07032023-TT-01.qxd 06-03-2023 22:46 Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 143 NO. 65 | 16 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HIMACHAL PRADESH UKRAINE HOLDS ON TO BAKHMUT AS RUSSIANS CLOSE IN WORLD /thetribunechd RALLY IN ADANI SHARES RAJNATH REVIEWS SECURITY CONTINUES FOR CHALLENGES WITH NAVAL FIFTH DAY BUSINESS OFFICERS BACK PAGE FREQUENT NH CLOSURE RESULTING IN LOSSES, SAY TRADERS J&K tuesday | 7 march 2023 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Sisodia sent to judicial custody till MarchCBI gives up custody | Baillodged inon March 10 20, will be plea may be heard Tihar Excise scam Tribune News Service LODGED IN JAIL NO. 1 New Delhi, March 6 Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was on Monday sent to judicial custody till March 20 in the excise scam case by a special court here after the CBI said it didn’t need his custody for now. “An application to send the accused to judicial custody has been filed. It is submitted that the CBI custody is no longer required and the same may be sought later, if required. In view of submission made, the accused is sent to judicial custody till March 20,” Special Judge MK Nagpal said. Allowing Sisodia to carry the Bhagavad Gita, spectacles, medicines, etc. to jail, the Special Judge also directed the Tihar Jail authorities to consider his request for being allowed to do Vipassana meditation. Arrested on February 26 by ■ Sisodia will be lodged in central jail No. 1 of Tihar prison complex ■ Allowed to carry Bhagavad Gita, spectacles and medicines to jail ■ Asks the jail authorities to allow him to do Vipassana meditation POLITICAL SLUGFEST CBI has no grounds to seek Sisodia’s interrogation: AAP A video grab of Delhi ex-Dy CM Manish Sisodia at a court in Delhi. PTI CM Kejriwal must quit over COURT WON’T RESTRICT MEDIA COVERAGE the excise policy scam: BJP If the media is reporting, they are reporting. As long It’s a serious case, must be as protests are peaceful, it’s fine. MK Nagpal, SPECIAL JUDGE thoroughly probed: Congress ❝ the CBI in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Liquor Policy 2021-22, Sisodia, who joins his former Cabinet colleague Satyendar Jain in Tihar Jail, was in the probe agency’s custody till today. “We are not seeking custody right now. But we IN BRIEF Iran to ‘punish’ women for violating dress code DUBAI: Women violating Islamic dress code will be punished, Iran’s Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said, reaffirming the law after months of unrest that led to major security crackdown. BACK PAGE Miscreants go on rampage in Manikaran, FIR filed KULLU: A riot-like situation was witnessed at Manikaran late on Sun- day as over 100 miscreants scuffled with locals, broke windowpanes of houses and vandalised 20 vehicles. An FIR has been lodged. INSIDE Another UP murder accused killed in encounter LUCKNOW: The man who fired the first shot at Umesh Pal, a key wit- ness in the killing of former BSP legislator Raju Pal, was gunned down in an encounter with Prayagraj police on Monday, officials said. PTI ED seizes ~6.72 cr assets in investor fraud case NEW DELHI: The ED seized ~1.21 crore cash and gold and diamond jewellery worth ~5.51 crore after it raided premises of Nagpur-based persons in a case linked to defrauding of numerous investors. PTI Fund-starved HP to auction vends, eyes 10% more profit Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 6 A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Monday rejected Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s plea for suspending the non-bailable arrest warrant issued against him in the Toshakhana case. After a dramatic Sunday when the police could not find the former Pakistan PM at his home while his opponents alleged that he had fled to a neighbour’s house, Khan contended that a private complaint against him did not merit an arrest warrant. On February 28, the same judge had set events in motion when he issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Khan for continuously failing to appear before the court in the Toshakhana case. He has been accused of buying at discounted price gifts that were given to him when he was the Prime Minister and deposited in the Toshakhana, the state’s TOSHAKHANA CASE ■ Imran Khan has been target- ed for buying gifts he had received as PM at a discounted price from Toshakhana, and selling them for profit. ■ He had moved court against the warrants issued on February 28 after he skipped several hearings in the case may do so in the future. Their supporters and the media are politicising the matter… Witnesses are terrified. Media is giving it a political colour,” the CBI said. “I am appalled by a submission like this. Are they scared of the media?” asked senior counsel Mohit Mathur, who represented Sisodia. The court made it clear that it couldn’t stop the media from reporting the matter. “If the media is reporting, they are reporting. As long as protests are peaceful, it’s fine,” Special Judge Nagpal said. Earlier, Sisodia was produced before the Special Judge on expiry of his seven-day custodial continued on page 7 Colonies of PoJK refugees to be regularised: L-G Oz envoy: Horrified by temple vandalism, freedom of speech doesn’t cover violence Jammu, March 6 Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday announced that the colonies of displaced families from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) would be regularised, saying "it is our responsibility to secure their rights". He asserted PoJK was an integral part of India and that the dream of “Akhand Bharat” (undivided India) would come true in the coming times. Speaking at a camp for the refugees, he said, “PM Modi understood their sufferings and made arrangements for financial support to them. The camp is part of a drive to take welfare schemes to every house of the refugees.” INSIDE CHANNEL TAKEN OFF AIR FOR AIRING SPEECH ARY TV news channel was taken off air for broadcasting Khan’s address on Sunday repository. He then allegedly sold the gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch, for profit. In his assets decla- Khalistan referendum has no legal standing in Australia, says O’Farrell Sandeep Dikshit TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, MARCH 6 Australian High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell on Monday said Australians were “horrified” by the repeated desecration of temples and said the “so-called” Khalistan referendum call had no legal standing in Australia. “Australia’s respect for Indian sovereignty is unwavering,’’ said the envoy ahead of Australian PM Anthony Albanese’s visit to India and a day after yet another temple in Melbourne was daubed with pro-Khalis- COMMENTS AHEAD OF AUSTRALIAN PM’S VISIT Australian High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell’sstrong comments come ahead of the state visit of Australian PM Anthony Albanese to India from March 8. Albanese will hold comprehensive talks with PM Narendra Modi. tani and anti-India slogans. The envoy said Australia was a successful multicultural, multifaith country and respected freedom of speech. “But freedom of speech does not give you the right to engage in violent protests in hate speech or vandalism. And those matters are taken seriously in Australia,” O’Farrell said. Early last month, the MEA had asked Australia to ensure that its territory was not used for activities that OTHER CABINET DECISIONS ■ Allows bottling of imported wine at wineries in the state ■ To introduce new category of liquor obtained by fermentation of fruits ■ Water cess on hydro power projects to be applicable from March 10 to 20 per cent,” said Chauhan. The Cabinet decided to allow bottling of imported wine in the wineries of the state. The decision will ensure easy availability of bestselling, high-range wine brands to customers in the state. The fund-starved government also decided to continued on page 7 Vishav Bharti INELIGIBLE SANGRUR ROAD GIVEN GRANT Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 6 The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged the “misuse and uneven distribution” of the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) in Punjab, claiming 60 per cent of the grant was spent in former PWD Minister Vijay Inder Singla’s home district Sangrur. In its report for the 2020-21 financial year that is to be tabled in the Vidhan Sabha, the CAG said the Punjab Government failed to prepare a ■ The Bhalwan-Bhawanigarh-Kakra road was included under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund despite it being ineligible ■ Having a length of 11.66 km, the project was approved in November 2018 with an outlay of ~10 crore ■ About 9.9 km of the stretch costing ~8.57 crore fell within municipal limits, rendering it ineligible for CRIF proposal covering the “core network” of roads from across the state and instead included 60 per cent of the roads from Sangrur alone. One “ineligible” road too was included, it said. The “core network” comprises selected state highways and major district roads that have the potential Sumedha Sharma Gurugram, March 6 Around 100 societies in Gurugram have decided to switch to an eco-friendly “phoolon ki Holi” this year. With most areas in the millennium city falling in the red zone as far as groundwater is concerned, the societies have decided to do their bit to check wastage by keeping off “pichkaris” and other water activities during the celebrations. The societies have also threaten the safety of Indians as well as the security and national interest of the country. The MEA had also wondered how known antiIndia separatists were given visas to enter Australia. “Most appalled to see temples being targeted, police are active and continue to be active to deal with those responsible,” said O’Farrell on the desecration of temples. There also has been a street battle in Melbourne between Khalistanis and a crowd carrying the Indian flag, and on February 21 a continued on page 7 Manik Saha gets second term as Tripura CM new delhi, March 6 Manik Saha was named as the next Chief Minister of Tripura at a meeting of the BJP Legislature Party held in Agartala on Monday. A BJP spokesperson said the selection was unanimously endorsed by all party MLAs. Earlier, there was speculation that Saha, who was made the CM last year in OATH TOMORROW | PM, NADDA LIKELY TO ATTEND a brand renewal exercise replacing Biplab Kumar Deb, may make way for Union Minister Pratima Bhowmik as the CM of the sensitive border state. Saha will take oath on March 8. PM Narendra Modi is likely to be present at the event. In the recently held elections, the BJP won 32 seats of the 60-member Assembly. BJP chief JP Nadda and CMs of several BJP-ruled states are expected to be present at the swearing-in. — TNS Notice to Badals in Kotkapura police firing case Faridkot, march 6 Days after the SIT presented a challan in the 2015 Kotkapura police firing incident, a court issued notices to former CM Parkash Singh Badal, SAD chief Sukhbir Badal, former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and others. The court said as the challan was presented in the absence of the accused on February 24, the notices of the challan were being issued to all through SIT officials. INSIDE 60% of grant spent in former PWD Minister’s home district Sangrur to be upgraded as national highways. The Union Government’s CRIF rules mandate prioritising selection of roads from the “core network” for upgradation. As many as 38 road projects spanning 721 km and entailing a cost of Rs 464 crore were proposed to the Centre for upgrade in 2018-19. Of these, 23 roads (60 per cent) comprising 413 km and costing Rs 194 crore were approved for Sangrur district between September and November 2018. Interestingly, a majority of these roads fell in Singla’s home constituency Sangrur. The CAG maintained that five other PWD divisions spent Rs 40 crore from state funds on the upgrade of eight roads having a total length of 145 km during 2018-21, which could have been easily covered under continued on page 7 No water guns,no colour, Gurugram to shower petals this Holi Tribune News Service rations, he is accused of concealing details of the gifts he retained from the Toshakhana. Khan’s supporters say the case is yet another example of the “extreme vendetta launched by a coalition of political parties that have sunk their ideological enmity to join hands to finish him as a political force”. Since his removal from power in April last year, Khan is said to have been charged in 70 cases, ranging from sedition to corruption. The Islamabad High Court has cleared him of charges of “terrorism”. Khan has antagonised the federal government by not taking his sacking lying down and instead immediately launching countrywide protests to press for early elections. His party members have also pulled out of Parliament and dissolved two provincial assemblies his party controls. The Pakistan authorities have banned TV channels from broadcasting Khan’s speeches. Central road fund misused in Punjab: CAG Tribune News Service Shimla, March 6 Giving the nod to the excise policy for 2023-24, the state Cabinet today decided to auction-cum-tender retail liquor vends with an objective to generate higher revenue. “The BJP government did not auction the vends; the licence was renewed with an increase of 10 per cent every year. We have, however, decided to auction the vends,” said Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan. “As per the estimates of the department, we would have earned Rs 2,357 crore if the licences were renewed. That’s an increase of 10.6 per cent, but by auctioning the vends, we believe the revenue could increase by 15 More trouble for Imran, court junks his plea on arrest warrant Reeling under water crisis, 100 societies to go in for eco-friendly celebrations BULK ORDERS FOR PETALS ■ Societies have tied up with local florists & have also placed orders with wholesalers in Delhi for petals ■ Nakas will be in place to check drunken driving; securi- ty at crowded places such as malls & cinema halls up ■ Health authorities have asked people to avoid celebrations if down with cold and fever << Devotees celebrate Holi at Gopinath Temple in Vrindavan on Monday. PTI announced a ban on the use of fire hydrants during the celebrations. These have also decided to say goodbye to colours owing to chemicals in these and instead switch to rose and marigold petals. “The city is facing a major water crisis. It’s high time we did our bit. We shall not go in for traditional water tanks, pichkaris or indulge in rain dance this year,” said Praveen Malik, president of a residents’ welfare association in New Gurugram. Malik said earlier there was rampant use of fire hydrants during Holi, which has been banned by the RWA. The decision was taken at a recent meeting of the association. “As societies, we have a responsibility towards environment. A majority of the residents have supported the idea,” said Sumit Duggal of the Mapsko Mountain Village Society.RWAs of HSVP sectors have also given a call for similar initiatives. The societies plan to use flowers. Most temples in the city have also decided to stick to a “flower Holi” this year. “People should celebrate a safe Holi. We won’t allow wastage of water. Such steps can go a long way in ensuring a hassle-free summer,” said DC Nishant Yadav. Bihar Minister Tej Pratap Yadav at the residence of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and party MLA Rabri Devi during the CBI raid in Patna. ANI CBI grills Rabri, puts Lalu on notice over job scam Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 6 The CBI today questioned former Bihar CM Rabri Devi at her Patna residence in connection with the land-for-jobs scam. It has also issued summons to her husband and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad to appear for questioning here on Tuesday in connection with further probe into the scam, officials said. Noting that there was no search or raid at the Patna residence of the former CM, the officials said the CBI had issued a notice to Rabri Devi following which she showed her availability on Monday and the team visited her residence for questioning in con- Centre’s bid to ‘suppress’ voice, Oppn cries foul GROUP D POSTS IN RLYS ■ The CBI has already filed a chargesheet in the case. A special court has summoned accused, including Lalu, his kin & others, on March 15 ■ Probe team may seek additional papers related to “transfer of land” in name of Lalu’s kin in exchange for Group D jobs in the Railways during 2004-2009 nection with the case. Similar summons had also been issued to RJD supremo and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, they said. continued on page 7