03052023-TTC-01.qxd 5/3/2023 12:49 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 7 NO. 121 | 18 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 SETBACK TO DEMOCRACY, HONG KONG TO REDUCE ELECTED SEATS WORLD /thetribunechd ANDROID CASE: GOOGLE CHINESE FM QIN CONFIRMS PAYS ~1,338-CR FINE VISIT FOR SCO MEET IN TO CCI BUSINESS GOA BACK PAGE AUCTION OF LITHIUM RESERVES IN REASI LATER THIS YEAR J&K wednesday | 3 may 2023 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Sharad Pawar resigns as NCP Raghav Chadha’s name figures in ED excise scam chargesheet chief, later agrees to rethink Tribune News Service Development comes days after nephew Ajit denied buzz about going with BJP Aditi Tandon MAHA MOVE OVER SUCCESSION PLAN? Tribune News Service ■ Sharad’s move effectively isolated nephew Ajit as NCP cadre rallied behind him ■ Sharad will now find it easier to dictate the course of NCP’s future, and the party’s succession plan ■ While the NCP chief wants his daughter Supriya Sule to lead, he has to equally contend with Ajit’s dabbling with Ajit Pawar addresses NCP cadre in presence of Sharad Pawar & Supriya Sule. the saffron party ANI New Delhi, May 2 Famous for shrewd power games in national and state politics, veteran Sharad Pawar on Tuesday announced his resignation as Nationalist Congress Party chief. However, hours later, his nephew Ajit Pawar said the decision would be given a rethink as cadres pleaded with the Maratha strongman not to renounce the top party post. “Sharad Pawarji has agreed to rethink his decision. He needs two-three days. But he will do it only if all protesting workers go home,” Ajit told a large gath- ering of the NCP cadre which refused to leave the Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan in Mumbai, where the opposition stalwart announced his resignation. The announcement, made by Sharad during the launch of his revised autobiography Lok Majhe Sangati (People Accompany Me), evoked extreme reactions. While state party chief Jayant Patil and leader Jitendra Awhad continued on page 10 New Delhi, May 2 Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab Raghav Chadha’s name has figured in the second supplementary chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case. Filed in a Delhi court, the chargesheet mentioned that AAP, in power in Punjab and Delhi, allegdely routed part of the Rs 100 crore “kickbacks” it received from a “south group” liquor lobby to fund its campaign for the 2022 Assembly elections in Goa. Chadha has not been named as an accused, but his name is alleged to have been mentioned by former Delhi continued on page 10 NAMED AS ACCUSED IN LIQUOR POLICY CASE Manish Sisodia Vijay Nair Former Delhi Communications Deputy CM (CBI) head, AAP (CBI-ED) ■ Arava Gopi Krishna, then Excise Commissioner (CBI chargesheet) ■ Kuldeep Singh, then Deputy Excise Commissioner (CBI) ■ Narender Singh, then Assistant Excise Commissioner (CBI) ■ Abhishek Boinpally, Hyderabadbased businessman (CBI-ED) ■ Buchi Babu, BRS leader K Kavitha’s ex-CA (CBI-ED) ■ Rajesh Joshi, owner of Chariot Media Production Pvt Ltd (ED) ■ Sameer Mahendru, liquor trader NAMES FIGURE, BUT NOT AS ACCUSED Arvind Kejriwal Raghav Chadha Delhi CM and Rajya Sabha MP AAP chief (ED) from Punjab (ED) ■ Sanjay Singh, AAP RS MP (ED) ~100 CR ‘KICKBACKS’ ■ The ED and the CBI allege that AAP received ~100 crore kickbacks from a “south group” liquor lobby and routed a part of it to fund the party’s campaign in the 2022 Goa poll Mulling expert panel Congress manifesto promises to ban Go First files for insolvency, to review execution by Bajrang Dal, restore 4% Muslim quota cancels all flights for 3 days REGULATOR ISSUES hanging: Centre to SC KARNATAKA PM takes swipe, says bid to ‘lock up Bajrangbali’ SHOW-CAUSE NOTICE ISTOCK New Delhi, May 2 The Centre is mulling setting up a panel of experts to find out an alternative mode to execution of the death penalty by hanging, the Supreme Court was informed on Tuesday. Attorney General R Venkataramani told a Bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud that the Centre was considering the suggestion on constituting a panel of experts and deliberations were on. The Bench posted the matter for further hearing after the summer vacation after the Attorney General said he would be able to inform it about the further course of action after some time as there were certain formalities related to the finalisation of names for the proposed panel. The Supreme Court had on March 21 favoured setting up an expert panel to examine whether the execution of death penalty by hanging was PIL FOR ABOLITION OF PAINFUL PRACTICE In his PIL filed in 2017, advocate Rishi Malhotra has sought the abolition of executing death penalty by hanging. He wanted it to be replaced with less painful methods such as “intravenous lethal injection, shooting, electrocution or gas chamber, etc. proportionate and less painful. While hearing a PIL filed by advocate Rishi Malhotra seeking removal of the present mode of punishment by hanging from the statute, the CJI-led Bench had sought “better data” from the Centre on various modes of execution. Thirtysix states in the US have already abandoned the practice of executing convicts by hanging, Malhotra contended. The Bench, however, had made clear that it could not direct the legislature to adopt a particular mode of sentencing deathrow convicts. IN BRIEF Honour killing: Couple hacked to death in Hisar HISAR: In a case of suspected honour killing, a couple belonging to different castes was allegedly hacked to death by assailants on the outskirts of Kanoh village of Hisar district. INSIDE Ukraine apologises for Goddess Kali tweet NEW DELHI: Ukraine has apologised for celebrating a fire in a Russian gas station using a picture of Goddess Kali in a Twitter post by its defence ministry, which has now been deleted. TNS EPFO extends date to opt for higher pension NEW DELHI: The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has extended the date for filing applications to opt for a higher pension till June 26. The previous deadline was May 3. PTI Mahatma’s grandson Arun Gandhi passes away MUMBAI: Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson Arun Gandhi, an author and a socio-political activist, passed away after a brief illness at Kolhapur in Maharashtra on Tuesday. He was 89. PTI Elections New Delhi May 2 The Congress proposed banning the Bajrang Dal, youth wing of the Sangh-affiliated Vishva Hindu Parishad, in its manifesto released today for the May 10 Assembly elections in Karnataka. The manifesto, released by party president Mallikarjun Kharge in Bengaluru, promised to ban all organisations that promote “enmity or hatred” among communities on grounds of caste and religion. “The Congress is committed to taking firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations Mallikarjun Kharge and other Congress leaders release the manifesto. PTI Goldy Brar on list of Canada’s top 25 wanted criminals In ‘cover-up’ act, Jhajjar firm fakes sale of 40K MT of mining minerals Tribune News Service Shiv Kumar Sharma WILL ACT AGAINST OUTFITS SPREADING HATRED: KHARGE spreading hatred amongst communities. We believe that the Constitution is sacrosanct and cannot be violated by individuals and organisations like the Bajrang Dal, PFI or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities,” the manifesto stated. The document mentioned that the party, if voted continued on page 10 edit: battleground karnataka CRIMINAL NEXUS Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 2 Prime accused in Sidhu Moosewala’s killing and notorious gangster Goldy Brar is now among Canada’s top 25 most-wanted criminals. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have listed him as number 15 among the wanted criminals. The Canadian High Commission, New Delhi, has issued a release announcing that fugitive Satinderjit Singh, alias Goldy Brar, has been added to the list of the most-wanted criminals in India through the “Bolo Program” in Canada. The Tribune was the first to report this morning that the Canada-based program website, which circulates continued on page 10 Yamunanagar, May 2 Even as there is no mining site in Jhajjar, a firm based in Bahadurgarh in the district has shown the sale of 40,402 metric tonnes (MT) of mining minerals to screening plants in Yamunanagar in its records. Rajesh Sangwan, Assistant ATTEMPT TO SHIELD PLANTS CARRYING OUT ILLEGAL MINING Mining Engineer, Yamunanagar, said this was part of a cover-up act to shield screening plants in Yamunanagar, which reportedly carried out illegal mining in their area and showed the minerals as purchased from the said firm using e-transit passes issued by the latter. He said the illegally mined minerals were then sold by the screening plants in the open market. As the matter came to the fore, continued on page 10 Aviation regulator DGCA on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to Go First after the airline decided to cancel flights from May 3-5 amid a severe financial crunch. The airline has been asked to submit its response within 24 hours. An Airbus passenger plane of Go First, formerly known as GoAir. Khona. The airline is currently facing financial difficulties due to non-supply of engines by Pratt & Whitney (P&W), continued on page 10 New Delhi, May 2 The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday refused to grant interim protection to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the criminal defamation case filed against him by Gujarat BJP MLA Purnesh Modi for his remark on the Modi surname. INTERIM PROTECTION IN DEFAMATION CASE DECLINED Rahul moved a revision application in the High Court on April 15, challenging a sessions court order turning down his plea for a stay on his conviction by the trial court in connection with the defamation case. On Tuesday, Justice Hemant Prachchhak, who has been assigned the case, said he would pronounce the verdict on the application after the summer vacation. The vacation begins on May 5 and the court will reopen on June 5. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Congress MP and senior advocate appearing for Rahul, urged Justice Prachchhak to grant interim protection to the Congress leader till then. “In the interest of justice, the interim protection cannot be granted at this stage,” the judge said in the oral order. Justice Prachchhak also ordered the trial court to present the original record of the case. — TNS 58.97% VOTING IN SHIMLA MC POLL HIGHEST LOWEST 74.9% in Bhattakuffar ward 46.8% in Panthaghati ward 57.8% VOTING IN 2017 MC ELECTIONS 34 wards in MC 102 candidates COUNTING: May 4 People queue up to cast their vote in Shimla on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO Pay ~20 lakh to kin of 11 gas tragedy victims: NGT to Ludhiana DM Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 2 Taking suo motu cognisance of the Giaspura tragedy, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday directed the Ludhiana district magistrate to give Rs 20 lakh each to the families of the 11 persons who died allegedly after inhaling toxic gas in Punjab’s industrial hub. FORMS PROBE PANEL ■ The NGT has taken suo motu cognisance of the tragedy ■ Has formed an eight-member fact-finding joint committee ■ The probe committee has been told to submit its report to the tribunal by June 30 FILE Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 2 In a major blow to its passengers, low-cost airline Go First has announced that all its flights will remain cancelled from May 3-5. The decision was communicated to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) by the airlines and as per sources, a detailed report will be submitted soon to the civil aviation regulator. Adding to the uncertainty, the Mumbai-based airline has also stopped taking bookings for the next two days. The move came after Go First, which has around 5,000 employees, filed an application for voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), as confirmed by its CEO Kaushik No relief for Rahul, Gujarat HC posts plea after vacation Observing that the state was under the obligation to ensure compliance of environmental Today’s issue is of 18 pages, including four-page Jalandhar Tribune. norms for the safety of citizens, a Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice AK Goel constituted an eight-member fact-finding joint committee, which will be headed by the Punjab Pollution Control Board’s chairperson. The tragedy took place on Sunday in the thickly populated Giaspura locality, which is dominated by migrant workers. High levels of hydrogen sulphide were detected in the air and the authorities suspect that it emanated from a sewer. Following the incident, the Punjab Government had announced Rs 2 lakh compensation each for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those who were taken ill. “The intervention of this tribunal is called for under Section 15 of the NGT Act… it is necessary to ascertain the cause of the incident and take continued on page 10