24032024-TTC-01.qxd 3/24/2024 12:42 AM Page 1 123 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 83 | 18 PAGES | ~7.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 GAZA STARVATION MORAL OUTRAGE, ALLOW ACCESS TO AID: UN CHIEF WORLD /thetribunechd AFTER BACKLASH FROM LEADERS, ARMY CALLS OFF UCC SEMINAR J&K FLAVOURS OF HOLI: WILL CONTINUE MARITIME COMBINATION OF SWEET INTERVENTIONS, SAYS AND SALTY SPECTRUM NAVY CHIEF BACK PAGE sunday | 24 march 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com ‘Interference’: MEA summons German envoy over remarks on Kejri’s arrest Says ‘biased assumptions’ are unwarranted Tribune News Service IN BRIEF Cong’s Ajay Rai to take on PM Modi in Varanasi NEW DELHI: The Congress has fielded UP unit president Ajay Rai against PM Modi from Varanasi as the party on Saturday released its fourth list of 46 candidates. Karti Chidambaram and Danish Ali are also on the list. INSIDE Moitra’s premises raided in cash-for-query case NEW DELHI: The CBI on Satur- day carried out searches at several premises, including in Kolkata, linked to expelled TMC MP Mahua Moitra. The searches were conducted in the cash-for-query case. INSIDE To check prices, onion export ban extended NEW DELHI: The government has extended the export ban on onion till further orders to increase domestic availability and keep its prices under check. Earlier, it was prohibited till March 31 this year. TNS New Delhi, March 23 The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) today summoned Germany’s Deputy Chief of Mission here and informed him of the Centre’s strong protest on remarks of the German Foreign Office spokesperson on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. “We see such remarks as interference in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary,” the MEA said in a statement. “India is a vibrant and robust democracy with the rule of law. As in all legal cases in the country, and elsewhere in the democratic world, law will take its own course in the instant matter. Biased assumptions made on this account are most unwarranted,” added the MEA. Earlier, commenting on the arrest, Germany’s Foreign Office spokesperson had said, “We have taken note of the case. India is a democratic country. We assume and expect that the standards relating to the independence of the judiciary and basic continued on page 6 WHAT GERMAN SPOKESPERSON SAID When questioned about the arrest of Kejriwal, a spokesperson of the German Foreign Office on Friday said the country had taken note of the arrest and the Delhi CM was entitled to fair trial. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann at Shaheedi Park to protest his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest in New Delhi. MUKESH AGGARWAL WILL MOVE COURT FOR KAVITHA’S ED REMAND OFFICE IN JAIL: MANN EXTENDED TILL MAR 26 ■ Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has said if Arvind Kejriwal is sent to jail, they will approach court for approval to set up Delhi CM’s office in prison ■ A Delhi court has extended Enforcement Directorate custody of BRS leader K Kavitha till March 26 in the Delhi excise policy case IS claims responsibility after 143 killed in Russia concert shooting; 4 gunmen held Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 23 A day after withdrawing his case from the Supreme Court, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday moved the Delhi High Court challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy scam. However, sources said despite his lawyers’ attempts to get the petition listed for urgent hearing, it was likely to be taken up only after Holi. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja had on Friday sent Kejriwal to the ED custody till March 28 “for his detailed and sustained interrogation”. Kejriwal sought quashing and setting aside of all proceedings, including the summonses issued against him. Describing himself as a “vocal critic” of the ruling party, an opposition leader and a partner in the INDIA bloc, Kejriwal said the ED, being under the Centre’s control, had been High Court may take up petition only after Holi WIFE READS OUT HIS MESSAGE Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita, in perhaps her first such public appearance, read out his message sent from ED custody on Saturday in which the AAP chief said he could not be kept behind bars for long & he would return soon. “weaponised” against him. The ED alleged that Kejriwal was the scam’s kingpin who was directly involved in the implementation of the policy and giving favour to the South Group. The agency alleged that Kejriwal received several crores of rupees as “kickbacks”. Kejriwal, who was apprehended on Thursday, said his arrest and remand were illegal and that he was entitled to be immediately released. approver donated to bjp INSIDE sangrur, March 23 With five more deaths in Sunam on Saturday, the death toll in the liquor tragedy in Punjab’s Sangrur district has risen to 21. The deceased were residents of Ravidaspura Tibbi and Koko Majri villages. SSP Sartaj Singh Chahal said that as per the officials of the Excise Department, the accused had used methyl alcohol to manufacture the liquor, which is a poisonous substance. INSIDE Satya Prakash CALLS FOR FAIR PLAY Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 23 The Supreme Court has dismissed the Centre’s petition seeking review of its verdict that said it’s necessary for the Enforcement Directorate to furnish a copy of grounds of arrest to the arrested person in writing “without exception”. “We have carefully gone through the review petitions and the connected papers. We do not find any error, much less apparent, in the order impugned, warranting its reconsideration. The review petitions are dismissed accordingly,” a Bench of Justice AS Bopanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said in its March 20 order. Indicting the Enforcement Directorate for arbitrary exercise of powers conferred on it under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, the Supreme Court had on Octo- ■ The SC had in Oct 2023 indict- ed the ED for arbitrary exercise of powers under PMLA ■ It said ED must act in transparent, non-vindictive manner ■ Must conform to pristine standards of fair play in its actions ■ Cited Constitution to say anyone arrested must be informed of the grounds for such arrest ber 3, 2023, said that the probe agency must act in a transparent and non-vindictive manner, conforming to pristine standards of fair play in its actions. “The clandestine conduct of the ED in proceeding against the appellants continued on page 6 NEW CBSE CURRICULUM FOR CLASSES III, VI New Delhi: The NCERT will release a new syllabus and textbooks for Classes III and VI while there will be no change in the curriculum and textbooks for other grades for the academic year 2024-25 starting April 1, according to CBSE officials. The NCERT is also developing a bridge course for Class VI and concise guidelines for Class III. PTI Five more deaths take Punjab liquor tragedy toll to 21 Moscow, March 23 Russia has arrested 11 persons, including four suspected gunmen, in connection with a shooting rampage that killed at least 143 in a concert hall near Moscow, the Kremlin said on Saturday. Militant group Islamic State claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack, the deadliest in Russia in 20 years. But there were indications that Russia continued on page 6 they will pay: putin INSIDE Delhi CM moves HC, early hearing unlikely SC rejects govt’s plea against ED furnishing grounds for detention India in no mood to overlook Six Himachal Cong rebels, terrorism by Pak: Jaishankar three Ind ex-MLAs join BJP Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 23 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said the prevailing sentiment now in India is not to overlook terrorist outrage and that the problem cannot be skirted anymore with Pakistan sponsoring terrorism almost at an “industry level”. “Every country wants a stable neighbourhood... if nothing else, you want at least a continued on page 6 Aditi Tandon Pak calls for peaceful settlement of all issues CHINA’S ARUNACHAL CLAIM ‘LUDICROUS’ China has laid claim (on Arunachal).... The claims are ludicrous to begin with and remain ludicrous today. ❝ S Jaishankar, EAM Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 23 Signs of turmoil in Himachal Pradesh politics continued on Saturday with six disqualified Congress MLAs and three Independents, who supported the saffron candidate in the March 27 Rajya Sabha poll, formally joining the BJP in the national capital. While the switch by disqualified Congress lawmakers — Sudhir Sharma (Dharamsala), Rajinder Rana (Sujanpur), LIKE THEY NEVER EXISTED! Comfortable dimpled grip with inbuilt eraser Write, erase & rewrite, effortlessly Unique patented Thermo-sensitive Frixion Ink WILL STRENGTHEN PM These joinings are very important for a small state like Himachal. These MLAs have taken a huge step and sacrificed House membership to strengthen PM Modi. Jai Ram Thakur, FORMER CM ❝ Available Ink Colour: People light candles at a memorial to shooting victims in Moscow. REUTERS IT ERASES MISTAKES Ravi Thakur (Lahaul-Spiti), ID Lakhanpal (Badsar), Davinder Bhutto (Kutlehar) and Chaitanya Sharma (Gagret) — was continued on page 6 Maiden Pharma blacklisted, all contracts cancelled Haryana Govt takes action after Sonepat firm’s three products fail quality test PUBLIC SAFETY DRUGS Though the HMSCL policy is to blacklist a firm only if more than three products fail quality tests, it decided to act in the case of Maiden Pharma in view of public safety and after receiving the CM’s approval. Bhartesh Singh Thakur Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 23 Haryana has blacklisted Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd, based at Sonepat, for three years, thereby debarring the firm from participating in state tenders. All rate contracts issued to the firm have also been cancelled. Haryana Medical Services Corporation Ltd (HMSCL), which procures medicines for government hospitals and dispensaries, has taken action against the firm after its three different products failed the quality test. Labs, empanelled by Today’s issue is of 18 pages, including six-page Spectrum. HMSCL, declared 21 batches of albendazole tablet (400 mg) as “not of standard quality”. It was The Tribune that broke the story of the quality failure of albendazole tablets on November 1 and November 26, 2022. The testing also proved three batches of ibuprofen tablet (IP 400 mg) as “not of standard quality”. In the case of azithromycin suspension (40 mg/ml), 16 batches failed continued on page 6 / / / / PPIN Private Limited UNTRY OF CO Address & Registered Office: Plot No. 255, Sector-6, IMT Manesar, Gurugram- 122052, Haryana, India JAPAN ORIGIN SPURIOUS For trade enquiry please contact: +91 97290 67761 E-mail: consumercare@pilotpen.co.in | Website: www.pilotpen.co.in Connect with us
The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising four eminent persons as trustees.
The Tribune, the largest selling daily in North India, publishes news and views without any bias or prejudice of any kind. Restraint and moderation, rather than agitational language and partisanship, are the hallmarks of the paper. It is an independent newspaper in the real sense of the term.
The English edition apart, the 133-year-old Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).