07012023-TTC-01.qxd 1/7/2023 12:48 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 7 NO. 7 | 20 PAGES | ~7.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 US OKAYS $2.85 BN IN MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE WORLD /thetribunechd NAME OF PAK-BASED MILITANT SURFACES IN RAJOURI ATTACK J&K 4 THERMAL POWER UNITS SHUT AFTER SNAG PUNJAB MODI CHAIRS CHIEF SECYS’ MEETING ON ECONOMIC GROWTH BACK PAGE saturday | 7 january 2023 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Will adhere to timeline, 44 judges’ names to be processed in three days, Centre tells SC Sitting over transfers unacceptable: Bench | Raises concern over govt sending back names Satya Prakash Tribune News Service FREE FOR ALL BJP and AAP councillors clash with each other during a meeting at the MC House in New Delhi on Friday. The mayoral elections were postponed due to the ruckus. MANAS RANJAN BHUI Twitter hacked, 20 crore user IDs leaked: Report London, January 6 Hackers stole the email addresses of over 20 crore Twitter users and posted them on an online hacking forum, a security researcher said. The breach “will unfortunately lead to a lot of hacking, targeted phishing and doxxing,” Alon Gal, cofounder of Israeli cybersecurity-monitoring firm Hudson Rock, wrote on LinkedIn. He called it “one of the most significant leaks I’ve seen”. Twitter has not commented on the report, which Gal first posted on social media on December 24, nor responded to inquiries about the breach since that date. It was not clear what action, if any, Twitter has taken to investigate or remediate the issue. It could not independently be verified that the data on the forum was authentic and came from Twitter. Screenshots of the hacker forum, where the data appeared on Wednesday, have circulated online. Troy Hunt, creator of breach-notification site “Have I Been Pwned”, viewed the leaked data and said on Twitter that continued on page 7 WAS 8.7% IN 2021-2022 sitting over recommendations for transfer of HC judges, saying it gives rise to impression of “third party interference” and sends the wrong signal be processed and sent to the Supreme Court by this weekend, Attorney General R Venkataramani told a Bench Says some third reiterations have been sent back and some names the Collegium didn’t clear, but the government in its ‘wisdom feels these ought to be considered’ led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul. The Bench – which also included Justice AS Oka — asked Venkataramani INFLATION KEY CONCERN ■ AGRI SECTOR It is expected to grow at 3.5% compared to 3% in the previous fiscal ■ MINING It is likely to grow at 2.4% from last fiscal’s 11.5% REPORT INSIDE New Delhi, January 6 RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday said the government and the central bank were in talks with South Asian countries to have crossborder trade in rupee. “For UPI, we have already signed agreements with countries like Bhutan and Nepal. We are trying to provide the UPI facility to make cross-border payments ❝ Keeping a check on inflation and external debt should be the top priority to ensure growth and investment prospects are not hurt. Shaktikanta Das, RBI GOVERNOR much easier in this region. The other initiative is the rupee settlement of interna- tional trade. We are already in discussions with some countries in the South Asian Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 6 The victim of the Air India urinating incident on November 26 last year was allegedly forced by the airline crew to negotiate with the culprit to come to a settlement. According to the victim’s complaint registered with Air Sewa, the Ministry of Civil Aviation portal that offers various flight-related services, including grievance redressal, she was forced to confront the accused and negotiate with him despite her unwillingness to meet him. US FIRM WELLS FARGO SACKS EMPLOYEE US financial services company Wells Fargo on Friday sacked Shankar Mishra, saying the allegations were ‘deeply disturbing’ DGCA SEEKS REPORT FROM AI ON DEC 6 INCIDENT The DGCA has sought a report from the AI on alleged peeing by a passenger on a woman’s blanket on the Paris-New Delhi flight on Dec 6 She was already “distraught” and the coercion further “disoriented” her, the victim, who is 70 years old, wrote in her complaint. Shortly after lunch was is in an undisclosed location, has released a statement through his lawyers ■ Mishra claimed that he had paid money on account of the soiled clothes and shoes to the victim on November 28. However, on December 19, the daughter of the air passenger returned the money ■ AI staff summoned by the Delhi Police on Saturday at 10.30 am served and the lights were switched off on board AI 102 continued on page 7 ■ A Congress leader from Bani- hal in Ramban, along with his workers, joined the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led Democratic Azad Party (DAP) ■ Azad announced the joining of Asif Khanday and his supporters on Twitter. Khanday joined the DAP in Srinagar. “Your inclusion will infuse new blood and galvanise our Congress leader KC Venugopal welcomes ex-J&K Dy CM Tara Chand (C) & cardre,” Azad tweeted Peerzada Mohd Sayeed (L) into the party in New Delhi. MUKESH AGGARWAL Jodo Yatra has become a big movement and that is why these leaders have decided to return to the Congress fold. When the Yatra reaches J&K, all those who want to a united India will join the Congress.” Asked whether the Democratic Progressive Azad Party chief had been invited for the Yatra, he replied: “Those who believe in the Congress ideology are welcome to join the Yatra. We have invited all like-minded parties.” He also said Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti would join the Yatra in Srinagar. Party leader Jairam Ramesh said 19 leaders were to join today but 17 were able to make it to Delhi. “This is the first phase. Others will join the Congress soon.” Speaking for the returnees, Tara Chand said continued on page 7 RANA AMONG 16 NAMED IN CHARGESHEET ■ Rana, aides sold fake degrees in name of Manav Bharti University ■ Funds used to acquire movable, immovable assets across states ■ Case based on three Himachal Police FIRs against the accused ■ Promoter’s assets worth ~194 crore already attached in the case ED said a special court in Shimla that heard cases registered under the PMLA took cognisance of the prosecution complaint (chargesheet) on January 4. A total of 16 entities had been named in the chargesheet, including Solan-based Manav Bharti University and promoter Raj Kumar Rana, it said. The ED alleged, “Accused Rana with the help of other co-accused sold fake degrees in lieu of money in the name of Manav Bharti University, Solan… Funds obtained from this illegal activity were used by Rana to acquire movable and immovable assets across states in his own name and in the name of his family members and entities.” The ED case under provisions of the PMLA is based on three Himachal Police FIRs registered against the accused “in the matter of fake degree scam of Manav Bharti University, Solan”, the agency said, adding that it had already attached assets worth Rs 194 crore under the PMLA in connection with the case. MIN TEMP Narnaul Balachaur Bathinda Gurdaspur Hisar Ludhiana Karnal Amritsar Patiala Bhiwani Rohtak 2.5°C 3.5°C 3.6°C 3.8°C 4°C 4.6°C 4.8°C 5°C 5.5°C 5.8°C 6.2°C At 9.8°C, Ludhiana saw the lowest January 6 maximum temperature in 12 years. PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Deep chill in region, foggy conditions persist; expect rain in coming days Chandigarh, January 6 Cold wave conditions are being witnessed all across the North, including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, and are likely continue in the first half of the next week. In Haryana, Narnaul recorded the lowest minimum temperature of 2.5 degrees Celsius, while in Punjab, Balachaur was the coldest at 3.5 degrees Celsius. There could be a gradual rise in night temperatures along with the possibility of rain at certain places. “Due to the approaching of two western disturbances in quick succession, minimum temperatures are very likely to rise gradually by 3-5 degrees Celsius over many parts of Promoter bought assets across states:EDfiles charges in HP fake degree case Tribune News Service During the first three quarters of 2022, food inflation in South Asia averaged more than 20 per cent. The region’s heavy dependence on imported fossil fuels had also made it vulnerable to imported inflation, said the RBI chief, while calling for greater cooperation among South Asian countries, especially on the energy front. The RBI chief said India had taken steps to forge continued on page 7 CITY ■ Accused Shankar Mishra, who BANIHAL CONG LEADER JOINS AZAD Ambrish Mehrotra, Santosh Manhas and Anuradha Sharma. Addressing the media, Venugopal said: “The Bharat Amanullah and Allahabad HC Judge Manoj Misra to the top court, Venkataramani urged it to defer the matter. “Would your lordships defer this for a little while? I have some inputs given to me but I may have some difference of opinion on that,” the Attorney General told the Bench. “This should not take time. They are already Chief Justices and senior judges,” Justice Kaul told Venkataramani. The Bench took strong exception to the Centre continued on page 7 AT 3.5°C, BALACHAUR COLDEST IN PUNJAB VICTIM RETURNED MONEY: ACCUSED Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 6 The Enforcement Directorate today said it had filed a chargesheet under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Himachal Pradesh-based Manav Bharti University and its promoters following a probe into a case linked to the alleged sale of fake degrees. In an official statement, the region,” Das said. In his keynote address at an IMF conference here, Das said the central bank digital currency (CBDC) was in a trial phase and the RBI was moving “very carefully and cautiously on digital rupee launch”. He said keeping a check on inflation and external debt should be the top priorities for South Asian countries, including India, in order to not hurt growth and investment prospects. Was forced by crew to negotiate: Air India flyer 17 Azad loyalists back, Cong says they were on ‘2-month leave’ New Delhi, January 6 Seventeen estranged loyalists of Ghulam Nabi Azad today rejoined the Congress. Welcoming the leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said they were on “leave for two months” and had now returned. Among the returnees were ex-Deputy CM Tara Chand, former PCC chief Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, Mohinder Bhardwaj, Thakur Balwan, Mohd Muzaffar Parry, Bhushan Dogra, Narendra Sharma, Naresh Sharma, ■ Tribune News Service ISTOCK ■ AT CONSTANT PRICES, the GDP ■ Bench objects to the Centre about the status of recommendation for appointments to various High Courts and the Supreme Court as also the recommendations for appointments of Chief Justices to certain High Courts and transfer of HC judges. As the Bench talked about the recommendations made on December 13 for the elevation of Rajasthan HC Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal, Patna HC Chief Justice Sanjay Karol, Manipur HC Chief Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, Patna HC Judge Ahsanuddin In talks with South Asian nations for trade in rupee: RBI Guv GDP TO GROW AT 7% IN FY23 will grow by over ~10L crore more during the current fiscal as compared to the previous fiscal, as per NSO estimates ■ REAL GDP in 2022-23 is estimated at ~157.60 lakh crore, as against the provisional estimate of GDP for 2021-22 of ~147.36 lakh crore ■ BIG DECLINE in the output of the manufacturing sector to 1.6% projected as against the growth of 9.9% in 2021-22 New Delhi, January 6 Forty-four names are likely to be processed for appointment as judges within twothree days, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Friday as it sought to assure the court that the timeline for processing the names recommended by the Collegium would be followed. Out of the 104 recommendations made by High Court Collegiums pending with the government, 44 are likely to ‘DELAY SENDS WRONG SIGNAL’ Earlier, the SIT probing the case revealed that bogus degrees were sold by the university in 13 states, including Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, J&K, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, for anywhere between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 3 lakh, depending on the duration and significance of the course. The university even sold degrees of courses it did not offer, sources said. ■ Authorities in Rohtak convert condemned Roadways buses into night shelters ■ A bus painted in pink serves as a night shelter for women ■ A blue bus is meant for men; each can take in 20 persons ■ Quilts and mattresses have been provided in both buses AT 1.8°C, DELHI COLDER THAN DALHOUSIE northwest India in the next three days,” a bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Under the influence of the western disturbances, cold wave conditions are likely to prevail in isolated pockets over Punjab and Haryana during the next 24 hours, it said. Light to moderate scattered rainfall over the Western Himalayan region is expected during January 7-9. Dense to very dense fog, along with ground frost conditions, is also very likely to continue in many parts during night and morning hours over Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. The northern states have been in the grip of a severe cold wave and foggy conditions over the past several days. The minimum temperatures in Punjab over continued on page 7 IN BRIEF Indian women peacekeepers in Abyei UN mission UNITED NATIONS: India, among top troop-contributing nations to UN peace- keeping, is deploying a platoon of women peacekeepers in Abyei, its largest single unit of female Blue Helmets in a UN mission since 2007. INSIDE Four held in Uzbekistan over cough syrup deaths TASHKENT: Uzbekistan has arrested four persons in connection with the death of 19 children who reportedly consumed a cough syrup made by Marion Biotech, the Uzbek state security service said. INSIDE At Panipat, Rahul targets govt over Agnipath, GST PANIPAT: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Panipat on Friday, launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre over the Agnipath scheme and GST. INSIDE