26022026-TT-01.qxd 2/25/2026 11:19 PM Page 1 c m y b US HITS INDIAN SOLAR GOODS WITH 126% DUTYBUSINESS /thetribunechd 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 146 NO. 56 | 12 PAGES | ~6.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 HIMACHAL PRADESH thursday | 26 february 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com No cause can justify murder Won’t allow insult to judiciary: of civilians: Modi reaffirms CJIitslams NCERT graft chapterit Calls calculated move, says knows how to deal with India’s stand against terror Satya Prakash Tribune News Service Conferred with Israel’s ‘Speaker ofthe Knesset Medal’ Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 25 In a speech marked by repeated standing ovations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed Israel’s Parliament, declaring that “no cause can justify the murder of civilians” and reaffirming India’s unwavering stand against terrorism. Greeting the House with a resonant “Shalom! Namaste!”, Modi said it was an honour to stand before the Knesset as “the Prime Minister of India and as a representative of one ancient civilisation addressing another.” He conveyed the greetings of 1.4 billion Indians and described the India-Israel ties as rooted in history, strengthened by shared democratic values and elevated into a strategic partnership of growing global consequence. There were many rounds of applause as he spoke — particularly when he expressed condolences for the victims of the October 7 Hamas attack and reiterated India’s “zero tolerance” policy against terrorism. Drawing parallels with India’s own experience, including the 26/11 Mumbai attacks that claimed Israeli lives, Modi said India “stands with Israel firmly, with full conviction, in this continued on page 8 New Delhi, February 25 Taking strong exception to a chapter on “judicial corruption” in an NCERT Class VIII textbook, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Wednesday asserted that nobody on earth will be allowed to defame the judiciary and taint its integrity. “I will not allow anyone to defame the institution. I know how to deal with it… It seems to be a calculated move,” Ex-manager among four held in ~590-cr Haryana IDFCscam Sheetal Tribune News Service Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed by his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu upon his arrival in Tel Aviv on Wednesday. PTI India, Israel to ink pact on defence cooperation Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 25 India and Israel are set to deepen their defence ties as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu meet over a formal bilateral discus- sion in Tel Aviv on Thursday. The two sides are slated to sign a framework agreement on defence cooperation that will allow companies from both sides to collaborate at a deeper level. Sources said no major defence procurement continued on page 8 SHAH TO SOUND PUNJAB POLL BUGLE ON MAR 14 BACK PAGE Panchkula, February 25 The Haryana State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday made a major breakthrough in the Rs 590-crore fraud linked to IDFC First Bank, arresting four key suspects even as the FIR points to a wider conspiracy involving forged cheques, bank officials and private entities. Those arrested include former bank manager Ribhav Rishi, former relationship manager Abhay Kumar. Both were posted at IDFC First Bank’s branch in Sector 32, Chandigarh and were described as “masterminds” of the fraud. Also taken into custody are continued on page 8 c m y b NCERT STOPS BOOK SALE The sale of the newly published NCERT social science textbook of Class VIII has been put on hold. The book was released on February 23. BACK PAGE Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said after senior counsel Kapil Sibal mentioned the issue, requesting him to take cognisance of the matter. Flanked by senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Mukul Rohatgi and others, Sibal raised the issue before a Bench of CJI Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi as soon as the Bench assembled to initiate the day’s proceedings. “We are deeply disturbed as members of this institution to find that Class VIII students are being taught about ‘corruption in the judiciary’. It is part of the NCERT. We have great stake in the institution; it continued on page 8 HC absolves Hooda, AJL in P’kula plot case Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Suspect in 2 Pb cops’ killing shot in Gurdaspur, another nabbed Third associate at large; police claim trio roped in by Pak’s ISI Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, February 25 The Punjab Police shot dead a youth in an encounter and arrested another for their alleged involvement in the murder of two policemen in Gurdaspur, an officer said on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Ranjit Singh (19) of Adhian village, while the police arrested Dilawer Singh (21) of Alinangal village in connection with the case. Their associate, Inderjit Singh (20) of Adhian village, is reportedly on the run. According to the police, the trio was allegedly roped in by Pak- UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ■ How did suspect Ranjit obtain ■ Why was Ranjit taken to a bike and a pistol during the 3 Puranashalainsteadofbeingdealt hours after his escape till his with through legal procedures, encounter at 6 am? his family asks? ■ Why did police allegedly ■ Ranjit’s family has remove CCTVs from demanded an inquiry Ranjit’s locality before into SHO Gurmeet taking him into Singh’s injury, questicustody, as claimed oning whether it was by his relatives? RANJIT SINGH genuine or self-inflicted. KILLINGS SPONSORED BY PAK, SAYS PUNJAB CM istan’s premier intelligence agency ISI to carry out the killings in return for money. On Sunday, Assistant SubInspector Gurnam Singh and Home Guard Ashok Kumar were found dead with gunshot Raps CBI over untenable Chandigarh, February 25 approach, says no prima The Punjab and Haryana High facie evidence found Court on Wednesday set aside the orders framing charges against former Haryana Hooda in one of the CM Bhupinder Singh most politically sensiHooda and The Associtive cases linked to his ated Journals Limited tenure, removing the (AJL) in the Panchkula immediate shadow of plot re-allotment case. prosecution in the The Bench held that Panchkula plot matter. the material on record Bhupinder Singh For the AJL, the ruling Hooda did not even prima means that the plot’s refacie disclose the ingredients allotment to it cannot be treatof the alleged offences. ed as a crime. Allowing the continued on page 8 The ruling virtually clears wounds at a checkpost at Adhian village, located about 2 km from the Pakistan border. Addressing a press conference in Gurdaspur, DIG (Border Range) Sandeep Goel continued on page 8 EDattaches~3.7K-cr Anil Ambani house NEW DELHI: The ED attached Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani’s Mumbai house, ‘Abode’, worth Rs 3,716 crore under the PMLA, official sources said on Wednesday. The luxurious house, which is 66-metre high with 17 floors, is located in the Pali Hill area of Mumbai. INSIDE HP, Delhi cops fight it out over IYC arrests SHIMLA: The arrest of three Youth Congress leaders allegedly linked to a protest at the AI Summit in the national capital snowballed into a dramatic jurisdictional face-off between the Delhi and HP Police on Wednesday, with high tension scenes unfolding at Shoghi on the Shimla-Solan route. INSIDE
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).
