05042024-TTB-01.qxd 4/4/2024 11:57 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 94 | 16 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  DELHI KREMLIN: WE ARE IN DIRECT CONFRONTATION WITH NATO WORLD /thetribunechd BJP, CONGRESS STAR CAMPAIGNERS SET TO VISIT VALLEY J&K HERO MOTOCORP GETS ~605 CR TAX DEMAND NOTICE BUSINESS INDIA DOESN’T NEED UN TALK ON FREE AND FAIR POLL: EAM BACK PAGE friday | 5 april 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com GOLD AT RECORD ~70,050/10 GM ■ Gold prices surged by ~850 to reach a new peak of ~70,050 per 10 gm on Thursday on strong global cues ■ Silver prices also zoomed by ~1,000 to hit a record ~81,700 per kg ■ Gold continues to hover around its all-time high levels on the back of weakness in the dollar amid uncertainty over US interest rate cuts IN BRIEF Prez launches CAR T-cell treatment for cancer MUMBAI: President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday launched India's first homegrown CAR Tcell therapy for cancer treatment, hailing it as a major breakthrough. BACK PAGE Robert Vadra hints at contesting from Amethi NEW DELHI: Robert Vadra, husband of Congress’ Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Thursday hinted at fighting poll from Amethi, saying “people of segment look upon him to represent them”. INSIDE Gourav Vallabh quits Congress, joins BJP NEW DELHI: Congress spokesper- son Gourav Vallabh resigned from all posts and membership of the party on Thursday and joined the BJP. INSIDE Hours after Doval meets Iran official, Pak ultras strike near Chabahar port June 4 to launch new chapter, AAP to come out stronger: Mann 11 securitymen, 15 militants killed in Jaish al-Adl’s attack on Revolutionary Guard camps Sanjeev Singh Bariana Sandeep Dikshit NSA DISCUSSES SECURITY WITH AHMADIAN Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 4 Pakistan-based terrorists mounted a major attack near the India-run port of Chabahar in Iran, killing 11 defence personnel, shortly after National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met Iran’s top security official Ali Akbar Ahmadian in Kazakhstan on Wednesday. At his meeting with Ahmadian, Doval discussed bilateral security and economic cooperation and mourned the killing of Iranian advisers in an Israeli airstrike on Iran’s ■ At his meeting with Iran’s top security official Ali Akbar Ahmadian, NSA Doval discussed security and economic cooperation in Kazakhstan ■ The MEA said it was distressed at the escalating tensions in West Asia and urged all sides to avoid actions that went against commonly accepted principles and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval holds discussions with Ali Akbar norms of international law Ahmadian, Secretary, Security Council of Iran, in Astana. ANI from Pakistan that needed to be acted against. He did not mention the Pakistan-based Jaish al-Adl, which mounted the sudden attacks on Wednesday night on the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) camps meant to secure the Chabahar port, which India operates. The port has seen increasing interest from countries, including Uzbekistan, that will reduce the importance of Pakistan’s Gwadar port, which it is positioning as an alternative communications route to Central Asian countries. Given the continued on page 8 Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 4 Unfazed by the corruption case against Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, in a special interaction with The Tribune today, said the party will emerge stronger in the upcoming parliamentary elections. CM Mann said public was watching the developments closely and would script a “new chapter” on June 4, when the Lok Sabha results are declared. He said it was worrying the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was being used as a FULL INTERVIEW INSIDE weapon by the BJP government at the Centre to silence its Opposition. “The Centre is not allowing easy working in Punjab, West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu because continued on page 8 consulate in Damascus. The MEA also said it was distressed at the escalating tensions in West Asia and urged all sides to avoid actions that went against commonly accepted principles and norms of international law. In his speech at an SCO meeting of NSAs in Astana, Doval had mentioned several terrorist groups operating HC rejects plea seeking Kejri’s removal as CM IAF’s Apache copter makes emergency landing, pilots safe Stick to price cap: US to India on Russian crude New Delhi, April 4 An Apache helicopter of the Indian Air Force made a precautionary landing during an operational sortie in Ladakh on Wednesday. Both pilots are safe. The copter was forced to land at an altitude of more than 12,000 feet at a location north of Khardung La. During continued on page 8 New Delhi, April 4 A visiting American team to tighten sanctions on Moscow said all Indian imports of crude from Russia must adhere to the price cap announced by the US, the EU and Australia. “Permitting unrestricted Russian oil trade was and remains unacceptable. It would allow Putin to profit Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 4 Noting that it’s a personal call of Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to entertain a PIL seeking his removal from the post of Delhi CM following his arrest in a money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy scam. “At times, personal interest has to be subordinate to national interest. But that’s his (Kejriwal’s) personal call,” a Bench led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan said, turning down the second PIL within a week for Kejriwal’s removal as Delhi CM. continued on page 8 Sandeep Dikshit Tribune News Service Today’s issue is of 16 pages, including four-page Delhi Tribune. c m y b ❝ NOT PUTTING CURBS ON TRADE There is no restriction; we have not asked India to reduce Russian oil buying. Once Russian oil is refined, it is no longer Russian oil. — Anna Morris, US OFFICIAL from a price spike he created,” said US Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy Eric Van Nostrand at an interactive session here on Thursday. Another US official, however, said India had not been asked to stop or reduce oil imports from Russia, nor had it sanctioned any Indian entity for buying and refining crude purchased from Russia. “There is no restriction; we have not asked India to reduce Russian oil buying. Not dictating that no trade can be done with Russia,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing Anna Morris. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We buy oil from the international market, wherever it is available, at the cheapest rate. We have to ensure our energy security.” The team from the US is here to discuss the second phase of the price cap on Russian oil.