08052024-TTB-01.qxd 5/8/2024 12:05 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 127 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 HARYANA SONIA EXHORTS VOTERS TO REJECT PROPONENTS OF HATRED INDIA VOTES /thetribunechd NOTHING HAS BEEN ACHIEVED BY GUNS, STONES: PDP J&K SEBI REJECTS NSE’S PUTIN TAKES OATH AS PROPOSAL TO EXTEND RUSSIAN PRESIDENT FOR TRADE HOURS BUSINESS RECORD 5TH TIME WORLD wednesday | 8 may 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Jyoti Malhotra appointed first woman Editor-in-Chief 61.8% turnout in Ph-3, stray incidents of violence in WB Highest 75.5% in Assam | Polling over for 283 seats in 16 states, 4 UTs Kejriwal fails to get immediate relief as SCdefers hearing Satya Prakash Animesh Singh The Tribune Trust has appointed senior journalist Jyoti Malhotra, who has vast experience across print, TV and digital media, as the Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune Group. Ms Malhotra will assume charge on May 14. Ms Malhotra has held senior editorial positions in various news organisations such as India Today, Indian Express, The Print and Star News and has been a regular contributor to BBC Radio. She writes widely on the intersection between politics, diplomacy and culture across the Indian subcontinent with special focus on Pakistan and Afghanistan. She takes over from Rajesh Ramachandran, who leaves office after a six-year stint with the region’s premier newspaper. MEA lashes out at anti-India Canadian floats New Delhi, May 7 The Ministry of External Affairs has lashed out at the violent imagery being used by extremist elements in Canada against the Indian leadership The latest provocation was a “nagar kirtan” parade in a Toronto suburb last Sunday where a float featured PM Narendra Modi behind bars. Slogans were also raised against the Indian leadership. SAYS GLORIFICATION OF VIOLENCE UNACCEPTABLE Last year too, a float depicting the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi was used in a procession. Display of posters of Indian diplomats have also been put out across Canada, threatening violence against them. “Celebration and glorification of violence should not be a part of any civilised society. Democratic countries which respect the rule of law should not allow intimidation by radical elements in the name of freedom of expression,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. continued on page 9 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 7 Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal failed to get an immediate relief in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam on Tuesday as the Supreme Court deferred the hearing on his interim bail plea. “Tentatively... we will give you a date for day after tomorrow (May 9)…if it’s not possible, we will keep it sometime next week,” a Bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta said. The Bench hinted at granting interim bail to Kejriwal in view of the Lok Sabha elections. “He (Kejriwal) is an elected Chief Minister of Delhi. The elections are around the corner. These are extraordinary circumstances. He is not otherwise a habitual offender...or somebody who has been involved in many other cases,” it said. The Bench, however, said it didn’t want Kejriwal to discharge his functions as Delhi Chief Minister and sign official files, if released on interim bail to campaign in the elections. “Suppose we release you, and you are allowed to participate in elections, you will be performing official duties...it can have cascading effects...We continued on page 9 TRF commander among 2 ultras killedinencounter SC stays order quashing 25K WB appointments srinagar: Most wanted local militant commander Basit Ahmed Dar of The Resistance Front (TRF) was among two militants killed in an encounter in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Tuesday. The police described it as a significant achievement, stating that Dar was involved in the killing of police personnel, civilians and minority members. INSIDE Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 7 A turnout of 61.89 per cent was recorded on Tuesday in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in 93 constituencies spread across 11 states with stray incidents of violence in West Bengal. Assam, where polling was held on four seats, recorded the highest turnout of 75.53 per cent, followed by Goa at 74.47 per cent and West Bengal at 73.93 per cent. Maharashtra, which saw polling on 11 seats in Marathwada region, witnessed the lowest turnout at 55.54 per cent with Bihar at 56.55 per cent and Gujarat at 56.98 per cent doing slightly better, according to the figures from the Election Commission at 9 pm. A total of 1,331 candidates were in the fray in the third phase that saw conclusion of the electoral process in Gujarat, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Goa. In all, the polling is now over in 16 states and four union territories totalling 283 seats. At least 20 persons, including children, were hospi- PM Modi after casting his vote in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Home Minister Amit Shah is also seen. PTI POLL OVER IN GUJARAT, K’TAKA Assam Goa West Bengal Karnataka Chhattisgarh Dadra-Diu 75.53* 74.47 73.93 68.85 67.64 65.23 Madhya Pradesh Uttar Pradesh Gujarat Bihar Maharashtra 64.02 57.34 56.98 56.55 55.54 *FIGURES IN PER CENT talised in Vadodara due to suspected food poisoning after they allegedly consumed free ‘poha’ distributed near polling stations in Fatehgunj area. MAYA SACKS ‘SUCCESSOR’ NEPHEW ■ In midst of LS poll, Mayawati has removed her nephew Akash Anand as ‘successor’ ■ The BSP chief also divested him of the post of party’s national coordinator ■ The UP ex-CM wrote on X the decision was taken for the party’s betterment and till Anand gained ‘full maturity’ An incident of firing was reported near a polling booth in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind, state’s Chief Electoral Officer Anupam Rajan said. “It happened because of an internal conflict. It has nothing to do with the elections... In Guna, there were reports that 11 votes were cast at a booth and the EVM showed continued on page 9 Indian Navy flexes muscle, sends 3 ships for deployment in disputed South China Sea Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 7 The Indian Navy has started operational deployment of its fleet in the disputed waters of the South China Sea (SCS), with three of its warships — INS Delhi, INS Shakti and INS Kiltan — arriving in Singapore yesterday. “The visit is part of the ‘operational deployment’ of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet to the South China sea,” the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said today. The MoD did not specify which all countries the ships would visit, or if the Indian Navy would join patrols of countries such as the US or Japan in the SCS. A PTI report, however, stated these would leave for Malaysia on Thursday and then visit the Philippines. China illegally claims vast portions of the SCS as its own. The same is contested by five other countries — the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan — that are in a maritime territorial GUARDING TROUBLED WATERS ■ INS Delhi, INS Shakti & INS Kil- ■ Chinese & Philippine ships are tan reach Singapore as part of ‘operational deployment’ of Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet in South China Sea, says MoD ■ China illegally claims vast portions of the SCS, but these are contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia & Taiwan currently at loggerheads over claims by both nations over Second Thomas Shoal in the SCS ■ While the MoD has not specified whether the three ships will join patrols of any country, reports say these will head to Malaysia and then Philippines AN INDIAN WARSHIP IN SINGAPORE. COURTESY: MoD dispute with Beijing. The three warships have diverse roles at sea. While INS Delhi is a guided missile destroyer equipped with BrahMos missile among other weapon systems, 3,500tonne INS Kiltan is a specialist anti-submarine warfare corvette that carries four heavyweight torpedo launchers and boasts of a highly advanced combat management system. INS Shakti is a fleet support ship that can carry fuel, water and supplies for mid-sea transfer to another ship. The warships were accorded a warm welcome by personnel of the Republic of Singapore Navy and the High Commissioner of India upon their arrival in the country. A delegation led by Rear Admiral Rajesh Dhankhar today visited the Information continued on page 9 India may get new Chinese envoy after LS election New Delhi, May 7 China is likely to send one of its senior-most diplomats Xu Feihong as the envoy to India after the Lok Sabha elections are over. Though there was a false alarm about his appointment as the envoy to Indian in January, Xu will fill the post that has been vacant for 19 months if he does take over in June. In late January as well, the Beijing grapevine had suggested that the 60-year-old Xu, presently Assistant Minister for Financial and Administrative Affairs, will assume charge as the Ambassador to India. The veteran diplomat has more experience serving in Europe and Latin America though he has had a threeyear stint as the Ambassador in Kabul. This is in contrast to his predecessors Sun Weidong and Lui Zhaohui, who had served more in Asia. — TNS Remove K’taka BJP’s offensive post, EC tells X New Delhi, May 7 The Election Commission of India on Tuesday directed microblogging site X to “immediately” remove a cartoon shared in an animated video post by the Karnataka unit of the BJP terming the , post “violative of extant legal framework”. In a letter to X, the poll body asked the social media platform to take down the continued on page 9 IN BRIEF Educate kids on ‘virtual touch’, says Delhi court NOT HABITUAL OFFENDER Kejriwal is an elected CM of Delhi. The elections are around the corner. These are extraordinary circumstances. He is not otherwise a habitual offender. Bench CUSTODY OF DELHI CM, KAVITHA EXTENDED ❝ A court on Tuesday extended judicial custody of Arvind Kejriwal till May 20 and that of BRS leader K Kavitha till May 14 in cases related to the alleged excise scam. New Delhi, May 7 The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed a Calcutta High Court order quashing the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in West Bengal in state-run and state-aided schools even as it allowed the CBI to go ahead with its probe, even against state officials. A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, however, asked the CBI not to take any coercive action such as arresting a suspect during the probe into the appointments of teachers and non-teaching staff made by the School Service Commission (SSC). The top court directed that NEW DELHI: Teaching minors about “good touch” and “bad touch” is not enough in today’s virtual world and children must be educated on “virtual touch” and its potential dangers, the Delhi HC has said. BACK PAGE Fifth arrest in Salman house firing incident MUMBAI: Mohammed Rafique Chowdhary, a member of the Bishnoi gang, has been held for “providing” financial help to the shooters in the Salman Khan house firing case. He is the fifth person to be held in the case. PTI Hearing on Revanna’s bail petition adjourned BENGALURU: JD(S) MLA HD Revanna, in SIT custody, on Tuesday failed to get relief from the Special Court for Elected Representatives here, which adjourned his bail plea hearing to Wednesday. PTI Allows CBI to go ahead with its investigation the interim protection would continue provided that those found to have been appointed illegally and had continued as a consequence of its order shall undertake to refund the salary drawn by them, if the final decision went against them. The Bench posted the matter for hearing on July 16. The order came on petitions challenging the April 22 Calcutta High Court order invalidating the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff. The West Bengal Government has challenged continued on page 9 ~35 CR HAUL Jharkhand minister’s aide among two held Duo remanded in six-day ED custody Tribune News Service Resume duty: Punjab to 3 Ind MLAs withdraw support to Haryana Govt IN MINORITY, BUT SAFE BJP nominee Parampal Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service Refuses to accept IAS officer’s resignation Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 7 In a fresh trouble for BJP’s Bathinda candidate Parampal Kaur, the Punjab Government has asked the IAS officer to resume duty immediately, saying she cannot be treated as “retired or relieved from service”. The officer has also been accused of giving “false grounds” for seeking retirement, while she was engaged in political activities. continued on page 9 Parampal Kaur Sidhu CONG PICKS GHUBAYA FOR FEROZEPUR The Congress has fielded two-term former SAD MP Sher Singh Ghubaya as its Ferozepur candidate Chandigarh, May 7 In a major political development, three Independent MLAs — Sombir Sangwan, Randhir Singh Gollen and Dharampal Gonder — announced withdrawal of support to the Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP government in Haryana and extended support to the Congress in the Lok Sabha poll at a programme in Rohtak today. Despite being in minority following the withdrawal of support by three Independent MLAs, the Saini government is under no immediate threat of any kind despite ■ The BJP which has 40 MLAs, , Ex-CM Bhupinder Hooda with the three Independent MLAs in Rohtak. being in minority. Now, the ruling party, which has 40 MLAs, has the support of two Independent MLAs and one lone MLA of the Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP), taking the total to 43. The Congress presently has 30 MLAs, one MLA comes from the Indian National Lok Dal while the Jannayak Janta Party has 10 c m y b has support of two Independents & one HLP legislator. The majority mark is 45 ■ However, the govt is in a “safe zone” as there can’t be a notrust motion till mid-September ■ As per rules, six months have to elapse before a trust motion can be introduced ■ The Saini govt had on March 14 brought a motion which it won MLAs. Of these, at least five MLA, have rebelled against the party leadership and are “inclined” towards the BJP . However, their hands are tied continued on page 9 New Delhi, May 7 The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday arrested Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam’s personal assistant (PA) Sanjiv Lal and the latter’s domestic help, following the recovery of more than Rs 35 crore in cash, official sources said. Later, a Ranchi court remanded them in six-day ED custody. According to the official sources, the two were taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act following their overnight questioning, hours after the recovery of cash. As part of a money laundering investigation into alleged The cash seized by the ED. PTI irregularities in the state Rural Development Department, the ED had on Monday raided a two-bedroom flat in Ranchi that was allegedly occupied by Lal’s domestic help. The agency recovered more than Rs 30 crore in cash from the flat apart from Rs 3 crore from some other places that were searched. The total cash recovery stands at Rs 35.23 crore, the sources said. continued on page 9
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