach court Reply to plea on stampede at shrine: HC to J&K Oppn leaders to attend INLD rally on Sept 25 New Delhi, September 22 As the process for the election of a new Congress president kicked off on Thursday with the party’s central election authority issuing a poll notification, Rahul Gandhi almost ruled himself out of the contest and signalled to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot that the ‘one person, one post’ rule would need to be honoured. “What we decided in Udaipur is a commitment of the Congress. I expect that New Delhi, September 22 In a major crackdown against the Popular Front of India (PFI), the NIA and the ED today conducted raids at 93 locations across 15 states and arrested 106 leaders and activists of the outfit for allegedly supporting terror activities. Sources said the post-midnight crackdown was closely monitored by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval as later in the day Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level review meeting with top officials. It is believed that the situation continued on page 12 of fine, there has been no letup in illegal mining. Information procured from the police revealed in 99 per cent of the cases, offenders were let off after the imposition of fine and only 1 per cent cases reached the court. As per the data, till August 2021, the police had caught 971 offenders and Rs 57.82 lakh was realised as fine. Of 971 accused, just 15 were sent to the court and the remaining CRIMINAL NEXUS Of 975 offenders, 962 let off after imposition of fine were let off. Similarly till August this year, 975 persons were nabbed and only nine were sent to the court, while the remaining 962 were let off. The police collected Rs 93.24 lakh fine on this account. There has been a sudden spurt in illegal mining cases in August after the collapse of the Chakki bridge with the police filing 236 cases. Of these, only four were sent to the court. Former SPs, including Sanjeev Gandhi, had written to the government to amend the relevant act and allow the police to book the accused in illegal mining cases for theft of government property and make it a non-bailable offence. Presently, under the Mines and Mineral Act, illegal mining is a compoundable offence and the offenders are let off after the imposition of a fine ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 5 lakh. However, Rs 5 lakh fine has never been imposed in Kangra district. Deputy Commissioner Nipun Jindal recently directed the officials to book the accused for theft of government property. MARKING ‘ANOMALIES’ Overwriting, cutting, increase and decrease of marks, use of different ink in answer-sheets; disclosure of identity, pages being left blank and questions being solved later (for which marks awarded) ‘WRONGS’ IN INTERVIEW State Vigilance Bureau report suggests ‘favourite’ candidates given more marks in interview after finding “sufficient evidence” against them. This puts a question mark on the fate of 186 officers—66 HCS and Allied Services posts were advertised in 2001 and continued on page 10 6-month jail for Singh brothers New Delhi, September 22 The Supreme Court on Thursday awarded a six-month jail term to former promoters of Fortis Healthcare Malvinder Singh and his brother Shivinder Singh in a case related to the sale of Fortis shares to Malaysia-based IHH Healthcare and ordered a forensic audit of the share sale. A Japanese firm, Daiichi Sankyo, had challenged the continued on page 12