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Front Page

- Mystery call on ‘safe house’ put Bihar cops on NEET trail

- Canada court refuses to take Sikh extremists off no-fly list

- IN THE COURTS

- Trump promises green cards to all fgn students

- EC starts J&K poll process, orders revision of rolls

- Zepto gets $665m from investors

- Pvt sector jobs at 18-yr high: Survey

- 2 killed in shooting at Arkansas grocery

- Rajkot fire: ‘Lapses by cops, officials’

- 4-4.5 yrs jail to 4 of Hinduja family for exploiting staff

- Centre cracks whip, tells staff to be in office by 9.15am or lose 1/2 day CL

- Dalai revered in India, free to conduct religious, spiritual activities: MEA

- Yoga enthusiasts

- Atishi begins fast for more water

- EV launches lined up in 6-8 months

- TN hooch toll rises to 50, HC raps govt

- FINALLY, SCORCHED CITY GETS RAIN BALM

- RBI: High food prices derailing inflation target

- HC blocks Kejriwal’s release on ED plea against bail order

- 143 heatstroke deaths this yr: Health ministry; TOI data puts no. at 209

Mystery call on ‘safe house’ put Bihar cops on NEET trail

Led Them To Handlers, Students Who Had Got Qn Papers In Advance

Kshitiz.Singh@timesgroup.com

Patna: An anonymous whistleblower’s seemingly vague tip-off to Patna police about “four suspected criminals in an SUV headed to a safe house” around three hours before NEET-UG got under way on May 5 was the starting point for the unravelling of a suspected nationwi- de network of fraud that has plunged the medical entrance test into controversy, and lakhs of aspirants into uncertainty.

A team from Patna’s Shastri Nagar police station promptly intercepted the four suspects, who then led them to what turned out to be a meeting place for around 30 NEET-UG candidates who had allegedly paid Rs 30-50 lakh for leaked questions and answers. The group had apparently assembled at the desig- nated location in Ram Krishna Nagar, on the city’s outskirts, the previous day to memorise answers, police said.

Sleuths say they have since gathered dozens of names of medical aspirants and their “handlers”. “It’s a deep-rooted network spread across states. We will need time to rein in all the culprits,” a top source in Economic Offences Unit said.

Pandora’s box: Cops, P 25

Law against paper leak in entrance, recruitment exams in force, P 10

NTA readies for retest of 1,563 who got grace marks, P 10

NTA postpones CSIR-NET over ‘logistic issues’

National Testing Agency Friday postponed the Joint CSIR-UGC-NET examination scheduled for June 25 and 26, citing “unavoidable circumstances and logistic issues”. The test is conducted to determine eligibility for junior research fellowship and assistant professor and admission to PhD in science courses. Conducted in June and December, the test is accepted for admissions in all premier institutions offering these PhD courses, including IITs and IISERs.

P 10

RJD puts out photo showing suspect with Bihar dy CM

A day after Bihar deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha alleged that an aide of RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav was linked to the alleged mastermind of the purported NEET leak case, RJD hit back with an undated photo on Friday, showing a coaccused in the case, Amit Anand, with the other deputy CM and state BJP chief, Samrat Choudhary.

P 10

Canada court refuses to take Sikh extremists off no-fly list

A Canadian court has thrown out a bid by two Sikh extremists to get off the country’s no-fly list, saying there are “reasonable grounds” to suspect they will threaten transportation security or travel by air to commit a terrorism offence.

Bhagat Singh Brar and Parvkar Singh Dulai were not allowed to board planes in Vancouver in 2018. In 2019, they went to the Federal Court of Canada to have their names struck from the list. The court ruled against them in 2022 and the duo went in appeal, saying the impairment of their rights as a result of being placed on the list was not “minimal” and therefore unjustified.

P 20

 MEA slams Aus TV docu on Sikhs, FLAP INSIDE

 India criticises homage to Nijjar, FLAP INSIDE

IN THE COURTS

➤ NIA judge seeks security for judge who ordered Gyanvapi survey in letter to Allahabad HC registrar. Says he’s ‘under threat of Islamic fundamentalists’

P 9

➤ SC grants interim bail for two weeks (from June 26) to Mahesh Raut in Elgar Parishad case to attend ceremonies related to last rites of his grandmother

P 16

➤ Refusing physical relations with husband amounts to cruelty under Hindu Marriage Act, says MP high court, upholds family court’s divorce decree on this ground

P 19

➤ Mumbai court sentences 32-yr-old man to 20-yr RI for raping 13-yr-old niece despite survivor turning hostile. Survivor 16 weeks pregnant, court relies on DNA report and doctor’s deposition

P 19

➤ Gujarat HC lifts stay on release of film ‘Maharaj’ on OTT platform, says it ‘found nothing objectionable that would hurt religious feelings of petitioners or a sect’

P 12

Trump promises green cards to all fgn students

Chidanand Rajghatta TNN

Washington: Former US President Donald Trump convulsed the immigration ecosystem Thursday by promising automatic green cards to all foreign students in the US, including undergrads, in what would be a repudiation of the anti-immigration sentiment of his political base.

In a podcast with Silicon Valley investors, Trump spoke of “people who graduated from a college, and they desperately wanted to stay here, they had a plan for a company, a concept, and they can’t — they go back to India...China, they do the same basic company in those places. And they become multibillionaires.”

There was an immediate blowback to the Trump announcement, with his supporters questioning “is this America First” and what happened to “buy American, hire American”?

‘Aggressive vetting’, P 20

EC starts J&K poll process, orders revision of rolls

Starting its preparations for assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir, the first after nullification of Article 370, as well as in Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, EC on Friday announced the special summary revision of electoral rolls in the four states/UT with July 1, 2024, as the qualifying date.

P 9

Zepto gets $665m from investors

Zepto has raised $665 million in a fresh funding round at a valuation of $3.6 billion underlining growing investor appetite for the quick commerce segment. Zepto had joined the league of unicorn startups barely a year ago.

P21

Pvt sector jobs at 18-yr high: Survey

Robust activity in manufacturing and the service sector on the back of new orders and global sales pushed job creation in India’s private sector to its strongest in 18 years in June, HSBC Flash India Composite Output Index showed Friday.

P 21

2 killed in shooting at Arkansas grocery

Two people were killed and eight wounded in a shooting on Friday at a grocery store in south Arkansas. A law enforcement officer was among those shot, and the suspected shooter was critically injured after being shot by police.

AGENCIES

Rajkot fire: ‘Lapses by cops, officials’

An SIT probing the Rajkot TRP Gaming Zone fire tragedy Friday indicted police officers, Rajkot Municipal Corporation and the roads and buildings department for not observing statutes. It also suggested changes to Gujarat Police Act.

P 16

4-4.5 yrs jail to 4 of Hinduja family for exploiting staff

Geneva: A Swiss criminal court Friday sentenced four members of the billionaire Hinduja family to four to four-and-a-half years in prison for exploiting their vulnerable domestic workers, but dismissed the more severe charge of human trafficking.

The abuse by Indian-born tycoon Prakash Hinduja and his wife, son and daughter-inlaw included seizing the passports of the workers, mostly illiterate Indians employed at their lakeside villa in Geneva. The workers were paid in rupees — not Swiss francs — in banks at home, which they couldn’t access.

The four were not in court though a fifth defendant — Najib Ziazi, the family’s busi- ness manager — was in attendance. He received an 18-month suspended sentence. The Hindujas’ lawyers said they were ‘apalled and disappointed’ by the order and had filed an appeal.

AGENCIES

‘Appealed ruling’, P 20

Centre cracks whip, tells staff to be in office by 9.15am or lose 1/2 day CL

Dipak Dash & Sidhartha TNN

New Delhi: Cracking the whip on latecomers, the Centre’s department of personnel and training (DoPT) has decided to condone a maximum delay of 15 minutes, and instructed employees across the country to be in office latest by 9.15am and mark their attendance. All employees, including senior officers, have been told to use the biometric attendance system, something several of them have not been using ever since the Covid outbreak four years ago.

Staff members have been cautioned that half-day casual leave will be deducted in case they do not turn up by 9.15 in the morning. “For any reason, if the employee is not able to attend office on a particular day, it should be informed in advance and casual leave should be applied for,” the cir- cular said, adding that officers will monitor the attendance and punctuality of employees in their sections.

Central govt offices are open from 9am to 5.30pm but it is normal for junior-level employees to turn up late and leave early, including those in public-facing jobs, inconveniencing people.

‘Take work home’, P 25

Dalai revered in India, free to conduct religious, spiritual activities: MEA

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: After a delegation of American lawmakers visited Dharamshala this week, the Indian govt reiterated Friday its “clear and consistent” position on the Dalai Lama that he is a revered religious figure and is allowed by India to conduct religious and spiritual activities.

However, it distanced it- self from political statements made by the Congress members, saying only they could answer questions related to their remarks.

The Indian govt continues to maintain that it does not allow Tibetans to carry out any political activity on Indian soil. The seven-mem- ber bipartisan delegation led by Michael McCaul, Chairman of House Foreign Affairs Committee and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, had also called on PM Narendra Modi and met foreign minister S Jaishankar.

 ‘Position clear’, P 25

‘No consular access ask from Gupta’, FLAP INSIDE

‘French scribe permit under consideration’

A day after French journalist Sebastien Farcis alleged he was forced out of India, MEA said his application for renewal of work permit is under consideration. It said Farcis is an OCI card holder and requires approval to carry out journalistic assignments under Indian regulations.

P 19

Yoga enthusiasts

Yoga enthusiasts at Cyberhub in Gurgaon on Friday, Int’l Yoga Day. PM Modi joined a yoga session in Kashmir while ministers participated in events across the country

P 4, 9, 19

Atishi begins fast for more water

Water minister Atishi commenced an indefinite hunger strike, dubbed ‘Paani Satyagraha’, Friday to demand Delhi’s right to water. BJP described it as a bid to cover up govt’s failures. Meanwhile, DJB reported a water production of 888 MGD, the season’s lowest.

P 3

EV launches lined up in 6-8 months

Despite concerns over the charging infrastructure and higher prices of green cars, India is set to see a flurry of SUV launches, including green versions of some popular models, within six to-eight months. All top carmakers are set to launch new models.

P 21

TN hooch toll rises to 50, HC raps govt

The toll in the hooch tragedy in TN’s Kallakurichi rose for a second day on Friday, to 50 from 38 the day before. Madras HC rapped the state govt, saying it had failed to take action after a similar tragedy in Marakkanam in 2023 in which 23 people died.

P9

FINALLY, SCORCHED CITY GETS RAIN BALM

Delhi-NCR, scorched by the longest and most severe heat spell in over 70 years, finally received its first significant spell of rain in nearly four months on Friday afternoon. While Safdarjung logged just 3.6mm till 5.30pm, other spots such as Pitampura (33.5mm) and Rajghat (32mm) were much wetter. However, prior to the showers, the mercury had crossed 40°C for the 39th day in a row. Temperatures are expected to rise again to 42-43°C by Sunday. The last time the city got a rain spell of at least 4mm was on March 4. Safdarjung, Delhi’s main weather station, had recorded a rain deficit of 54% in April and 99% in May

P 6

RBI: High food prices derailing inflation target

RBI’s members in the monetary policy committee have expressed concern regarding food inflation, which has not sufficiently moderated. Fear of food prices rising further due to adverse weather has forced them to keep rates on hold and liquidity in check, minutes of a recent meet showed.

“The impact of exceptionally warm summer months on output of certain perishables; a likely rabi production shortfall in some pulses and vegetables, and the upward revisions in milk prices, warrant close monitoring,” RBI governor Shaktikanta Das said.

P21

Heat hits city veggie supply, prices surge, P 8

HC blocks Kejriwal’s release on ED plea against bail order

CM To Stay In Jail Till Court Decides Agency’s Case

Vineet.Upadhyay@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Delhi high court on Friday granted interim stay on a trial court order giving bail to CM Arvind Kejriwal in an alleged scam in the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. ED had filed an appeal on Friday morning, calling the trial court order “perverse” and claiming that it did not get a fair hearing.

A vacation bench of Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain reserved its order, saying the bail order would remain stayed till the bench pronounced its verdict. Meanwhile, counsel from both sides can file written submissions by June 24.

Additional solicitor general (ASG) S V Raju appeared for ED while Kejriwal was represented by senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Vikram Chaudhri.

The ASG told the bench that he was not given adequate opportunity by the trial court to oppose the bail plea. “The court does not hear us, does not look at the documents given by us, saying it’s voluminous. The court says bulky documents have been filed. There can’t be any more perverse order than this... Without going through documents filed by both sides, without giving us an opportunity, the matter is decided. It is the duty of a court to pass order in accordance with law. Without going through documents, how can you say it’s relevant or not relevant?” said the ASG.

In its petition, ED said the trial court judge did not grant “full and complete opportunity” to the agency to muster up all its arguments and told the ASG to cut short his arguments and only indicate the page numbers that ED wished to rely upon. The judge also asked the ASG to restrict his arguments to the points argued by the bail applicant, ED claimed. “The learned ASG on more than one occasion submitted that the bail applicant’s counsel has not argued the case on merits and, therefore, it was incumbent on ED to demonstrate the prosecution case,” said ED’s petition, but the court stuck to its stance that the arguments should be cut short.

‘Bail order perverse’, P 2

ED acting with bias: Bail order by trial court

Granting bail to the CM on Thursday, the court observed that ED was acting with bias. The agency’s submission that “investigation is an art and sometimes one accused is given lollipop of bail and pardon and induced with some assurance to make them tell the story behind the offence”, was questioned by special judge Niyay Bindu. She said “...if it is so, then any person can be implicated and kept behind bars by artistically procuring the material against him after artistically avoiding/withdrawing exculpatory material from the record. This very scenario constrains the court to draw an inference against the investigating agency that it is not acting without bias.”

The court observed that ED had failed to give any direct evidence linking Kejriwal to proceeds of crime.

The judge said the IO had informed that out of an alle- ged amount of Rs 100 crore, about Rs 40 crore had been traced but ED had failed to clarify how much time it needed for tracing the rest of the amount. Which, she said, raised the question whether Kejriwal is supposed to remain behind bars till they recover the entire amount. “The investigation agency should be prompt and fair so that it can be perceived that the principles of natural justice are also being followed,” the court noted.

P2

143 heatstroke deaths this yr: Health ministry; TOI data puts no. at 209

DurgeshNandan.Jha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: The Union health ministry said 143 people across the country had died of heatstroke this summer, based on data of confirmed deaths collated by it from states till June 20.

The figure, however, is lower than the numbers gathered by TOI from official sources in various state govts, as per which there have been 209 confirmed heat-related fatalities so far this season, apart from 239 suspected deaths due to heat, taking the total number of confirmed and suspected mortalities to 448.

Health ministry said UP recorded the maximum 35 such deaths, followed by Delhi (21). Rajasthan and Odisha recorded 17 deaths each.

Delhi tops list, P 25

Times Nation

- Nikhil Gupta’s extradition: Will it affect Indo-US ties?

- Nikhil Gupta has not sought consular access so far: MEA

- Blatant untruth, says MEA about Aus TV docu on ‘silencing Sikhs’

- Boy electrocuted trying to flee hostel

- Govt doc, an ace box cutter, key accused in UP paper leak: STF

- TN hooch toll hits 50; HC pulls up govt for ‘inaction’

- Zealots plotting to kill Gyanvapi judge, HC told

- EC starts J&K poll process, orders revision of rolls

- NTA postpones CSIR-UGC-NET, cites ‘logistic issues’ as reason

- SC refuses to defer counselling process for MBBS admissions

- Anti-paper leak law for exams takes effect

- Now, RJD comes up with Bihar dy CM’s pic with leak accused

- States hike health spend, India set to meet ‘2.5% of GDP’ target

- 3 NCC cadets rush to help drowning mate, all 4 die

- 2 booked for bid to extort `3 cr from Prajwal bro

- Malihabad mangoes beat heat, pests with butter paper shield

- Centre imposes stock limits on tur, chana dals till Sept

- Fruits & vegetables top list of all crops in value terms, reveals NSO report

- Porsche teen also in trauma, give him some time, says HC

- HC says nothing objectionable in Maharaj, lifts stay on release

- IMEEEC: India-UAE leg to get a digital platform in 100 days

- Kutch jeweller ends life over stolen bullion

- Cong questions pro tem speaker choice, bats for its 8-term MP

- No breach in tradition, Cong conduct shameful, says Rijiju

- Govt ups outreach before new criminal laws come into force

- Police arrest 3 for aiding terrorists in Jammu attack

- UP’s growth story: TOI Dialogues to discuss way forward

- SIT calls for tweaks in Gujarat Police Act after Rajkot inferno

- SC gives 2-wk interim bail to Elgar case accused

- Yoga has become unifying force across the world: PM

- French journo’s work permit renewal under review: Govt

- MEA calls for end to hiring of Indians in Russian army

- 3 Bihar cops held for robbery

- Prez: Yoga crucial today due to rising lifestyle problems

- Walking for 30 mins a day can help reduce lower back pain: Lancet

- HC: Denying physical intimacy to husband amounts to cruelty

Nikhil Gupta’s extradition: Will it affect Indo-US ties?

A Mature And Nuanced India-US Relationship Should Be Able To Weather The Pannun Murder Plot Row, But US May Not Settle For Any Scapegoating

A sketch showing Indian national Nikhil Gupta facing US federal prosecutors in a New York court. Gupta was extradited to US from Czech Republic to face trial in an alleged plot — purportedly in collusion with an Indian govt official — to kill Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US resident

Sachin.Parashar@timesgroup.com

TOI Explains

Nikhil Gupta, the Indian national at the heart of a India-US diplomatic firestorm over an alleged foiled plot to kill a Khalistan separatist, was extradited by Czech Republic to US last week, pushing the case back into limelight after the lull that preceded Indian elections.

Gupta allegedly hired a hitman — at the instance of an Indian govt official —to murder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on US soil. Pannun is a Sikh separatist of dual US-Canadian nationality. According to US justice department, Pannun is an American national and political activist who was targeted for exercising a “quintessential American right: his freedom of speech”. Gupta has pleaded not guilty.

Design Or Happenstance?

The Czech justice ministry announcement about Gupta having been extradited coincided with the arrival in India of US NSA Jake Sullivan, the White House point person leading the efforts to bring to justice the Indian official who allegedly masterminded the plot. The main purpose of Sullivan’s visit was to undertake a review, along with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, of the initiative on critical and emerging technology (iCET). However, his arrival was preceded by an interesting chain of events.

Gupta’s extradition was approved by Czech authorities on June 3, a day before results of Lok Sabha elections were declared in India. It was only 11 days later, and just three days before Sullivan’s visit, that Gupta was flown to US from Prague on a special flight.

These disclosures were made by Czech justice minister Pavel Blazek on the day Sullivan landed here. The same day, a group of Democrat senators in US wrote to secretary of state Antony Blinken seeking a stronger response over the alleged Indian involvement in the plot.

These developments saw the murder-for-hire cast a shadow over Sullivan’s en- gagements here, even though both sides took the Fifth on whether the issue was raised in the talks. The media coverage focused more on the Pannun case than the iCET talks that had the two sides pledging action to dismantle regulatory barriers against strategic technology cooperation. Sullivan had no media interaction during his visit, a rarity for a top US official. Even without that, the sequence of events leading up to the visit, by design or plain coincidence, foregrounded the Pannun plot, as Washington seeks action against the India-based conspirators.

What Happens Now?

There’ll likely be more pressure on New Delhi in the coming months to act against the Indian official who has already been identified in a Washington Post report. US justice department sees Gupta’s extradition as a vital step towards justice and has said it won’t tolerate attempts to silence or harm US citizens. Indian govt formed a committee in Nov to probe the US allegations but it has so far not made any of its findings public. This may become untenable as Joe Biden administration itself comes under renewed pressure to seek accountability from India.

A group of Democrat senators led by Jeff Merkley, who is also a senior member of the Senate Foreign RelationsCommittee, wrote to Blinken calling for a strong diplomatic response in light of “credible allegations” about the involvement of an Indian official in the plot. They want a clear message sent to India that there will be consequences for such behaviour. With US elections still some distance away, it may be too early for India to think in terms of waiting out the storm. The Pannun case is also not just a one-off. India is facing similar allegations by Canada for the murder of another Khalistan separatist while an Australian media outlet recently claimed to have uncovered how Indian spies targeted Sikh separatists in Australia, a report that India Friday said was full of blatant untruths.

Will It Impact Ties?

While it may look like the relationship is in for a bumpy ride, it’s unlikely the two countries will allow their partnership for “global good” to be stymied by the Pannun issue. A mature and nuanced India-US relationship, marked by what foreign minister S Jaishankar calls structural soundness, should be able to sail through a few blips, if handled carefully.

This is reflected in how — unlike the situation between India and Canada — both sides have quietly worked together in the Pannun case without descending into a public slanging match. Jaishankar has said US, unlike Canada, doesn’t defend extremism in the name of freedom of speech. It’s also significant Sullivan didn’t speak about the case in public, which he was widely expected to, during his visit. There will, of course, be apprehensions here about US using the case as a bargaining chip to extract concessions on contentious issues, especially those in the economic sector.

Both sides also need each other — US, for a bulwark against an increasingly assertive China in the Indo-Pacific, and India, for access to cutting-edge technology crucial for its own growth and security. Sullivan’s visit saw both sides reaffirming their commitment to iCET, the next big thing that might act as a guiding framework for further development of ties.

That said, India will have to find a way to address US’ quest for justice in the case. The issue has been raised at the highest level and, going by the tone and tenor of the voices emerging from US, not least the justice department, the Biden administration will have no option but to pursue the matter with India to its logical conclusion, which is the criminal prosecution of those who allegedly orchestrated the plot from India. As the senators warned in their letter to Blinken, any attempt at scapegoating — like only blaming a rogue operative — may not work.

Nikhil Gupta has not sought consular access so far: MEA

4 Indians Held In Canada For Nijjar Killing Haven’t Either

Nikhil Gupta was extradited to the US from Prague on June 14. His family has approached govt for help but a request for consular access has to be first conveyed by Gupta himself to US authorities who will then pass it on to India, according to the Vienna Convention

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: While the govt has not received any request for consular assistance from Nikhil Gupta, the Indian national in the crosshairs of US authorities for participating in the foiled plot to murder Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, it has been approached by his family for help, the foreign ministry confirmed on Friday.

Gupta was detained by Czech authorities in Prague on June 3 0 last y ear and was finally extradited to the US on June 14. Govt sources have maintained, citing Article 36 of Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, that the request for consular access has to be first conveyed by Gupta himself to US authorities who will then pass it on to India.

“We have so far not received any request for consular access from Gupta, but his family has got in touch with us,” spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. “We are in touch with the family members and we are looking at the matter as to what can be done on their request.”

Govt sourcessaid the four Indians arrested in Canada for the murder of another Khalistani separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, too have not sought consular access.

While Gupta’s family members had earlier claimed, when he was in jail in Prague, that he was denied consular access by Czech authorities, the Czech justice ministry had denied this and said they had n ot heard a bout any such complaint either from Gupta or his lawyer.

Announcing his extradition, the US justice department had said on Monday it would not tolerate attempts to silence or harm American citizens. The US has been pressing India for action against the Indian govt official who masterminded the alleged murder plot and for whom Gupta had been working.

“Nikhil Gupta will now face justice in an American cour troom for his involvement in an alleged plot, directed by an employee of the Indian govt, to target and assassinate a US citizen for his support of the Sikh separatist movement in Indi a. I am grateful to the department’s agents who foiled this assassination plot and to our Czech partners for their assistance in this arrest and extradition,” attorney general Merrick B Garland had said.

India criticises Canada House homage to Nijjar

New Delhi:India on Friday was critical of the Canadian parliament observing “one minute silence” in the memory of Khalistan extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was gunned down in Surrey, British Columbia, in June last year. “We naturally oppose any moves giving political space to extremism and advocacy of violence,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

The Canadian parliament had observed “one minute silence” two days ago in memory of Nijjar.

Relations between the two countries came under se- vere strain following Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s allegations last Septof the “potential” involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar’s killing. New Delhi rejected Trudeau’s charges as “absurd”.

Foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra last week said India’s main issue with Canada continues to be the political space that Ottawa provides to anti-India elements which advocate extremism and violence. India has repeatedly conveyed its “deep concerns” to Canada and New Delhi expects Ottawa to take strong action against those elements, he said.

PTI

Blatant untruth, says MEA about Aus TV docu on ‘silencing Sikhs’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: India slammed a recent ABC documentary which claimed to have uncovered details about alleged efforts by Indian officials to silence Sikh critics in Australia, saying it contains blatant untruths, is biased and reflects unprofessional reporting.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in what was the first Indian reaction to the documentary, said it appears to serve a particular agenda to malign India. “We obviously oppose any such attempts to condone, justify and even glorify terrorism,” he said. The documentary claimed four Indian spies posing as diplomats were also expelled by Australia.

According to the documentary, apart from targeting Sikh separatists, Indian intelligence officers were trying to gain access to sensitive defence technology and airport security protocols. They were targeting former and current politicians as well as a state police service, it said.

The report further “confirmed” at least four intelligence officers were asked to leave Australia, adding some had been posing as diplomats in India’s high commission. The documentary also quoted an Australian govt spokesperson as saying the govt was deeply concerned about the allegations. “Australia values diversity and inclusion, where people should be safe and free to express who they are, including their faith and heritage. We do not tolerate violence or threats of violence,” said an official statement.

Boy electrocuted trying to flee hostel

A first-year intermediate student at a corporate residential school in Telangana’s Hayathnagar died of electrocution while allegedly trying to escape from the hostel early Thursday, reports Ashresh Marupaka. Police found the 15-year-old boy’s charred body on the campus on Friday, more than 24 hours after he went missing from his room.

The boy was reportedly unhappy in the hostel and had been pleading with his parents to take him back home to Secunderabad, about 30 km from the college. Based on a complaint by the boy’s mother, police registered a case against the college management under Section 304 A (death by negligence).

Govt doc, an ace box cutter, key accused in UP paper leak: STF

Chargesheet In Cop Recruitment Scam Names 17 Others Too

Shubham Mandal opened the question paper box that was kept at a warehouse in Ahmedabad without breaking the seal. He was paid Rs 2 lakh and given a Patna-Ahmedabad flight ticket, said STF sleuths

Pathikrit.Chakraborty@timesgroup.com

Lucknow:UP STF, which is probing the UP police constable exam paper leak, has filed the first chargesheet in a Lucknow court. The 900-page chargesheet names 18 arrested accused, including a govt doctor Shubham Mandal, who had an expertise in opening question paper boxes without breaking the seal.

Others named in the chargesheet include the mastermind Ravi Attri and his aides Rajeev Nayan Mishra, Goldy, Vikram Pahal, Satish Dhankad, Rohit Pandey, Abhishek Shukla and Shivam Giri.

Mandal, 27, was posted at a govt-run primary health centre in Bihar’s Katihar . He was named as a key player in the paper leak by some other accused following their interrogation and was arrested by STF on March17.

A native of Patna, Mandal passed out from Nalanda Medical College. Along with his friend Bittu, who completed his MBBS degree from Patna Medical College in 2021, Mandal was earlier booked in 2017 in a NEET paper leak case.

“Ravi Attri was intro- duced to Mandal through his aide Rajeev Nayan Mishra. Mandal played a vital role in opening the question paper box that was kept at a warehouse in Ahmedabad. He had the expertise in opening confidential boxes without breaking the seal. He was paid Rs 2 lakh and given a Patna-Ahmedabad flight ticket,” said STF sleuths. On Feb 5, Mandal had entered the warehouse and taken photographs of the Code 2 question paper.

On Feb 8, a similar operation was carried out for the Code 1 paper. Mandal was again roped in to open the boxes, STF officials said.

Once the boxes were opened, question papers were sent to gang handlers in Manesar (Haryana), Baghpat (UP), Delhi and Rewa (Madhya Pradesh). Hundreds of aspirants who paid money to buy the paper memorised the answers in resorts in Rewa and Manesar.

A total 43 lakh candidates had appeared in the exam across UP on Feb 17 and 18 for 60,244 police constable positions. Govt cancelled the exam on March 25 and ordered a probe by STF.

In the crackdown that followed, 402 accused were arrested from Bihar, MP, Haryana, Gujarat and UP.

A supplementary chargesheet will be filed soon, STF sources said.

TN hooch toll hits 50; HC pulls up govt for ‘inaction’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kallakurichi/Chennai: The death toll in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi hooch tragedy rose on Friday to 50 from 38. Opposition AIADMK stalled proceedings in the assembly demanding CM M K Stalin’s resignation, and Speaker M Appavu suspended the blackclad AIADMK MLAs for the day and, though CM urged Speaker to revoke his order, opposition stayed away.

Madras HC rapped govt for inaction. “Even after learning a lesson in the 2023 Marakkanam incident (23 people had died), the state has failed to take action,” a division bench of Justices D Krishnakumar and K Kumaresh Babu said, directing the state to ensure victims get proper and adequate treatment and to file an actiontaken report by June 26. The bench passed the order on a public interest writ petition filed by former MLA and AIADMK lawyer IS Inbadurai seeking a CBI probe into the incident.

Responding to the inaction charge, advocate-general P S Raman said action had been taken against 16 police personnel.“Transferring officials is right but who will answer for the loss of lives?” the bench said.

Stalin urged opposition not to politicise the issue.

Zealots plotting to kill Gyanvapi judge, HC told

Sandeep.Rai@timesgroup.com

Meerut: Following threats linked to judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar’s 2022 verdict ordering a survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises in Varanasi to determine if a temple existed underneath, an NIA court’s special judge has requested increased security for him. Three weeks after an FIR was filed against Adnan Khan for allegedly threatening additional sessions judge Diwakar, NIA court special judge Vivekanand Sharan Tripathi has written to the registrar general of the Allahabad HC seeking more protection for judge Diwakar.

Special judge Tripathi’s letter, accessed by TOI, says, “Investigations have revealed that Islamic fundamentalists are plotting to kill judge Diwakar... This is a sensitive issue. If the activities of Adnan are not curbed, it could lead to an untoward incident.”

Judge Diwakar, now an additional sessions judge in Bareilly, also wrote to the UP chief secretary, expressing concerns about his current security. “On 13 May 2022, after the Allahabad HC’s order, my family and I were provided security, but the current level seems inadequate...”

Threats against judge Diwakar have persisted since June 2022.

EC starts J&K poll process, orders revision of rolls

Modi takes selfies with admirers after leading a yoga session in Srinagar on Friday. ‘The time is not far when you will elect a new govt of J&K with your votes,’ he had said at a conference on Thursday. This will be the UT’s first assembly polls after the nullification of Article 370

Bharti.Jain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Starting its preparations for assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir, the first after nullification of Article 370, as well as in Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, EC on Friday announced the special summary revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in the four states/UT with July 1, 2024, as the qualifying date.

Roll updation activities as well as rationalisation and rearrangement of polling stations in the poll-bound states/ UT will start on June 25 and end with final publication of the revised rolls on Aug 20.

J&K polls are expected to be a standalone affair, given the large requirement of forces not only to maintain law and order and avert possible attempts at disruption of polls by terrorists, but also to protect hundreds of candidates from being targeted.

Usually, EC goes ahead with announcement of polls after the final electoral roll is published with respect to the closest of the four cut-off dates in a year — Jan 1, April 1, July 1 and Oct 1. J&K assembly polls are to be held before the Sept 30 deadline set by SC, with CEC Rajiv Kumar already having announced EC’s intent to conduct them soon.

PM Modi on Thursday had assured the people in J&K that elections were not very far off.

The poll announcement, however, may come only after Amarnath Yatra winds up on Aug 19, and the publication of the final roll for J&K on Aug 20 will pave the way for this.

The term of state assemblies in Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand are expiring on Nov 3, Nov 26 and Jan 5, respectively. The choice of July 1 as the cut-off date for special summary revision of rolls in all three states points to possible clubbing of Jharkhand polls with those in Haryana and Maharashtra, with announcement likely in Sept.

As per the SSR timetable issued by EC on Friday, house-to-house verification by booth level officers shall be undertaken between June 25 and July 24 across all four states/UT to collect information on un-enrolled eligible citizens, multiple entries, dead and permanently shifted electors; and also to make corrections/improvements in rolls. The same timeline will apply for rationalisation of polling stations, aimed at bringing them closer to even smaller habitations for the convenience of voters.

NTA postpones CSIR-UGC-NET, cites ‘logistic issues’ as reason

Appoints Observers For Re-Test Of 1,563 NEET-UG Aspirants

Police detain a Congress worker during a protest over the alleged irregularities in NEET-UG 2024 results, in Lucknow on Friday

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Amid preparations for retest of 1,563 NEETUG candidates who received grace marks due to time loss, National Testing Agency has appointed observers at each centre. In another development, NTA announced on Friday that the Joint CSIR-UGCNET scheduled for June 25 and 26 have been postponed due to “unavoidable circumstances and logistic issues.”

The NTA, under scrutiny for lapses in conducting NEET and UGC-NET, has changed six of the seven centres for the retest on Sunday.

Meanwhile, political opposition continues to criticise the govt over alleged paper leaks and other irregularities. Congress functionary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra claimed paper leaks have become a national problem under BJP rule, “ruining the future” of millions of youths. Congress state units, meanwhile, staged protests over alleged exam irregularities.

These protests followed Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s statement ruling out the cancellation of NEET, emphasising that the careers of stu- dents who rightfully qualified the exam by their hard work cannot be jeopardised due to isolated incidents of malpractice. A senior NTA official stated that while six centres have been changed, the one in Chandigarh, where only two candidates will appear, remains unchanged. Officials from the agency and the education ministry will be present at these centres to ensure a smooth re-exam.

BSP chief Mayawati demanded strict action against the main accused in the NEET-UG paper leak. In a post on X, she said: “The govt needs to take strict action against the main accused in NEET paper leak case due to which innocent students are suffering. And it is not right to do any politics under its guise.”

Bihar deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha announced plans to request CM Nitish Kumar to recommend a CBI probe into the suspected links between the prime suspect in the NEET “paper leak” and officials associated with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. Sinha claimed that these officials were in constant touch with the prime suspect, Sikander Prasad Yadvendu, and called for a high-level investigation.

SC refuses to defer counselling process for MBBS admissions

New Delhi: Supreme Court Friday refused to defer counselling process for admission in colleges on the basis of controversy-marred NEET-UG results and posted hearing on all petitions including those alleging paper leak to July 8.

A vacation bench of Justices Vikram Nath and S V N Bhatti said all aspects of the controversy would be examined next month on re-opening of court after summer recess.

The lawyer, appearing for students, pleaded that counselling process be deferred for two days till July 8 but the court said that the process took time and admission would not be done in a day.

The apex court is now vir- tually being flooded by petitions on alleged irregularities in conducting the test. More than three dozen petitions have been filed by more than 100 students so far in the case in SC. The court has been issuing notice on all petitions and clubbed all of them together to be heard on July 8.

One of the petitioners also challenged the decision to hold re-test for 1,563 students who were granted grace marks for not getting full time to take the test. As petitioners pressed for interim relief, SC turned it down and told them that if they succeed in the legal battle then everything will be cancelled — entrance, as well as admissions done.

TNN

TEST REFORMS

Anti-paper leak law for exams takes effect

Bharti.Jain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Amid the controversy over NEET-UG results and the cancellation of UGCNET exam due to paper leak, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 — the anti-paper leak law for examinations for central recruitment and entrance into central educational institutions that was passed by Parliament in Feb —came into effect on Friday.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 (1 of 2024), the central government hereby appoints the 21st day of June, 2024, as the date on which the provisions of the said Act shall come into force,” said a gazette notification issued by the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions on Friday.

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act — the first-ever national law against the use of unfair means to rig recruitment exams conducted by UPSC, Staff Selection Commission, Railway Recruitment Board, Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) and entrance tests for central educational institutions like JEE, NEET and CUET — seeks to address issues related to unfair means in the conduct of these exams, which are not covered under the purview of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The anti-paper leak law provides for 3-5 years jail term and fine up to Rs 10 lakh for those impersonating a candidate, engaging in paper solving and not reporting an exam fraud. Those involved in organised crimes of cheating and other malpractices will face 5-10 years imprisonment and a minimum fine of Rs 1 crore.

The thrust of the proposed law is to crack down upon persons, organised mafia and institutions engaged in paper leaks, paper solving, impersonation and hacking into computer resources, often in collusion with elements within the “system”, for monetary or wrongful gains. Bona fide students, whose future gets jeopardised due to undetected leaks, cancellation of exams and holding up of results, will not be liable for action.

Service providers and institutions found guilty of rigging public exams will have to bear the proportionate cost of examination, as per the law.

Now, RJD comes up with Bihar dy CM’s pic with leak accused

Patna: Bihar deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha’s purported expose linking the arrested accused in NEET paper-leak case with an aide of RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav prompted the latter’s party to release an undated picture Friday showing co-accused Amit Anand alongside the other deputy CM Samrat Choudhary (in pic above), reports Manoj Chaurasia.

The political tit-for-tat followed a strong rebuttal by Tejashwi of Sinha’s allegation, saying dragging his or his personal assistant’s name into the case “won’t benefit anyone”.

“BJP has govt in state and Centre. They have probe agencies at their disposal. Why don’t they interrogate whoever they believe is involved in the leak and arrest the person they find guilty?” Tejashwi said.

RJD posted on X deputy CM Choudhary’s picture with the suspected mastermind and wrote, “The main accused in NEET paper leak scam with deputy CM of Bihar. The socalled minister who was felicitated by the accused has deleted all photos with him from his social media handles, but don’t worry, we have them all.”

States hike health spend, India set to meet ‘2.5% of GDP’ target

Rema.Nagarajan@timesgroup.com

India’s govt spending on health, including on clean water and sanitation, looks set to achieve the target of 2.5% of GDP by 2024-25 despite Centre’s allocation failing to reach 0.8% of GDP as planned. With states managing to push expenditure on health to 1.58% of GDP last year, the combined spending of states and Centre touched 2.13% of GDP.

In govt’s calculation, public health expenditure includes allocation for health and family welfare, health research, Ayush and for water supply and sanitation. Centre’s allocation for health by this count was just 0.55% of GDP in 2023-24, with about 48% of that being funds for water supply and sanitation. The share of allocation for health and family welfare in Centre’s budget has shrunk to 0.26% of GDP, lower than what it was in 2018-19 (0.28%).

This is worrying, as it is the allocation for the department of health and family welfare that is used for funding national programmes and for maintaining and strengthening the public health system. While clean water and sanitation do contribute to people staying healthy, allocation for this cannot be a substitute for spending on the public healthcare system, say experts. If the spending on water and sanitation is not counted, the expenditure on public health has been steadily shrinking whether we look at it as a percentage of central govt’s total expenditure or as apercentage of the GDP.

After National Health Policy 2017 recommended spending 2.5% of the GDP on public health by 2025, a National Health Mission presentation in 2018 gave a roadmap for gradually increasing public spending on health by Centre and states over seven years from 1.4% to 2.5% of GDP.

Going by the planned increase to touch 2.5% of GDP by 2025, central allocation for health from 2018-19 to 2023-24 fell short by over Rs 1.5 lakh crore while the combined spending on states was Rs 3.6 lakh crores more than planned (see graphic).

States have been pushing up their spending on health (medical and public health, family welfare and water supply and sanitation). From 1.25% of GDP, the allocation of states went up to 1.58% by 2023-24. As a share of total expenditure of states, health spend has gone up from 7.5% in 2018-19 to 8.8% in 2023-24, more than the target of 8% recommended for states in the National Health Policy 2017. It is this increased allocation which might enable the overall target of 2.5% of GDP being achieved.

However, states too have reduced their expenditure on the health system from a high of 75.3% of total health expenditure in 2019-20 to just below 70% in the budget allocation for 2023-24. The overall spending is high due to the increase in expenditure on water supply and sanitation.

There are significant variations within states too, with some like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Haryana and Odisha spending well over the target of 8% of total govt expenditure on health and others like Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka spending less than this.

3 NCC cadets rush to help drowning mate, all 4 die

Navi Mumbai: Four students of colleges in Mumbai drowned in the backwaters of a dam in Raigad on Friday afternoon, reports George Mendonca. One of the youngsters had ventured into the deep and found himself struggling to stay afloat when three of his friends tried to drag him to safety, but all four students drowned, police said.

All four, who were part of National Cadet Corps, had gone on a trek with 33 others in the backwaters of Morbe dam at Khalapur. The group had descended the fort around 1.30pm and entered the backwaters at the foot of the hill. That is when one of the students, Eklavya Singh (18), ventured into the deep. His cries for help alerted the other students. Three of them — Ranath Banda (18), Ishant Yadav (19) and Akash Mane (26) — rushed to help Singh. However, all the four youths drowned.

Senior inspector of Khalapur police station, Milind Khopade, said the four were declared dead at a local public hospital.

2 booked for bid to extort `3 cr from Prajwal bro

Hassan: Cops have filed an FIR against two men for allegedly attempting to extort money from JD(S) MLC Suraj Revanna by making allegations of harassment against him. Suraj’s father (HD Revanna) and brother (Prajwal) have been booked in a separate harassment case.

Suraj’s friend filed a complaint with police where he said one Chethan, now named in the FIR, began pressuring him to use Suraj’s influence to secure him a job. Chethan later told him that Suraj had sexually harrassed him, and threatened to hold a presser and file a case against the MLC if his demands were not met, the complainant stated. He allegedly demanded Rs 5 crore, but reduced the amount to Rs 3 crore.

TNN

Malihabad mangoes beat heat, pests with butter paper shield

‘CHEAT’ AGAINST HEAT

Shailvee.Sharda@timesgroup.com

Lucknow: In this torrid summer of paper leaks and dummies, few will mind that mango growers in Lucknow’s Malihabad have found a way to “cheat” the elements — butter paper covers.

This unique method saves the fruits from extreme weather conditions and climate change in the GI-protected mango belt famous for Malihabadi Dussehris, Gulab khaas, Husnara and more, nipping potential losses in the bud.

Rolled out with the help of Lucknow’s Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture (CISH), the covers\bags have helped save the crop not only from extreme heat and winds but also from pests.

In Malihabad, after a successful pilot phase last year, the farmers embraced the butter paper bags in a big way. An estimated 50 lakh bags were procured, helped them save the fruit, reduce pesticides, save costs and raise exports.

“The results were astounding. The fruit was not just bigger in size, its appearance was perfect. It held the original yellowish green colour that had almost slipped into history. Besides, the pulp was uniform and perfect contrary to the usually available jelly-like mush towards the seed,” described Ram Sajeevan, a small orchard owner in Malihabad.

Before the use of bags, the growers were grappling with smaller and sunburnt fruits with dark patches. Unwanted gusty winds, unseasonal rains and unprecedented heat had hit their produce in the last two seasons. Taking lessons from the past, the mango growers reached out to Lucknow’s CISH, whose scientists offered them this unique solution.

Maneesh Mishra, principal scientist at CISH-Lucknow who worked with the farmers along with his team, pointed out that such bags were commonly used by vegetable and fruit producers in China, Vietnam and other nations.

Primarily developed by Israeli scientists, such bags were tried out once earlier in Malihabad in 2016. But despite its benefits, it found no takers because of high costs. “But the Covid lull and weather challenges left the farmers with two options — innovate or perish. So, we started again last season, distributing about 4 lakh such bags to farmers for about a quarter of their trees. The difference was remarkable enough to make them embrace the change,” said Mishra.

Centre imposes stock limits on tur, chana dals till Sept

Govt To Procure More Onions For Market Intervention

Govt will now set daily prices for buffer stock procurement to purchase kitchen ingredients for market intervention

Dipak.Dash@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:Amid a 55% jump in onion prices over the last year, govt agencies will now set daily prices for buffer stock procurement, instead of weekly, to aggressively purchase the key kitchen ingredient for market intervention in the coming months. Besides, to keep prices of key food items under check, the Centre has imposed stock limits on tur and chana dals till Sept, while continuing to sell subsidised chana, atta and rice under the ‘Bharat’ brand.

Keeping a close tab on retail price management, while ensuring that farmers are not adversely impacted, is a key focus for govt, especially after the recent election verdict where inflation emerged as a major concern.

Chairing a review meet- ing on onion prices on Friday, food and consumer affairs minister Pralhad Joshi urged agriculture ministry officials to take steps to increase acreage of kharif onion.Average retail prices of onion increased by 55% in the past one year — from Rs 23.3 a kg to Rs 36.3 a kg. Officials said the fall in rabi production, which has almost 60% share of the country’s annual production of the key kitchen item, has triggered the rise in prices.

The overall procurement of onions this year is around 80,000 tonnes, a little higher than the corresponding period of 2023. Officials said the consumer affairs department may start releasing onion from its buffer stock in AugSept to keep a check on prices.

Separately, the consumer affairs department said the stock limit on tur and chana dals would be applicable to wholesalers, retailers, big chain retailers, millers and importers. The move is aimed to “prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation” and also improve affordability. It said importers cannot hold imported stock beyond 45 days from the date of customs clearance.

In govt’s bid to encourage cultivation of pulses, agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday assured farmers of procuring 100% of their produce of tur, urad and masoor. Chairing a virtual meeting with agriculture ministers of major pulse producing states, including MP , Maharashtra, Rajasthan and UP , he urged states to work as ateam with the Centre to push pulses production to achieve self-sufficiency by 2027.

TOI has leant that the group of ministers headed by home minister Amit Shah had reviewed the trend of prices of essential commodities on Thursday and some key decisions included imposing stock limit and sale of Bharat dal, Bharat rice and Bharat atta.

Fruits & vegetables top list of all crops in value terms, reveals NSO report

The value of output of ‘fruits and vegetables’ has increased from Rs 2,87,000 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 4,34,000 crore in 2022-23

Vishwa.Mohan@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:In what could be asign of growing preference of Indian consumers, ‘fruits and vegetables’ with 28% share occupied the top position in the group of all crops in value terms in 2022-23, higher than the share of cereals (27%), shows a new statistical report, released Friday.

The report on the value of output from agriculture and allied sectors shows the output of ‘fruits and vegetables’ has increased from Rs 2,87,000 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 4,34,000 crore in 2022-23 at constant (2011-12) prices, about Rs 15,000 crore higher than that of cere- als even as they constantly occupy much more acreage than the horticultural produce.

Besides ‘cereals’ and ‘fruits & vegetables’, the other segments of the cropgroup include pulses, oilseeds, sugarcane, spices and medicinal plants among others occupying the remaining 45% share in terms of value.

Among the overall agriculture and allied sector, the crop-group occupies 54% share followed by livestock (31%), forestry (8%) and fishing (7%) in value of output in 2022-23. Though the crop subsector remains the largest contributor of gross value of output (GVO) of the agriculture and allied sectors, its contribution has gradually declined from 62% in 2011-12 to 54% in 2022-23.

According to the report, brought out by National Statistical Office (NSO), Uttar Pradesh reported the highest value of output of cereals whereas highest value of output of fruits and vegetables was in West Bengal in 2022-23.

The report also shows that Gram and Arhar (lentil) together accounted for nearly 59% of the output of ‘pulses’ group of crops.

Porsche teen also in trauma, give him some time, says HC

The teen was allegedly speeding with Porsche in an intoxicated state, killing 2 techies in Pune

Swati.Deshpande@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:“Two people have lost their lives. There was trauma but the child (juvenile in conflict with law) was also in trauma, give him some time,” said Justices Bharti Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande of Bombay high court while hearing a plea against his “illegal detention” following “public pressure”.

The teen was allegedly speeding with the high-end luxury set of wheels in Pune in an intoxicated state on May 19, when the car crashed into a bike, killing two software engineers, Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta.

HC on Friday closed for orders a habeas corpus petition filed by a Delhi-based paternal aunt of the minor. She sought his release from an alleged illegal detention, three days after being released on bail. Last Friday, HC had declined urgent relief on the plea.

Senior counsel Aabad Ponda for the family said the actions of the state acting under alleged public pressure raised significant questions . He said the court has to consider whether a child who is released on bail and continues to be on bail could be remanded to an observation home, contending there was an express prohibition in the Juvenile Justice Act to do so.

HC on Friday asked the police under which legal provision had the teen been sent back to the observation home after his release on bail.

State public prosecutor H S Venegaonkar opposed the plea, saying it was not maintainable as the minor is detained under a court order and is in an observation home, not jail.

“Can this be done without re-arrest or having bail cancelled?” asked Ponda. He added, “Does Section 104 of JJ Act permit review or only amendment? Is Section 39 (2) of JJ Act not an express bar to sending a person on bail to an observation home?” He went on to question, “If there are errors in bail order, is it not to be appealed in a higher forum and not reviewed by the same court is 104 without any power under that section of review?”

“Is this not confinement?” HC added, questioning why the police did not apply for bail cancellation.

HC will pass orders on June 25.

Bail for teen’s dad, pub owner, 4 others

A Pune special court on Friday granted bail to the father of the 17-year-old involved inPorsche Taycan crash, and five others, including the owner and employees of two pubs, in a case registered under Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act, reports Asseem Shaikh.Lawyers of the six applicants said their clients had been directed to furnish personal bonds of Rs 50,000 each with a surety of the like amount.

HC says nothing objectionable in Maharaj, lifts stay on release

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

1862 LIBEL CASE

Ahmedabad:OTT platform Netflix started streaming the film “Maharaj” after Gujarat HC lifted on Friday a stay on its release while observing that “the court found nothing objectionable that would hurt the religious feelings of the petitioners or a sect”.

“The apprehension is based on surmises since the film is yet to be released. Thus, on mere presumption, the freedom of expression guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution cannot be curtailed,” Justice Sangeeta Vishen said.

After watching the film on the request of petitioners Netflix and film production company Yash Raj Films, Justice Vishen vacated the stay granted last week.

The movie is based on the 1862 Maharaj Libel Case. A plea to stay its release had been filed by eight members of the Pushtimargi sect who expressed apprehension that it might denigrate and defame the entire Hindu religion and incite violence against the sect.

“… The core message of the film focuses on social evil and fight against the same by a social reformer, Karsandas Mulji, who himself was from the Vaishnavite community,” HC said.

The court observed also that the film is on Mulji’s role in exposing the malpractices of Jadunath Maharaj and is not derogatory to any sect.

IMEEEC: India-UAE leg to get a digital platform in 100 days

New Delhi: Work on the India-UAE leg of the strategic India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEEC) is set to kick off with the digital platform to exchange information between ports of the two countries likely to be operational within the first 100 days of the Modi govt, reports Dipak Dash.

While the tension in West Asia had cast its shadow on the high-profile project to connect ports on India’s western coast with European ports, last week the G7 gave a strong backing to the ambitious multi-country link that is aimed at derisking logistics and speeding up cargo movement.

A key element of the IMEEEC strategy is seamless movement of cargo from, say, Hajipur (Bihar) to Haifa in Israel which will mean common port and customs documentation across the countries — from India and UAE to Jordan and Israel — and standardised equipment and containers in all ports and dry docks. Once in place, the plan is to ship goods from the Indian ports to Haifa in 48 hours. But that will also require construction of missing rail links in parts of Saudi Arabia and Jordan, for which initial assessment is being undertaken. An Indian public sector company is involved with the exercise, sources said.

Kutch jeweller ends life over stolen bullion

A jeweller in Gujarat’s Kutch died by suicide, leaving behind a note saying he was in depression over the loss of money. This comes three months after his goldsmith fled with his bullion (pure gold, silver) worth Rs 1.3 crore.

TNN

Cong questions pro tem speaker choice, bats for its 8-term MP

New Delhi: Congress asked the Modi govt if its MP K Suresh has been overlooked for the pro tem speaker’s post because he is a Dalit, or because he is from the opposition, or because he is from south India, as it slammed the decision to appoint a seven-term MP Bhartruhari Mahtab over an eight-term member from Kerala.

Manickam Tagore, Congress whip in LS, said parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju started his innings in the key ministry with a mistake, pointing out he was part of the decision on the appointment of the pro tem speaker.

“The superseding of Suresh has raised many questions. Why this kind of behaviour towards opposition, Dalits and south India. It shows how govt and PM Modi are not changing, and are maintaining a status quoist mindset,” he said.

TNN

No breach in tradition, Cong conduct shameful, says Rijiju

‘It Must Accept Mandate Is In NDA’s Favour’

In 2004, Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil was made pro tem speaker although he was an 8-time MP while Vajpayee, being a 10-time MP, was the senior-most and George Fernandes and Girdhar Gamang were 9-time MPs, Kiren Rijiju said

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said Congress, frustrated over denial of people’s mandate for three terms, was raking up unnecessary controversies like appointment of Bhartruhari Mahtab as pro tem speaker, which was a routine exercise limited to swearing in newly-elected members and election of a regular speaker in the Lok Sabha.

Rejecting Congress’s charge that its MP K Suresh was overlooked for the position because he was a Dalit, Rijiju said the choice of Mah- tab was consistent with the tradition of getting the member with the maximum number of consecutive terms to act as pro tem speaker and deplored what he called Congress’s “shameful conduct”.

Mahtab has won seven consecutive polls whereas Suresh, though an eight-time MP, lost in 1998 and 2004.

Rijiju also termed Suresh’s grievance as an afterthought, saying the Congressman was happy to be nominated on the panel of chairpersons. “Somebody is instigating him to make such statements,” he said.

The confrontation on something as innocuous as pro tem speaker is seen as important as it is reflective of the aggression that Congress might show in Parliament as well as govt’s intent to stand its ground. Who gets to function as pro tem speaker has never been an issue. It is a nonpartisan role and whoever gets to perform it fades into oblivion almost as soon as a regular speaker takes over.

Rijiju said in 2004, Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil was made pro tem speaker although he was an eight-time MP while Atal Bihari Vajpayee, being a 10-time MP, was the senior-most and George Fernandes and Girdhar Gamang were ninetime MPs. “But Patil was made pro tem speaker and three seniors were ignored. There have been several such examples in the past,” he said.

“Moreover, there is a SC ruling that making the senior-most MP pro tem speaker is not a binding,” he said.

Rijiju urged other opposition parties to avoid toeing Congress’s line. “Congress has lost the people’s mandate once again. The mandate is in NDA’s favour, they (Congress) should accept it and behave like a responsible opposition as people are watching.”

Govt ups outreach before new criminal laws come into force

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: With three new criminal laws set to come into effect from July 1, govt has stepped up outreach to provide information about the legal provisions to all stakeholders at the grassroots, ranging from elected women representatives from Panchayati Raj Institutions to Anganwadi workers and Self Help Group members at the village level. According to govt, nearly 40 lakh stakeholders attended the event.

On Friday, top officials of the ministries of women and child development, rural development and Panchayati Raj held a webinar that reached out to those working at the grassroots to educate them about the provisions of the three new laws — “Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita”, “Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita”, and “Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam” — and what the shift from IPC, CrPC and Indian Evidence Act entails. Features related to the protection, welfare, safety and security of women and children were specially discussed.

Key provisions of the laws were highlighted by experts from Bureau of Police Research and Development. From making way for online filing of FIRs to provisions that set out timelines for justice delivery — the webinar detailed the road ahead.

Halt and review laws anew: Mamata to PM

Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has written to PM Narendra Modi asking for deferment of the three “unilaterally” passed criminal laws set to be rolled out from July 1, report Dwaipayan Ghosh & Debashis Konar. Mamata’s letter says the laws were passed “ignoring” dissent notes and, more importantly, by “unethically” expelling 146 members from Parliament. Mamata’s letter was sent Thursday, four days before the new Parliament’s session begins Monday. The letter also follows her meeting with Congress stalwart P Chidambaram in Kolkata Thursday. INDIA allies Trinamool, Congress and DMK have consistently objected to the new laws. In her letter, Mamata urged the PM to “halt and review the whole subject anew” and to consider “at least a deferment of the implementation date”, citing “ethical and practical” reasons. The letter said it would “ethically” be proper to debate and scrutinise the “significant legislative changes” afresh in Parliament.

(With inputs from Mohua Chatterjee in Delhi)

Police arrest 3 for aiding terrorists in Jammu attack

J&K Police, which has launched a massive hunt along with other security agencies to trace the terrorists involved in four back-to-back attacks in Jammu earlier this month, arrested three terror associates in Doda district and detained two suspects in Kathua district for providing logistic support to the attackers in their respective areas, reports Sanjay Khajuria. Doda SSP Javed Iqbal said Sadar Wani, Mubashir and Sajjad provided food and logistic support to Pakistan-based terrorists in exchange for money.

UP’s growth story: TOI Dialogues to discuss way forward

Lucknow: Already a part of the UP growth story, The Times of India is now coming up with TOI Dialogues, a new platform to encourage insightful conservations, compelling discussions and constructive debates not only on the way forward but also on the issues that are important to the citizens of the state.

The week-long event began on Friday with the first edition taking place in Gorakhpur. The second chapter will be held in Lucknow on June 25 while the series will culminate in Varanasi on June 27. Experts and personalities from various fields will share their thoughts on a multitude of topics concerning our daily lives.

From ‘economic opportunities’ to ‘intersection of history and modern politics’, at least 18 varied topics would be discussed by the panellists.

Educationists, bureaucrats, actors, industrialists, entrepreneurs, sportspersons, writers, columnists, doctors, politicians, chefs, historians, travel enthusiasts, and poets among other personalities would discuss the factors that have played a key role in shaping the UP growth story.

Lucknow, Varanasi and Gorakhpur represent the growth trajectory the state has achieved in health, business, education, women entrepreneurship, sports and arts and culture.

While deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak and CM’s adviser Awanish Awasthi will deliver keynote addresses in Lucknow and Varanasi respectively, the star-studded panellists includes Anju Bobby George, Rani Rampal, Jagbir Singh, Zafar Iqbal, Rasika Dugal, Jimmy Shergill, Vikrant Massey, Faisal Malik, Ravi Kishan, Amit Sial, Malini Awasthi, Mohammad Kaif, Shweta Tripathi, Yatinder Mishra, Randeep Hooda, Vikram Sampath among others.

TNN

SIT calls for tweaks in Gujarat Police Act after Rajkot inferno

The SIT report stated that civic authorities flouted common GDCR norms, the R&B dept provided certifications without inspections, and fire department granted NOC despite the gaming zone not meeting requirements

Gandhinagar: A special investigation team (SIT) appointed to probe the Rajkot TRP Gaming Zone Inferno case has suggested “changes to Section 33 of the Gujarat Police Act” which empowers local police to issue “premises licenses and ticket licenses” to such game zones, reports Kapil Dave.

The 100-page interim report indicted police officers, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) and the roads and buildings (R&B) department for not observing statutes on Friday in its second report submitted to the state govt.

“We submitted an interim report to the govt today. We found lapses on the part of the police, fire department, town planning and road and building department. We have collected relevant evidence about their negligence and drawn the govt’s attention towards it through our report,” SIT chief Subhash Trivedi said. “We will not spare the guilty. The SIT probe is still on. We are currently investigating the roles played by senior police as well as civic officials,” he added.

The SIT observed in its report that civic authorities flouted common GDCR norms, the R&B department provided overall certifications without proper inspections, and the fire department granted a no-objection certificate despite the gaming zone not meeting requirements, sources privy to the report said.

The SIT mentioned in its report that the TRP Game Zone fire incident of May 25, which claimed 27 lives, took place even as a demolition notice had been issued to the entertainment zone a year and a half ago, following another blaze. The SIT underscored apathy by the administration as no demolition was carried out by the civic authorities despite the first fire revealing several violations.

Regarding pictures of the then Rajkot SP, district collector, municipal commissioner and district development officer attending the TRP Game Zone inaugural ceremony, the SIT chief said these officers went there nearly one year after it was inaugurated. “We have already questioned four IAS and one IPS officer who had visited the game zone in the past and got themselves clicked there. These officers told the SIT they went there with their family members in March 2022 to celebrate the birthday of one of the officers. It was not the opening event of the game zone as is being claimed,” said Trivedi. He added that the SIT will interrogate other IAS and IPS officers, if needed, before concluding its probe.

During a hearing on a suo motu PIL taken up by Gujarat HC over the fire, Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal had slammed the govt and asked why no action had been taken against senior officials who had attended the TRP Game Zone opening event.

SC gives 2-wk interim bail to Elgar case accused

New Delhi: Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail for two weeks to accused Mahesh Raut in Elgar Parishad case to attend ceremonies related to the last rites of his grandmother who passed away recently. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and S V N Bhatti directed that Raut be released from prison on June 26 and remain on bail till July 10. SC left it for the trial court to pass an order on bail conditions to be imposed on him .

Raut had been granted regular bail by Bombay HC last year but the order was stayed by the apex court when the National Investigation Agency challenged the HC order. Raut was arrested in June 2018 and has been in custody since.

The high court granted him bail in September 2023 after observing that merely because a co-accused has claimed that he handed over money to Raut, it would not make him a recipient of the same as there was nothing else to corroborate the said claim. His bail plea was earlier rejected by trial court.

TNN

Yoga has become unifying force across the world: PM

Leads The Nation In Celebrating 10th Int’l Yoga Day

BSF personnel perform yoga in Thar desert of Rajasthan on Friday

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi on Friday lauded the collective efforts of individuals, communities and organisations who came together and practiced yoga across the world on 10th International Yoga Day.

“International Yoga Day was held across the world thanks to the collective efforts of individuals, communities and organisations who came together and practiced yoga. It is clear that yoga has become a unifying force, bringing together people across cultures and backgrounds. It is gladdening to see youth participating in yoga sessions with such zeal and dedication,” the PM said in a post on X. He added: “I express gratitude to all those working to popularise yoga. These efforts will go a long way in furthering unity and harmony. I am also happy to see an increase in the number of yoga instructors whose expertise and passion is inspiring others to take up yoga. May yoga keep bringing the world together in the coming times.”

Modi has been a pivotal figure in promoting yoga globally. Following a proposal by the PM to the UN General Assembly in Sept 2014, on Dec 11, 2014 it was unanimously resolved to observe June 21 every year as International Yoga Day.

This time, he participated in celebrations held in Srinagar.

Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha, Union minister of state Prataprao Jadhav were also present. Home minister Amit Shah performed yoga at a public garden in Ahmedabad while health minister J P Nadda performed yoga at Yamuna Sports complex in Delhi.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh led the armed forces in celebrating the day by performing various asanas and breathing exercises with soldiers at 1 Corps in Mathura, UP.

French journo’s work permit renewal under review: Govt

New Delhi: A day after French journalist Sebastien Farcis alleged that he was forced out of India by Union home ministry, the foreign ministry said his application for renewal of work permit is under consideration.

According to MEA, Farcis, who is married to an Indian woman, is an OCI card holder and under Indian regulations requires approval to carry out journalistic assignments. “He has re-applied for renewal of work permit in May 2024, and to the best of my knowledge, his case is under consideration. He has the right to make a decision in so far as his travel out of the country is concerned,” said spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

According to Farcis though, the home ministry imposed a work ban on him by not renewing his journalist permit in March this year, preventing him from doing his work and denying him his source of income.

No reason was apparently given for this work ban. Farcis had said that the ban came as a shock to him.

TNN

MEA calls for end to hiring of Indians in Russian army

New Delhi: India continues to pursue with Russia early release and repatriation of Indians recruited by the Russian army, while also seeking a verified stop to recruitment, said govt on Friday.

As a result of these efforts, MEA said, so far 10 Indian nationals have been released and repatriated. Four Indian nationals have been killed in the ongoing conflict so far.

“We continue to be in touch with the Russian side, both in New Delhi and Moscow, on this issue. This remains a matter of utmost concern for us and we expect action,” said the spokesperson.

“We are working with the Russian side for early transportation of the mortal remains of the two Indians who died recently. We are in touch with their family members as well,” he added.

According to the ministry, India has also demanded that there be a “verified stop” to any further recruitment of our nationals by the Russian army. Such activities would not be in consonance with our partnership, India had warned Russia earlier.

TNN

3 Bihar cops held for robbery

Gaya city police arrested three constables on Thursday over charge of snatching over Rs 10 lakh from a person here. Ashish Bharti, SSP, suspended nabbed constables, Vikram Kumar, Ujjawal Kumar and Sanjeev Paswan, and began departmental action against them, reports Alok Kumar.

Prez: Yoga crucial today due to rising lifestyle problems

A woman performs on Yoga Day in Mumbai. Yoga is India’s unique gift to humanity, Prez Murmu said

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Prez Droupadi Murmu on Friday said “yoga is India’s unique gift to humanity” and emphasised that it has become far more important because of rising lifestyle-related problems.

As programmes to mark the day were organised across the country, the official account of the President of India on X posted photos of Murmu and officials of the President’s secretariat performing yoga at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

“Greetings to the entire global community, especially the fellow citizens of India on International Yoga Day! Yoga is India’s unique gift to humanity,” she said in a post.

“In view of rising lifestyle-related problems, yoga has become far more important today,” Murmu said in the post.

“Yoga is a way to physical, men- tal and spiritual well-being. Let us resolve to adopt yoga as an integral part of our day-to-day living,” the President added.

Walking for 30 mins a day can help reduce lower back pain: Lancet

Low back pain is specially common in people with jobs requiring prolonged sitting

DurgeshNandan.Jha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Walking for a minimum 30 minutes daily can help reduce low back pain, a world-first trial to assess effectiveness of low-cost exercise has shown.

It was carried out on 701 persons (mean age 54 years) living in various parts of Australia who had recently recovered from non-specific low back pain that lasted for 24 hours (non-specific meaning there was no specific diagnosis or known cause for the condition).

Researchers divided these persons randomly into two groups: intervention and no treatment control group. The intervention group took to progressive walking for at least 30 minutes daily for six months under the guidance of a trained physiotherapist. Participants from the intervention and the no treatment control group were followed for a minimum of 12 to 36 months.

According to results of the trial called WalkBack, published in The Lancet – a reputed medical journal, daily walk was effective in preventing an episode of activity-limiting low back pain. “The median days to a recur- rence of low back pain was 208 days in intervention group and 112 days in control group,” the study states.

Dr Rajesh Malhotra, senior consultant, orthopaedics at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi said non-specific low back pain is common, especially in people with jobs requiring prolonged sitting. “It is a problem of poor posture, in most cases. I see five to see such patients daily,” Dr Malhotra said.

Dr Deepak Chaudhary, senior director and head of department, arthroscopy and sports medicine at B L Kapur hospital said multiple studies have shown even in the past that movement is key to reduce low back pain, and many people on the contrary restrict themselves to complete bed rest for prolonged periods.

HC: Denying physical intimacy to husband amounts to cruelty

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal/Jabalpur: Refusing physical relations to a husband amounts to cruelty under Hindu Marriage Act, Madhya Pradesh HC said, while upholding a family court’s decision to grant divorce to the husband on this ground.

HC gave this verdict for a couple that got married on May 26, 2013. It observed that denial of physical intimacy to a husband amounts to cruelty. Just 3 days after marriage, the woman’s brother took her to her parental home for her to take some exam. When her inlaws went to bring her back a few days later, she refused to come with them.

The woman then lodged a complaint of dowry harassment against her in-laws in Sidhi. The couple then agreed to divorce by mutual agreement. The wife, however, lodged a complaint of domestic violence against her husband, who filed for divorce in Satna family court under provisions of Hindu Marriage Act. After hearing both sides, the family court granted divorce on Aug 17, 2021.

The woman challenged the divorce decree in HC. During hearing, the husband said his wife stayed with him for just three days and they didn’t have physical relationship during the period.

Man gets 20-yr RI for raping niece

A man, 32, was convicted and sentenced to 20-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) for raping his 13-year-old niece and impregnating her, reports Nishikant Karlikar. Despite the victim turning hostile, the court relied on a DNA report and the doctor’s deposition. While convicting the accused, judge DS Deshmukh said this should send a clear message to society that perpetrators in such cases are dealt with an iron hand.

Times City

- ED Acting With Bias: Court In CM Bail Order

- Bail order perverse, didn’t get time to plead case: ED

- In A Temporary Tent, Atishi Begins Fast For More Water

- BJP calls it a political drama, Haryana advises Delhi to put its house in order

- Govt to look into petrol dealers’ call to hike PUCC fees

- Woman’s decomposed body found in N Delhi

- No kidding! Yoga can help raise sperm DNA quality

- Delhi At Full Stretch For Health Gains

- 24-yr-old held for role in stabbing man 80 times

- Haryana’s baseline survey of Aravalis to map degradation

- CINEMA OF THE WEEK

- Reined In By Rain! Heatwave Relents, But Will Be Back

- Safdarjung reports 6 heat-related deaths

- Woman loses `1.3cr to cyber criminals

- Man tries to extort money from doc to buy flat, held

- Teen dies in AIIMS, organs give 4 a second shot at life

- 2 Parking Lots Set To Meet June-End Date

- Peak summer woes: United’s flight cancellation leaves many stranded

- CBI arrests another policeman for demanding bribe

- Two rob women they met through dating app, held

- Four injured in firing after scuffle over girl

- Fire breaks out in outer Delhi factory

- Heat Impacts Veggie Supply, Prices Surge

- 25-year-old stabbed by man posing as official in Air Force

- Home alone, unwell elderly woman saved

ED Acting With Bias: Court In CM Bail Order

Special Judge Says No Direct Evidence Linking CM With Proceeds Of Crime

Vineet.Upadhyay@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Granting bail to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday in a money laundering case related to the alleged scam in the nowscrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, a city court has observed that Enforcement Directorate (ED) was acting with bias. The bail order was stayed by a Delhi high court bench on Friday after an appeal was filed by ED.

ED’s submission that “investigation is an art and sometimes one accused is given lollypop of bail and pardon and induced with some assurance to make them tell the story behind the offence,” was questioned by special judge Niyay Bindu. “The court has to take a pause to consider this argument…that investigation is an art, because if it is so, then any person can be implicated and kept behind bars by artistically procuring the material against him after artistically avoiding/withdrawing exculpatory material from the record. This very scenario constrains the court to draw an inference against the investigating agency that it is not acting without bias.”

The judge observed that the complete truth cannot be revealed through people who have backtracked from their previous statements. She was referring to some witnesses in the case. She said the complete truth shall be established on the basis of incriminating material available on record which the investigating agency is “under an obligation to procure in a legal manner”.

The court observed that ED had failed to give any direct evidence linking Kejriwal to proceeds of crime. However, it may be possible that some known persons to the CM were involved, she said.

The agency had failed to clarify how it reached the con- clusion that an amount of Rs 1 crore attached from Vinod Chauhan was part of the proceeds of crime, said the judge, adding that it was also not clarifying as how the alleged amount of Rs 40 crore traced during the investigation was part of the proceeds of crime.

Regarding that amount, the judge said the IO had informed the court that out of an alleged amount of Rs 100 crore, about Rs 40 crore had been traced but ED had failed to clarify how much time it needed for tracing the rest of the amount. Which, she said, raised the question whether Kejriwal is supposed to remain behind bars without proper evidence against him till they recover the entire amount.

“It seems that ED also believes that the evidence on record is not sufficient to proceed against the applicant and it is taking time to procure the same in any manner whatsoever… The investigation agency should be prompt and fair so that it can be perceived that the principles of natural justice are also being followed by the agency,” the court noted.

The court observed that ED was silent on certain issues raised by Kejriwal, including his submission that he had not been named either in the CBI case or in the ECIR (ED’s enforcement case information report).

Taking note of the ED’s claim regarding the fact mentioned in the chargesheet i.e Vijay Nair stayed at the house of Kailash Gehlot and he was having close relations with Kejriwal; that his stay at a seven-star hotel at Goa was sponsored by co-accused Chanpreet Singh which shows the close proximity of both of them; and that an amount of Rs 1 crore was attached from the residence of a co-accused who is an associate of Kejriwal, the court said “ED has not shown anything on record (to prove) that Vijay Nair was acting upon the directions of the applicant.”

Even if Vinod Chauhan had close relations with Chanpreet Singh, how would that help ED establish Kejriwal’s guilt, even if he was acquainted with both co-accused, the judge wondered.

The judge observed that higher courts have been urging trial courts to consider the constitutional rights of undertrials. “There have been thousands of cases where the accused have undergone a long trial and agony resulting from the same till they have been acquitted by the court for being innocent. Unfortunately, the mental and physical agony of such a person cannot be compensated in any manner whatsoever,” she said.

Referring to SC’s interim bail order of May 10, 2024, the court recalled that the bench had said that though serious accusations have been made, Kejriwal has not been convicted and he did not have any criminal antecedents. He was not a threat to society either, it had observed, pointing out that the investigation in the case had remained pending since August 2022. “More importantly, legality and validity of the arrest itself is under challenge before this court and we are yet to finally pronounce on the same,” SC had said.

Bail order perverse, didn’t get time to plead case: ED

ED said High Court had earlier taken into account statements made by the approvers while rejecting a plea filed by Kejriwal challenging his arrest

Continued from P1

The petition claimed that ED’s request for submitting a detailed note within the next 2-3 days was also turned down by the trial court with a direction to file any such note the same day or next day.

The judge insisted that she was hearing a “high-profile case” and, therefore, “did not want to reserve the order,” the petition said.

The petition said ED was being deprived of an opportunity to seek an effective legal remedy by filing an appropriate petition before HC since the order granting bail had not been made available till the time of filing the appeal. “Rather when the counsel for ED tried to enquire from the court after pronouncement of the order, the court staff was unavailable and the courtroom was empty with the lights switched off,” said the petition.

It claimed that the court staff had told ED’s counsels that the judge had given instructions not to email or upload the order granting bail, saying it would be available at 10am on Friday “effectively depriving ED of any opportunity of challenging the order prior to release of the bail applicant/accused”.

The ASG claimed before the court that the trial court judge had admitted that she did not examine the documents. He said he had not come across a judge who admits not to have read the papers and granted bail. “There can't be a more perverse order than this. On this ground alone, the order needs to go,” he said.

Questioning the trial court's findings, the ASG claimed ED has shown evidence for use of proceeds of crime by AAP in the Goa assembly elections and has traced an amount of Rs 45 crore.

The ED also submitted that the high court had earlier taken into account statements made by approvers while rejecting a plea filed by Kejriwal challenging his arrest.

The agency also pointed out that as per Section 45 of PMLA, a trial court while considering bail in money laundering cases has to give a prima facie finding that the concerned accused is not guilty. “It has no discretion in this case where Section 45 of PMLA is involved. The court has to give a prima facie finding that he is not guilty of the offence,” the ASG submitted.

On the trial court’s observation that ED had not provided direct evidence, the ASG pointed out that Magunta Reddy had met Kejriwal and the latter demanded Rs 100 crore as bribe. “We have shown all this to prove that he had a role in the demand of Rs 100 crore. Yet the judge says no direct evidence. Direct evidence is in the form of a statement. There is corroboration also,” said the ASG.

Arguing for Kejriwal, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the court that the hearing in the trial court lasted for five hours out of which ED took 3.45 hours. Therefore, there is no question of ED being denied an opportunity to present its case, he said.

“Just because there is political antagonism and if all the commas etc are not dealt with by the judge, it gives Mr Raju the right to malign the judge. This is deplorable and sad. It should never have come from a govt authority,” said Singhvi.

Opposing ED’s submission that the trial court order granting bail to Kejriwal was perverse, the senior advocate said, “Like Alice in Wonderland, ED has its own meaning of perversity… unless every argument of ED is repeated verbatim, it is perversity.”

Singhvi pointed out that statements given in 2022 by four witnesses — Raghav Magunta, Buchi Babu, Abhishek Boinpally and Sarath Reddy — had not implicated Kejriwal. But later, Magunta Sreenivasa Reddy gave a statement against Kejriwal, and the next day, his son, Raghav Magunta, got bail. Buchi Babu also immediately got bail after he implicated Kejriwal, Singhvi submitted.

Talking about proceeds of crime, Singhvi said that not “one paisa” has been traced to Kejriwal.

In A Temporary Tent, Atishi Begins Fast For More Water

‘Instead Of Helping Out, Haryana Withheld 120MGD Of Rightful Share’

ATISHI SAYS When Haryana govt stops 100MGD of water for Delhiites, water supply to more than 28 lakh people of Delhi is stopped

Atishi with CM’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, and Sanjay Singh at Bhogal

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Water minister Atishi commenced an indefinite hunger strike, dubbed 'Paani Satyagraha', on Friday to demand Delhi's right to water. The same day, Delhi Jal Board reported a water production of 888 million gallons per day (MGD), the season’s lowest.

“As water minister, I made every possible effort to secure Delhi's rightful share of water, but Haryana’s BJP govt didn’t comply. In this regard, I also wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, requesting him to secure Delhi's rightful share of water,” the minister said. She added that instead of getting relief, for two days now, Haryana govt had withheld 120MGD of Delhi's share of water. “That is why I had to sit on an indefinite hunger strike,” she said.

The minister pointed out that Delhi did not have its own source of water. “All the water in Delhi comes from neighbouring states. Delhi gets 1,005MGD of water. This water goes to Delhi's water treatment plants and from there, it reaches people's homes through pipelines. Of this 1,005MGD water, 613MGD comes from Haryana. One million gallons of water is adequate for 28,500 people. That means when Haryana govt stops 100MGD of water for Delhiites, water supply to more than 28 lakh people of Delhi is stopped. This is the reason why there is a water crisis in different parts of Delhi today,” claimed Atishi.

The protest is being held on a narrow street opposite the Shiv temple in Bhogal. The minister will be present at the tent intermittently. She will otherwise be resting in a separate hall in a dharmshala nearby. Earlier in the day, the minister went to Rajghat and then proceeded for the protest site at Bhogal. On the stage, she offered flowers in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s photograph before sitting down for the Paani Satyagraha around noon.

Sunita Kejriwal, wife of CM Arvind Kejriwal, joined Atishi at the protest and read out a message from her husband expressing support for Atishi's cause. “When I see on TV from inside the jail how people are suffering due to the water shortage, it pains me. I hope Atishi will be successful in her protest and the people of Delhi get water,” said Sunita, reading the message of the jailed chief minister.

According to party functionaries, the minister will stay at the protest site until the water crisis is resolved. “She will be staying here, sleeping here and the official work will also be done from there. The satyagraha will go on until the wa- ter production of the city improves,” said a govt official.

Other high-ranking AAP members also stood alongside her on the stage. They included Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh, urban development minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and several MLAs.

After her speech, Atishi shifted to the temporary arrangements made for her to rest and would sit in protest again in the evening. Sanjay Singh said that doctors would monitor the protesting minister’s health during the time she took nothing except water.

The locals in Jangpura were discomfited by the traffic congestion caused by the protest with numerous cars parked on the road near the site. Ambika Sachdeva, a resident of Jangpura B block, said, “We are getting dirty water and that also only once a day. We are facing problems with water supply for many days.”

BJP calls it a political drama, Haryana advises Delhi to put its house in order

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi/Chandigarh: The BJP MP from New Delhi, Bansuri Swaraj, on Friday said that Delhi’s water minister Atishi’s indefinite fast over water was a “sham” and “an attempt to cover up AAP govt’s failures”. “It was clear since Feb that Delhi would endure a long summer, but AAP govt made no preparations,” she claimed.

“Why did Delhi Jal Board not prepare a summer action plan in March? And why did they not make full preparations even after the Meteorological Department’s warnings of intense heat? You repeatedly request additional water from Haryana or Himachal Pradesh, which do not have extra water. Why do you not ask for water from Punjab, where your party is in power?” Swaraj asked.

The BJP MP from South Delhi, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, said the protest was yet another “political drama”. “Atishi is protesting against Haryana to tarnish its image,” he claimed.

In response, AAP said, despite being a Delhi MP, Bansuri Swaraj, instead of requesting Haryana govt to release Delhi’s share of water, was now trying to trivialise the situation by making “baseless allegations”. Until Haryana govt releases Delhi’s share of water, the city’s water crisis will remain unresolved, the party added.

“Atishi has made every effort to mitigate the water crisis, including meeting with Delhi’s lieutenant governor, seeking interventions from the Prime Minister and Union Jal Shakti minister, and requesting help from the Haryana CM. However, none of them offered any help,” AAP claimed.

Meanwhile, Haryana minister of state for irrigation & water resources (independent charge) Abhe Singh Yadav said that Delhi govt and DJB representatives should sit together to plug the “water theft or wastage” in the interest of the people of the national capital.

Govt to look into petrol dealers’ call to hike PUCC fees

Abhinav.Rajput@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: The transport department is likely to increase the charges for pollution under control certificates (PUCC) in the national capital.

Officials said that during a meeting on Thursday, transport minister Kailash Gahlot listened to the demands and suggestions of the representatives of the Petrol Dealers’ Association on the issue.

Gahlot said, “The Petrol Dealers Association has demanded an increase in the fees for PUC certificates in Delhi. The fees were last increased in Delhi in 2011. I have assured them that Delhi govt will seriously consider their demands.”

According to sources, transport officials have submitted a proposal to Gahlot in which they have proposed that the fees be hiked by three-four times. “We would take a middle ground, it should not be that there is too much pressure on people. At the same time, we also have to consider that the rates have not been increased for years though maintenance costs have gone up for dealers,” said an official.

A senior Delhi govt official said the pollution test rates were last increased in 2011 while the fines for vehicles caught without a PUC certificate had increased manifold.

Currently, Rs 60 is paid for pollution tests of petrol and CNG-driven two-wheelers and three-wheelers, Rs 80 for petrol-powered and Rs 100 for diesel-powered four-wheelers. A GST of 18% is levied separately. Last year, 50 lakh pollution test certificates were issued in the city.

According to Motor Vehicle Act, vehicle owners can face imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Rs 10,000 or both if caught without a valid PUCC. According to Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, every motor vehicle, including those conforming to BS-I/II/III/IV and those plying on CNG/LPG, is required to carry a valid PUC certificate after the expiry of a one-year period from the date of registration. However, the validity is one year for four-wheeler BS-IV-compliant vehicles and three months for others.

“We have also got requests from people running the pollution test centres, who said it had become difficult to meet expenses as they had to pay a heavy rent,” the official said.

The PUC certification in Delhi is done in real time and has been integrated with the vehicle registration database.

Woman’s decomposed body found in N Delhi

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: The decomposed body of a 55-year-old woman was discovered at her residence in north Delhi’s Lahori Gate on Thursday. Police said the body was found after neighbours noticed a foul smell emanating from her second-floor apartment.

“The body had been lying for probably three days. The woman was unmarried and lived alone. As of now, we haven’t found any evidence suggesting foul play. However, a thorough investigation is still under way,” an officer stated.

“The body has been moved to the mortuary, and procedures under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code have been initiated. This includes interviewing neighbours and relatives to gather any information that may shed light on the circumstances surrounding her death,” the officer added.

DCP(North) Manoj Meena said they were waiting for the postmortem report to ascertain the cause of the death. “The body was totally decomposed,” he added.

No kidding! Yoga can help raise sperm DNA quality

APROFESSOR SAYS Psychological stress and impending oxidative stress are key components that affect the sperm structure and function

Anuja.Jaiswal@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:Couples facing repeated pregnancy loss and implantation failure may find hope in the integration of regular yoga practice by men, which could help improve pregnancy outcomes. This revelation comes from a study conducted by AIIMS and published in Scientific Reportsof the Nature Publishing Group.

According to researchers, paternal factors play a critical role in the health and disease of the offspring. It has been cited as an important contributor in the normal embryonic development and associated as a causal factor for early pregnancy loss.

The study titled ‘Yoga and its effect on sperm genomic integrity, gene expression, telomere length and perceived quality of life in early pregnancy loss’ investigated the effects of a six-week yoga programme on male partners of couples facing recurrent pregnancy loss and implantation failure. The participants and their semen samples were assessed before and after the yoga intervention. The results indicate that incorporating regular yoga practice into the lifestyle of men may have beneficial effects on aspects of sperm quality and function.

“Psychological stress and impending oxidative stress are key components that affect the sperm structure and function,” said professor Rima Dada of the laboratory of molecular reproduction and genetics, AIIMS. She added that toxins like pollution and cigarette smoke can cause oxidative stress.

The study suggests that yoga can potentially improve sperm DNA quality, reduce oxidative stress and slow down the aging process of sperms by increasing their telomere length. Additionally, the practice of yoga appears to normalise the gene expression levels in sperms. These positive changes may contribute to the prevention of recurrent failure and enhance pregnancy outcomes, both in cases of spontaneous conception and assisted reproductive techniques.

Moreover, the findings highlight the potential im- pact of yoga in reducing the risk of disease transmission with poor quality of sperm DNA to the next generation. By improving the overall health and quality of sperms, the practice of yoga may play a role in minimising the burden of disease in offspring.

The other authors of the study were Dr Vidhu Dhawan of the department of anatomy and Dr Neena Malhotra, Dr Neeta Singha and Dr Vatsala Dadhwal of the department of obstetrics and gynaecology.

The study included 60 participants in the 18-45 age group, divided into two groups of 30 each. One group participated in the yoga programme, while the other served as the control group. Additionally, semen samples were collected from 30 healthy, fertile men who had become fathers in the past two years, but they were not included in the yoga intervention. To eliminate any potential confounding factors, cytogenetic analysis was performed on both partners to exclude the presence of chromosomal abnormalities.

A structured yoga regimen was implemented, with sessions lasting about two hours each day, six days per week for the first two weeks under the skilled direction and oversight of certified yoga instructors. Participants were guided through a series of postures, breathing exercises, and meditation techniques aimed at improving flexibility, strength and overall health.

Delhi At Full Stretch For Health Gains

From RWAs To Govt Agencies, Yoga Day Sees Enthusiastic Participation

Addressing the media after performing y oga at the sports complex, Union minister JP Nadda said that PM had r ecognised the importance of y oga not only in the country but also in the whole w orld

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: On Friday, the 10th International Yoga Day was celebrated across the city with govt agencies, social organisations and residents’ welfare associations participating in various events.

New Delhi Municipal Council organised yoga events at eight venues and claimed participation of over 10,000 people. It collaborated with the Union ayush ministry and six yoga institutions, with Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw headlining the event at Lodhi Garden.

NDMC vice-chairman Satish Upadhyay, who performed yoga at Nehru Park, said, "In order to facilitate wider participation in International Day of Yoga, we made necessary arrange- ments of civic and other amenities, including potable water, mobile toilets, ambulance and first-aid desk besides providing yoga mats and T-shirts.”

In the lead-up to the main event, NDMC had organised yoga camps from June 18 to 20 at Nehru Park, Talkatora Garden and Lodhi Garden. An official said, “We spread awareness in parks and appealed to all citizen and community groups, RWAs, MTA, and morning walkers or joggers to participate in the yoga build-up programmes.”

Delhi Development Authority also organised yoga events at 18 parks and sports complexes, with around 20,000 people participating in them. Union minister JP Nadda stretched himself alongside residents of localities near Yamuna Sports Complex, while lieutenant governor VK Saxena practised asanas at Baansera on the bank of the Yamuna, accompanied by chief secretary Naresh Kumar, DDA vicechairman Subhasish Panda, Delhi govt bureaucrats and the general public.

Addressing the media after performing yoga at the sports complex, Nadda said that PM Narendra Modi has recognised the importance of yoga not only in the country but also in the whole world. “We appealed to everyone to make the practice of yoga an integral part of their daily routine so that we remain healthy and our life can progress with the integration of the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of our lives,” he said.

DDA officials stated, “By holding public yoga sessions and workshops led by specialised trainers as well as meditation gatherings, DDA aimed to create awareness about yoga.”

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi also organised yoga events in all its zones, with participation of the councillors, students and officials. The main programme was held at the Pushp Vihar Sector 1 MCD school, where over 100 students, teachers and employees performed various yoga asanas such as Trikonasan, Shashankasan, Dandasan, Vajrasan, Bhujangasan, Makrasan, Setubandahasan and Shavasan.

Municipal officials noted, “Many differently-abled students also participated along with great energy and enthusiasm.” One school with a hall or ground was identified in each zone for approximately 50 people to gather and practise yoga together.

RWAs also organised yoga camps in neighbourhood parks with zeal and enthusiasm. At S Block, GK I, the RWA held an event where there were at least 115 participants, with many arriving early to witness the preparations.

24-yr-old held for role in stabbing man 80 times

New Delhi: A 24-year-old man, who along with his associates stabbed a man to death over 80 times, was arrested in Moti Nagar.

The accused, identified as Kishan, resides in Zakhira. On May 9, the police control room received a call reporting a body found in front of a house on New Rohtak road, with blood seeping from it. The deceased, identified as Ravi Yadav from Patel Nagar, was pronounced dead upon arrival by doctors. The police later revealed that the body bore around 100 wounds, including abrasions.

During their probe, the police arrested three individuals and apprehended three juveniles as well. Kishan, considered the mastermind, had been evading capture since the incident.

DCP (North) Manoj Meena said Kishan confessed to the police that in 2020, he and his friends Rajan and Tanbir had a dispute with Yadav near his residence. During the altercation, Tanbir fired at Yadav, but the bullet bounced off a gas cylinder, fatally hitting Rajan instead. Yadav had filed a case against them, leading to Kishan and Tanbir being remanded in judicial custody. TNN

Haryana’s baseline survey of Aravalis to map degradation

Ipsita.Pati@timesgroup.com

Gurgaon: The forest and mining departments will carry out the first baseline study of the Aravalis in seven districts of Haryana before putting into action a 6-month plan to protect and revive the ancient hills.

The move was prompted by NGT’s directions to Haryana govt for drawing up a plan to restore the Aravalis that have been degraded by mining and concretisation over the decades.

“The first step in the process of restoring Aravalis involves a comprehensive baseline survey across Gurgaon, Nuh, Faridabad, Rewari, Mahendergarh, Charkhi Dadri and Bhiwani,” a forest official said on Friday.

The baseline survey will involve gathering information on the ground to eventually use it as the foundation for the Aravali action plan. The forest and mining department teams will carry out the survey on foot, employ drones and refer to GIS mapping data for areas where the Aravalis lie. They will document information such as geographical contours of the hills, existing vegetation and wildlife, encroachments, mining, and open waste dumping, among other details.

The teams will also refer to revenue records to check ownership of Aravali land parcels. Since Haryana never mapped out the state’s forest land, most of the Aravalis are under the revenue department, or panchayat and privately owned land.

The Aravali Rejuvenation Board that the forest department will submit details of funds required for the baseline survey to HSPCB within 10 days.

Last year, Haryana govt formed the 7-member Aravali Rejuvenation Board to deal with complaints on illegal mining and protecting the hills.

HSPCB officials told TOI on Friday that after funding is approved, the survey will take another three months to complete, and based on its findings, the six-month action plan will be implemented. The plan involves planting of indigenous grass and shrubs in the Aravalis during the monsoon. Another focus area is to recharge groundwater zones, for which the board may seek the help of Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) to monitor the process every year.

In areas damaged from quarrying of stones, measures will be taken to restore soil composition with planta- tion drives and/or adding chemicals and organic matter

Surveillance to keep en- croachments, illegal construction and mining in check is another problem area that the plan intends to enforce by deploying 600 home guards across Aravali districts.

Environmentalist SS Oberoi, who is a member of the Aravali Rejuvenation Board, told TOI on Friday that implementation of the action plan “renews hope” for preserving the region’s ecosystem.

“The forest department will get Rs 1 crore from HSPCB to carry out the baseline survey. The amount will be released once forest ACS (additional chief secretary) sends out a request to the pollution control board for the same. The process will start soon,” he said.

Despite a blanket ban in three south Haryana districts (Gurgaon, Nuh and Faridabad), quarrying of stones and sand remains a means of livelihood for local miners who supply to the construction industry.

Apart from mining, Aravali hills have been flattened over the years to make way for roads, farmhouses and other construction as cities expand rapidly.

The NGT, while hearing a petition by Aravalli Bachao Citizens Movement in 2022, directed Haryana govt to take immediate action to protect the hills. But over a year later, in Nov 202

3, NGT said the state wasn’t taking its orders “seriously” to crack down on mining.

CINEMA OF THE WEEK

Ishq Vishk Rebound (Rom-com) ★★★

Cast: Rohit Saraf, Pashmina Roshan, Jibraan Khan, Naila Grrewal

Director: Nipun Avinash Dharmadhikari

Duration: 1 hour 46 minutes

Language: Hindi (UA)

■ The line between friendship and love blurs for three best friends as they become entangled in a web of a breakup, a rebound relationship, and self-discovery.

In the era of situationships and breadcrumbing, when most love stories are too complicated for their own good, director Nipun Dharmadhikari’s romantic comedy comes as a breath of fresh air. The latest entry in the Ishq Vishk (2003) franchise is about three childhood best friends: Raghav (Rohit Saraf), Sanya (Pashmina Roshan), and Sahir (Jibraan Khan). Sanya and Sahir’s on-again, offagain relationship constantly drags Raghav into the drama. When the couple breaks up simultaneously with Raghav and Riya (Naila Grrewal), Raghav and Sanya find themselves in a rebound romance. But will this ‘ishq vishk’ fling mess up their lifelong friendship?

Packed with laughs, the first half shows Raghav hilariously juggling his friendships and new fling. From Raghav stealing Sahir’s dog to him going on a ‘haunting trip’ with Sanya, the delightful sequences are thoroughly entertaining. Written by Vaishali Naik, Vinay Chhawal, and Ketan Pedgaonkar, the movie is also a window into modern love: Raghav believes relationships are baggage-free transactions, justifying his rebound with Sanya. The narrative also touches upon how familial ties complicate romantic relationships. For example, Sanya’s broken home makes her confrontational, often causing friction with Sahir, as he is pressured by his iron-fisted and abusive father, causing their break-up. The film advocates for self-discovery and finding happiness beyond romantic entanglement. The film’s pace slows down in the second half as the group’s complicated relationships become repetitive. The initial premise of Raghav attempting to mirror his story in his film’s script does not land. Some plot points, like Riya’s lingering jealousy towards the trio’s bond, aren’t fully fleshed out. Although well-choreographed, slick, and foot-tapping, the songs break the narrative flow in the latter half. Rochak Kohli’s melodious Rehmat, and the remakes of Chot Dil Pe Lagi and Ishq Vishk Pyaar Vyaar make for a good soundtrack.

Rohit Saraf steals the show with his impeccable comedic timing and effortless delivery. He seamlessly breaks the fourth wall, captivating viewers with his character’s journey. Pashmina Roshan is impactful in the role of a troubled and immature young girl who blames her immaturity on her broken family. Jibraan Khan also performs ably, and Naila Grrewal delivers a serviceable performance in her limited role.

Ishq VIshk Rebound is a film for Gen Z. While older viewers might not fully connect with its portrayal of modern love, the humour, engaging performances, and entertainment value make it a decent one-time watch.

— Dhaval Roy

To review any movie and check show timings visit etimes.in

Hamare Baarah (Drama) ★★½

Cast: Annu Kapoor, Paritosh Tripathi, Paritosh Tripathi, Aditi Bhatpahri, Ishlin Prasad

Direction: Kamal Chandra

Duration: 2 hour 28 minutes

Language: Hindi (UA)

■ A young woman goes to court against her own father to help her stepmother terminate a very risky pregnancy that could be fatal. Will justice be served?

Mansoor Ali Khan Sanjiri (Annu Kapoor) is a 60-year-old devout Muslim with extreme views about the way women and children in his household should lead their life. He has married multiple times and has fathered as many as eleven children with a twelfth one on its way. However, this pregnancy is extremely risky and can cost his young wife Rukshar (Ishlin Prasad) her life.

But for Khan Saab this risk isn’t even worth considering because as per him children are God’s blessings and aborting a child under any circumstance is blasphemy. Apart from his older son Shahnawaz (Paritosh Tripathi), his entire family is against Khan Saab’s authoritarian ways, but none of them have the courage to stand up against him. Until one day, when his daughter Alfia (Aditi Bhatpahri) musters the courage to approach a fiery woman lawyer Afreen (Ashwini Kalsekar) to get a court order to let Rukshar abort the unborn child.

The first half of the film is spent in setting up the characters and the story underlining the deeply problematic family dynamics within the Sanjiri household. Despite a lot of characters entwined in the narrative, director Kamal Chandra and writer Rajan Agarwal stay on course with the story. Khan Saab’s orthodox and unpopular views and actions drive the narrative forward and it reaches a flash point by intermission, after which, the film becomes a loud courtroom drama. Those sequences verge on repetitiveness, diminishing their impact.The story squarely portrays Khan Saab as the villain, who despite overwhelming resistance from his family, continues to force his views on them. The man is portrayed as a misguided monster, who will stop at nothing in doing what he believes in, in the name of religion. And actor Annu Kapoor portrays it with a jarring loud tone that gets overbearing quite early on in the film. But his rich Urdu dialect is pitch-perfect. Women are reduced to sobbing sorry figures, without agency except for Alfia (Aditi Bhatpahri), who plays her part well. The courtroom scenes have some moments of high tension and impact but Chandra chooses loud theatrics over subtle storytelling here. While Ashwini Kalsekar is impressive as the straight-talking prosecutor Aafreen, Manoj Joshi comes across more like a caricature devoid of realism. The half-baked love story between Alfia and journalist Danish (Parth Samthan) is an unnecessary distraction, much like the film’s extremely forgettable music score (by Annu Kapoor). The narrative’s religious undertones sometimes overshadow its broader message.

While the film’s core theme centers around women empowerment and challenges toxic male patriarchy, it often veers into a narrative that feels more like advocacy than entertainment.

— Ronak Kotecha

Jahangir National University (Drama) ★★

Cast: Siddharth Bodke, Shivjyoti Rajput, Kunj Anand, Urvashi Rautela, Vijay Raaz, Ravi Kishan

Direction: Vinay Sharma

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes

Language: Hindi (A)

■ Sourabh Sharma enrolls at Jahangir National University for his college education, only to be shocked by the widespread disregard for Indian culture exhibited by the left-wing students. Determined to address this issue, he decides to confront and discipline those he considers anti-national.

It’s no mystery which university Jahangir National University represents in the film. The film presents a myopic view of the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), selectively highlighting a few incidents from the past few years to construct a narrative that ultimately results in a disappointing viewing experience. The makers approached this story with pre-conceived notions, leading to an unsatisfactory outcome. Even from a cinematic standpoint, the portrayal of JNU is mediocre, with a subpar screenplay, average direction, and uninspired dialogues.Sourabh Sharma (Siddharth Bodke), a new student, is shocked by the pervasive disregard for Indian culture among the left-wing students. When these students decide to celebrate Mahishasura, the demon defeated by the goddess Durga, Sourabh strongly opposes the event, leading to escalating tensions. Minor conflicts between the groups persist, eventually culminating in a major crisis when a Muslim professor with left-wing affiliations is accused of raping a student, and anti-national slogans threatening the country’s sovereignty are raised on campus. The left-wing faction, led by Krishna Kumar (Atul Pandey) and Saira Rashid (Shivjyoti Rajput), wins the student body elections, but Sourabh manages to make an impact by securing a seat, challenging the left’s dominance.

Those familiar with the campus culture of JNU will view this film with a pinch of salt. Had the film taken a grittier, more realistic approach, it might have been more engaging. However, the forced inclusion of dance numbers and expletives diminishes its overall impact. In an attempt to elicit laughter, the drama employs clichéd characters reminiscent of Hindi films from two decades ago, despite significant changes in cinema since then. The film poster prominently poses the question, “Can one educational university break the nation?” Yet, it never acknowledges that this is also the country’s premier and most renowned university.

While none of the main cast manages to leave an impression, the cameo appearances by Vijay Raaz and Ravi Kishan add some interest to the proceedings. In the role of cops, their conversation is interesting. Piyush Mishra plays a minor, inconsequential role, but his song stands out as one of the film’s few highlights. At 150 minutes, Jahangir National University is a drag and tedious experience, lacking depth and soul all the way.

— Abhishek Srivastava

Robot Dreams (Animation, Drama, Family) ★★★★½

Direction: Pablo Berger

Duration: 1 hour 43 minutes

Language: English (U)

■ A dog, weary of its lonely existence, decides to purchase a robot to be its companion. However, their lives change dramatically when the robot is unexpectedly left abandoned at the beach.

Robot Dreams is a dialogue-free animated masterpiece that resonates powerfully without words. Its storyline, exploring themes of loneliness and companionship, is deeply moving and lingers in your thoughts long after the credits roll have ended. With spectacular animation, this drama is both bittersweet and, at times, heart-wrenching. Beneath its surface, the film is rich with metaphors that reflect on life’s complexities.

Based on a graphic novel by illustrator Sara Varon, this film is set against the backdrop of 80s New York and follows the story of a lonely dog. To combat his solitude, the dog orders a robot through mail, and they quickly form a strong bond. However, their companionship faces a challenge when the robot’s joints rust during a beach outing near the end of summer. The dog leaves to find help for his friend but returns to find the gates closed until the next summer. The rest of the film explores their separate lives as the dog and the robot navigate their newfound independence. It’s a deeply touching tale that intricately weaves together joy and sadness within individual lives. Filled with vibrant colours, vivid imagery, and a cast of animals playing diverse roles, the film effectively captures the vibrant mood of 80s New York City. Its animation style, though simple, proves remarkably effective in conveying its message. The bond between the dog and the robot is portrayed with such beauty that you find yourself rooting for them, hoping they will reunite in the end.

This animated drama beautifully portrays relationships that form unexpectedly and endure forever. Director Pablo Berger has done a commendable job capturing these moments. The film is filled with memorable sequences, like the robot’s serene moments on the beach with birds, and the poignant final scene where the dog and robot dance in splitscreen format. Robot Dreams is undeniably a work of art, masterfully conveying deeply felt messages without a single line of dialogue.

— Abhishek Srivastava

The Bikeriders (Drama, Crime) ★★★½

Cast: Tom Hardy, Austin Butler, Jodie Comer

Direction: Jeff Nichols

Duration: 1 hour 58 minutes

Language: English (A)

■ The crime drama draws inspiration from Danny Lyon’s photo book of the same name. The tale unfolds through interviews with a motorcyle club’s members and their families, delving into its evolution into a crime syndicate, threatening its essence and the founder’s vision.

Everyone wants to be a part of something.’ Benny (Austin Butler) and the other motorcycle club members, Vandals, want to be a part of the rebellion and freedom of being on the road—despite the violent fights, arrests, accidents, and broken relationships. Writer-Director Jeff Nichols presents these stories, including the club’s president Johnny (Tom Hardy), Zipco (Michael Shannon), Brucie (Damon Herriman), and Benny’s wife Kathy (Jodie Comer), etc., like a skilled photographer. He captures the essence of the people, places, and events, presenting them in a cohesive narrative that will keep you engrossed throughout the movie. The allure of biker culture is palpable, and the movie does justice to it, offering enough to captivate you.

The film has its share of violence and brash characters, but they don’t overwhelm the viewer or detract from the narrative’s crux. Writerdirector Nichols’s masterful direction and the stunning cinematography by Adam Stone lend the movie a picturebook-like quality. Stone excels at capturing Midwestern America of the 1960s and 70s, its vast expanses, house parties, and bars.

The performances are the film’s horsepower, driving the narrative forward. Austin Butler perfectly plays a hotheaded and brash guy who responds to close ones’ deaths as a matter of fact. Tom Hardy steals the show as the club’s founder – a rough yet responsible family man with quiet strength. Jodie Comer steals scenes with her flawless portrayal of a country girl, nailing both the accent and mannerisms. Michael Shannon, Damon Herriman, Boyd Holbrook, Norman Reedus, and Toby Wallace round out the cast flawlessly, each embodying the spirit of rebellion.

The film weaves in a rich biker experience with its anecdotes but relies more on the mood and atmosphere than the adrenaline-pumping energy of a motorcycle saga. However, it will take you on a captivating ride through a bygone era, a ride worth experiencing on the big screen. But, it’s a journey worth experiencing on the big screen.

— Dhaval Roy

The Exorcism (Horror, Thriller) ★★½

Cast: Russell Crowe, Ryan Simpkins, David Hyde Pierce

Direction: Joshua John Miller

Duration: 1 hour 38 minutes

Language: English (A)

■ A washed-up actor with a troubled past is given a second chance with a lead role in a new horror film.

The Exorcism stars Russell Crowe as Anthony Miller, an alcoholic actor trying to resurrect his career while battling per sonal demons. His daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), recently expelled from school, joins him as a production assistant on set. The story starts with a suspicious on-set death, setting a grim tone that, unfortunately, never solidifies. The film attempts to explore the blurred lines between fiction and reality in a horror movie set haunted by real supernatural forces.Director Joshua John Miller seeks to meld a dramatic character study with the trappings of a horror film, resulting in a disjointed experience that struggles to find its footing. Heavily influenced by William Friedkin’s The Exorcist, not just thematically but also through direct references, given that Miller’s father, Jason Miller, played Father Karras in the original classic. This personal connection could have infused additional emotional depth into the narrative. Yet, it struggles to balance its dramatic core with the horror elements, ultimately feeling like two competing stories crammed into one.Crowe delivers a committed performance as Anthony Miller, embodying the character’s internal struggles with a gravitas that hints at what the film could have been. His portrayal of a man haunted by both literal and metaphorical demons provides the film’s most compelling moments, particularly when he grapples with his addiction and guilt. Ryan Simpkins, as Lee, is less fortunate, as her character remains underdeveloped and serves primarily as a narrative device to advance Anthony’s story. David Hyde Pierce as Father Conor, the on-set priest and consultant, adds a layer of calm detachment to the proceedings, though his character, like many others, lacks depth and a clear purpose.

The film’s atmosphere attempts to recreate the chilling tension of The Exorcist but often falls flat. Scenes designed to elicit fear rely too heavily on predictable jump scares, undermining the psychological horror Miller aims for. One notable aspect is the meta-commentary on the nature of horror filmmaking itself. The movie-within-a movie setup provides a platform for exploring the psychological toll of embodying such dark roles. Yet, this promising angle is insufficiently developed, leaving viewers with more questions than answers.

— Neil Soans

RATING SCALE

TRASH ★ | BELOW AVERAGE ★★ | AVERAGE ★★½ | ABOVE AVERAGE ★★★ | GOOD ★★★½ | VERY GOOD ★★★★ | OUTSTANDING ★★★★½ | MASTERPIECE ★★★★★

Reined In By Rain! Heatwave Relents, But Will Be Back

Capital Sees Highest Rainfall Since March 3

TIMESNEWSNETWORK

New Delhi: Several parts of Delhi on Friday got light to moderate rain accompanied by a cool breeze that brought respite from the unbearable heat.

Safdarjung, the city’s base station, logged 3.6mm of light rainfall till 5.30pm. It was the highest rainfall recorded in the city since March 3 when 4 mm rainfall was recorded in a day.

Since rain is unlikely for the next four days, the day temperature is predicted to show a rising trend and heatwave conditions are expected to return on Monday and Tuesday.

Though the Friday showers brought temporary relief, the maximum temperature rose to 40.4 degrees Celsius, two degrees above normal, at Safdarjung. It was 0.4 degrees higher than Thursday’s maximum. The streak of day temperature crossing 40 degrees Celsius continued for the 39th day.

The heat-index or the feellike temperature was 53 deg- rees Celsius due to a rise in humidity after the rain.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the wind speed of up to 31 kmph was recorded at Safdarjung in the past 24 hours. At Palam, the wind speed was 56 kmph.

“Rain along with cold strong winds provided comfort from the heatwave. However, as the impact of the western disturbance ebbs, the mercury will start rising,” a Met official said.

Some parts of the capital recorded a higher rainfall than Safdarjung. Pitampura logged the highest at 33.5mm, followed by Rajghat at 32 mm. Pusa, Ridge, Lodhi Road, Jafarpur, Palam and Ayanagar logged 14, 6.2, 3.8, 1.5, 1.2mm and trace rainfall, respectively, till 5.30 pm.

Delhi has mostly been rain-deficit so far this year. In Jan, Safdarjung saw ‘trace’ rainfall against a normal of 19.1mm, making it a rain-deficit by 100%. Feb has been the only exception this year when the city got 32.5mm rainfall, which was an excess of 53%. March saw a rain deficit of 75% as the city got just 4.3mm, as opposed to the month’s normal of 17.4mm.

April again ended with a rain-deficit of 54% with just 7.5mm rainfall. May recorded only 0.4mm and a deficit of 99%. Before Friday, June saw two days of very light rain and the city is still staring at a rain deficit.

IMD has issued a ‘yellow’ alert for June 24 and 25 for heatwaves at isolated places. “The maximum temperature is likely to rise to 42 and 43 degrees Celsius during the weekend. It may rise further to 44 on Monday and Tuesday, leading to heatwave conditions,” a Met official said.

MCD received water logging complaints from 12 places, including Pusa Road in Karol Bagh, Sector 15 Rohini, Outram Lane in GTB Nagar, Mitraon in Najafgarh, Multani Mohalla in Gandhi Nagar. There were complaints of trees falling in nine places, including Karol Bagh, E block in East of Kailash, Gulabi Bagh and Tagore Garden extension.

Safdarjung reports 6 heat-related deaths

New Delhi: Safdarjung Hospital reported six more heat related deaths on Thursday. Three patients passed away shortly after being brought to the hospital, while the other three were already admitted in a critical condition with heatstroke.

The hospital administration provided an update regarding the heat stroke-related deaths. Upon further investigation, it was found that two of the previously reported fatalities were not primarily caused by the extreme heat. Instead, the patients' underlying comorbidities were determined to be the main reason for the deaths. As a result, these two deaths were removed from the data. With this adjustment, the hospital's total count of heat-related fatalities stands at 28.

Lok Nayak Hospital has reported a decrease in heat-related cases. The hospital admitted two patients on Friday. Currently, seven patients are on ventilator support, while eight have recovered. Additionally, three patients were discharged from the hospital.

Ram Manohar Lohia hospital declined to disclose information on patients with heat-related ailments. It stated that it has received instructions to not divulge any details to the media. Earlier, the AIIMS administration had refused to provide details on heat-related illnesses and strokes on the plea that they had received directions to give such information only to the health ministry.

Heatwaves can damage vital organs such as the brain, heart and the kidneys. Doctors advise remaining vigilant, staying hydrated and seeking medical help at the first sign of heat-related symptoms.

TNN

Woman loses `1.3cr to cyber criminals

Advitya.Bahl@timesgroup.com

Noida: A 73-year-old woman was allegedly coerced and defrauded of Rs 1.3 crore by cyber criminals, who told her that the crime branch had intercepted a package bearing her name and details, which supposedly contained drugs. They also said that her name was linked to six accounts used for money laundering and that she would need to cough up money to clear her name.

Consequently, the woman paid the amount and was subjected to digital interrogation for five days between June 13 and 18. A case has been registered, and further investigation is ongoing.

Sector 49 resident Shuchi Agrawal registered a complaint at Noida cyber crime police station in Sector 36 on Friday. She said in her complaint that a person posing as an employee of the Mumbai branch of FedEx Courier Services claimed that a parcel containing drugs, an LCD, an expired passport, an Apple iPad, and clothes weighing 5 kg was seized, which was in her name.

Agrawal was then connected to scammers posing as Mumbai Police Narcotics officials via Skype. Over five days, they coerced her into believing her Aadhaar card was linked to six accounts involved in money laundering. To clear her name, she was instructed to transfer money for a supposed Police Clearance Certificate (PCC).

This way, they made her transfer Rs 1.3 crore to different bank accounts. Realising she had been duped, the complainant approached police and asked for help. She also provided details of the bank accounts where she transferred the money.

Further investigation is underway, said officials.

Man tries to extort money from doc to buy flat, held

TIMESNEWSNETWORK

New Delhi: The stifling Delhi summer offered no respite to 32-year-old Ashok Kumar, a BCom graduate trapped in a deadend job. The constant nagging from his wife about buying a flat gnawed at him. Dreams of a comfortable life morphed into a desperate yearning for a quick fix.

One fateful evening, while flipping through TV channels, Kumar stumbled upon a crime show. The episode, a dramatic retelling of an extortion case, sparked a dangerous idea in his mind. He envisioned himself living large, the burden of his financial woes lifted. He made a hit list and put three well-known doctors of west Delhi on it.

On a sweltering June afternoon, Kumar, his face obscured by a cheap mask, approached a high-profile clinic. His heart hammered as he slipped a yellow envelope containing a chilling extortion threat onto the desk of the doctor’s assistant. He also scrawled the name of a notorious gangster on the letter. Relief washed over him as he escaped on his motorcycle, convinced his plan had worked. The incident led to panic in the doctor community in the area.

Delhi Police’s Special Cell launched a probe into the incident. Special commissioner RP Upadhyay formed a team led by additional CP Pramod Kushwaha and DCP Manoj C. The investigation, aided by a net- work of informants, led them to Kumar. A carefully laid trap in Jai Vihar by ACP Sanjay Dutt’s team subsequently snared the nervous extortionist. Kumar’s flimsy disguise and desperation crumbled under questioning. His “get rich quick” scheme had backfired spectacularly.

Investigators recovered incriminating evidence, including the motorcycle and attire used during the crime, alongside the handwritten extortion letter. Originally from Kurukshetra, Haryana, Kumar had long resided in Delhi, navigating between aspirations for financial stability and the allure of illicit gains. Ultimately, he resorted to crime.

During interrogation, the accused confessed that he had committed the crime on June 3. He had used the name of incarcerated gangster Manoj Baba to threaten the target.

“Kumar often visited Janakpuri for his work and had observed that there was a heavy rush of patients all the time at one particular clinic. On the day of the incident, he had parked his bike at some distance from the clinic, wore a mask in order to hide his identity and reached the clinic,” the DCP said.

The accused had written the letter, which was kept at the desk of the doctor’s assistant, beforehand. The case was initially filed at the Janakpuri police station, but it was transferred to the south-western range of Special Cell due to its sensitive nature.

Teen dies in AIIMS, organs give 4 a second shot at life

Anuja.Jaiswal@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Rohit Kumar (17), from Delhi's Karawal Nagar, who was declared brain dead by doctors at AIIMS after suffering serious injuries in an accident in Ballabgarh on June 12, became a saviour for four people when his family decided to donate his organs.

The AIIMS trauma centre received its seventh donation of the year. In 2023, the facility had totalled 15 donations.

Rohitbecame a lifeline for four people in need. His vital organs — heart, liver, and kidneys — were retrieved for transplantation. The donation process was carried out at AIIMS, where the organs were harvested to be given to recipients awaiting a second chance at life.

Yogesh, Rohit's father, spoke to TOI about his son's untimely demise in the accident. Rohit, a class XI student, was with his uncle in Mohana village, Haryana, when he was had the accident. Severely injured, Rohit was immediately rushed to the AIIMS trauma centre on June 12. De- spite the medical team’s efforts, his condition deteriorated and he was declared brain dead on June 20.

In the midst of the grief of losing the son, Yogesh and Rohit’s uncle took the decision of consenting to the organ donation. Yogesh, a labourer, said that although his son was no longer with him, his organs would continue to sustain the lives of others. He found solace in knowing that even though Rohit had passed away, a part of him would live on in the bodies of those who had received the organs.

The transplant coordinator from AIIMS's organ retrieval banking organisation (ORBO) said that the donor's vital organs were successfully transplanted in various hospitals. “The donor's heart was transplanted into a 20year-old man at R&R hospital," the coordinator said. The liver was transported to the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), where a 34-year-old woman received it. One of the kidneys was transplanted into a 61-year-old woman at AIIMS. Thile the other kidney was sent to ILBS. The receiver was a 32-year-old man.

2 Parking Lots Set To Meet June-End Date

To Ease Woes At Punjabi Bagh, Nigam Bodh Ghat

The progress of the multilevel parking project at Greater Kailash has been hampered due to a pending tree cutting permit. Once the necessary permission is obtained, the work can be completed within the next three months, claimed a civic official

Vibha.Sharma@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is on track to completing two parking projects at Punjabi Bagh and Nigam Bodh Ghat by the end of June.

The stack parking facility at Nigam Bodh Ghat, which will accommodate 95 cars and is being built as an addition to an existing facility, is nearing the final stage of construction. “The project will provide relief to people coming here to take part in the last rites of family members and others,” said a civic official.

MCD is developing the facility on a 3,496-square-metre plot, consisting of three blocks. Block one, with a capacity of 34 cars, and block two, which has space for 17 cars, are complete. “The work at block three, which has been planned to accommodate 44 cars, is in progress and we are expecting to complete the work by the monthend. The facility is expected to open for general public soon,” said the official.

The puzzle parking at Punjabi Bagh, located adjacent to Bharat Darshan Park and a crematorium, is also nearing completion, with plans to open it in early July. “We have completed work for the commissioning of various services,” an official said earlier. The five-storey parking will have an estimated capacity for 225 vehicles. “It is developed on a plot measuring 5,150 square metre,” he added. The area is congested especially on the weekends due to a large number of visitors at Bharat Darshan Park.

MCD emphasised that stack and puzzle parking lots could accommodate a larger number of vehicles in a compact space compared to other facilities. Moreover, they can be assembled more quickly and developed at a lower cost than conventional parking facilities. The concessionaires responsible for the construction will operate the parking lots for at least one year.

However, the progress of the conventional multilevel parking project at Greater Kailash has been hampered due to a pending tree cutting permit. Once the necessary permission is obtained, the work can be completed within the next three months, claimed a civic official.

“We have already applied to Delhi govt’s forest dept for the tree cutting permission, and as soon as the permission is obtained, the pending work will be accelerated,” said the official. No comment was available from the forest department on the pending permission.

The multilevel parking lot, being constructed at a cost of Rs 63.7 crore, is situated on a2,240sqm plot and will consist of nine floors, with a capacity to accommodate 399 cars.

Peak summer woes: United’s flight cancellation leaves many stranded

Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: A plane-load of passengers bound for the United States were stranded in Delhi after United Airlines cancelled its Delhi-Newark flight on Thursday night. The aircraft was supposed to take off early on Saturday morning but that flight too has been cancelled. With no Lufthansa Delhi-Frankfurt service on Friday and all Air India west-bound flights fully sold out, United was unable to accommodate passengers of the cancelled UA3010 on these partner airlines in the ongoing peak summer travel season.

“At the last minute on Thursday night, we were told the Newark flight was cancelled. It was rescheduled for early Saturday but then that too was eventually cancelled. United should have accommodated us on the Friday flight,” said a passenger. “Not doing so has completely disrupted our travel plan. Ours was a short trip and now with a delay of two days, we are not sure if we want to go ahead with the US trip this time.”

Sources said United found it difficult to book the affected passengers on other airlines due to the summer rush. An Air India official said all their flights were going chock-a-block. Air India is the largest operator of flights between India and North America and its flights are all sold out. The air company, which overflies Russia, has a huge opportunity to tap into this market and is going to add flights as it gets more aircraft.

“The United aircraft that was to operate on Thursday night is now likely to leave as a ferry flight (without passengers) from Delhi due to crew duty time issues,” said people in the know. The demand for travel between India and the west, especially North America, far outstrips supply. With western carriers not overflying Russia, US airlines have severely restricted their flights to and from India. United and American Airlines have very few flights. Delta is yet to restart India operations post the Covid pandemic.

CBI arrests another policeman for demanding bribe

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Continuing its crackdown on the rising corruption in Delhi Police, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrested another cop for allegedly demanding a bribe from a person for not arresting him in a case.

The arrested policeman was identified as sub-inspector Vijay Gaur, who was posted at Chhawla police station in Dwarka district. He was caught while accepting Rs 1 lakh from the complainant.

According to a CBI spokesperson, the agency had registered a case after receiving a complaint that the accused had demanded a bribe of Rs 3 lakh for not arresting the complainant in a case being investigated by Gaur. Later, the accused allegedly agreed to Rs 2 lakh. CBI laid a trap and caught Gaur red-handed.

Over a dozen cops have been arrested this year on corruption charges. In May, CBI apprehended a head constable of Delhi Police while accepting a bri- be. The accused, who was posted at Shahdara, was allegedly demanding a bribe for allowing unhindered construction at the complainant’s house.

Another policeman was arrested in March for allegedly extorting money from bus operators for allowing unhindered operations from Jafrabad metro station and picking up passengers from a non-designated spot.

In Feb, an arrest was made for an alleged racket pertaining to under-construction houses in northeast Delhi. A poli- ceman posted at southeast Delhi’s Jamia Nagar police station was also arrested in Feb for allegedly demanding a bribe for not making arrests in a case.

In Jan, CBI arrested a traffic cop red-handed for allegedly allowing the running of const- ruction garbage collection vehicles. A cop in Narela was booked on extortion charges from an accountant and a policeman posted at Sagarpur police station was held for allegedly demanding Rs 1 lakh for not arresting a man and his relatives.

Two rob women they met through dating app, held

It was learned that a robbery was committed at a jewellery shop in Rohini Sector 3 by the same culprits using the same Creta car with fake numberplate. The accused fled with six gold chains from the shop

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Two men, one of them a gym owner, have been arrested for allegedly robbing women they met through a dating website. They would go to the women’s homes, and restrain and attack them before fleeing with valuables.

The accused have been identified as Vijay Kamal Kumar (28) and Rahul (35). On May 31, a 35-year-old woman from Uttam Nagar in Dwarka filed a complaint that she had met a man named Jatin on a dating app and was communicating with him through messages. “On May 30, at 10.30pm, she called him to her house on his request. He arrived with an accomplice, and after a while, both allegedly tied her hands, legs and mouth with tape and assaulted her. They then robbed her of gold ornaments, mobile phone and Rs 5,000 and fled,” the officer said, adding that a case was registered.

Deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh formed a team under inspector Kamlesh Kumar. “The team met the complainant and checked CCTV footage of the spot. The footage showed the culprits had arrived there in a Creta car with a fake numberplate,” an officer said. The call details of the mobile phone used by the culprits were also checked and it was found that the same phone was also used to connect with another woman in Rohini.

On meeting her, police got to know that she had also come into contact with a man on a dating app, and on March 23, he came to her house with another man. After some conversation, they assaulted her, tied her hands and legs, sealed her mouth with tape, took her jewellery, cash and mobile phone, and fled.

It was also learned that a robbery was committed at a jewellery shop in Rohini Sector 3 by the same culprits using the same car. The accu- sed fled with six gold chains from the shop.

The further analysis of the call detail records revealed that the mobile phone itself was snatched from a man in Sagarpur. “We got information that one of the culprits was roaming outside Safdarjung Hospital. He was nabbed and identified as Rahul,” the officer said. Kumar was apprehended from Vipin Garden. The accused said that after contacting the women through the app, they used to persuade them to meet alone at the victims’ home and then robbed them to make easy money.

Kumar has a history of criminal cases. He was arrested in 2016 for a robbery in Anand Vihar and then in 2018 and 2020 in similar cases. Rahul runs a gym in Vipin Garden.

Four injured in firing after scuffle over girl

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: An argument over talking to a girl ended in a shooting that injured four people in northwest Delhi. The accused, Vipin, was arrested.

Police received a call on Thursday regarding the firing that took place at BG-1 Block in Shalimar Bagh. The injured were identified as Harsh (18), his friend Sumit (19), Nanhe (50), and a 14-year-old girl.

An officer said Vipin, residing in Jahangirpuri, had a friendly relationship with a girl living in Shalimar Bagh. Sumit was also her friend. Vipin used to threaten him not to contact her. Harsh and Sumit then uploaded some messages and reels over a social media application to threaten Vipin.

Vipin came to Shalimar Bagh and was sitting near Sumit’s house on Thursday. A few minutes later, Sumit, along with Harsh, arrived there. There was an argument over the same issue. Vipin then attacked them with a dagger and also opened fire. “Harsh and Sumit, along with passersby Nanhe and the girl, were injured by pellets. A case under sections for attempted murder and the Arms Act was registered. Vipin was arrested after raids,” the officer added.

Fire breaks out in outer Delhi factory

New Delhi: A major fire broke out in a factory in outer Delhi’s Nilothi on Friday. Over 100 firefighters were deployed to extinguish the blaze. The fire department received a call around 9.05pm and sent 28 fire tenders to the spot. “The factory makes plastic items. Combustible materials present inside acted as catalysts in spreading the blaze," afire officer said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, said officials.

TNN

Heat Impacts Veggie Supply, Prices Surge

Supply Of Green Vegetables Down By 20%

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Prolonged heatwave across north and north-western states has impacted the production of seasonal vegetables, leading to a rise in their prices.

Vegetable wholesalers and retailers in Delhi’s agricultural produce markets and retail markets said the supply of green vegetables was down by nearly 20% that had led to a surge in both wholesale and retail prices across the markets.

The prices of kitchen staples, including tomato, onion and potato, and green vegetables such as bottle gourd, sponge gourd, capsicum, colocasia, ladies finger, coriander and cucumber have seen 20-30% increase since the onset of the summer.

Anil Malhotra, an office bearer of the vegetable traders’ body, said crops of vegetables were getting ruined due to lack of rainfall, poor water availability and high temperature.

“In the wake of the short supply, the wholesale prices of vegetables are on the higher side. It will only start easing after 15-20 days of the rains when we have a fresh stock of produce,” Malhotra said.

Varinder Bhadana, another vegetable wholesaler, said that “usually the prices of vegetables, especially onion and tomato, start going northwards after heavy rains in central and western India that spoil the produce. The transportation of vegetables also sometimes gets affected due to heavy rains and flood-like situations”.

“This time, the prices have started surging from the month of June itself. We only expect the stability in prices from Sept onwards after the monsoon starts receding and the fresh produce of these vegetables reaches the market,” said Bhadana.

Another wholesaler said there had been instances when the wholesale prices went up marginally but the retailers jacked them up to earn more margins. “The retail prices of some of the vegetables have gone up by almost 50% while the wholesale prices have increased only by 20% or so,” said Purushottam Dagar, a wholesaler in Ghazipur.

Severe heatwave has also resulted in reduced supply of other key food items such as pulses and cereals. The impact of curbs on food exports and lowering the import tariffs has not been much. For consumers, this has resulted in higher spending on kitchen essentials.

Kritika Gupta, a resident of East Delhi’s Preet Vihar, said her spending on vegetables had increased by over 50% in the last couple of months.

“I get my supplies of vegetables and fruits from a neighbourhood shop. Prices of every single commodity have increased and disturbed my budget,” Gupta said. “The prices of vegetables and pulses increase every 2-3 months and rarely come down now,” she added.

25-year-old stabbed by man posing as official in Air Force

New Delhi: A man, who posed as an Air Force official, has been arrested for allegedly harassing and stabbing a 25-year-old woman in southeast Delhi’s Batla House.

The woman, who is from Bihar, told police that the attack took place around 9.50pm on June 10 when she was returning home after studying at a nearby library. “She said she had befriended Munawwar Alam, but subsequently distanced herself from him. She suspects Alam acted out of anger or revenge,” police said. Following the attack, the woman’s brother rushed her to hospital.

A family member alleged that Alam used to pose as an Air Force official and move around the locality wearing a uniform. Based on the survivor’s account and other evidence, police registered a case and arrested the man.

TNN

Home alone, unwell elderly woman saved

DCP SAYS The caller informed us that his aunt was not answering the phone, and the main gate of her apartment was locked from inside

New Delhi: A 75-year-old woman, a retired BSES employee living alone in Vasant Kunj, was saved on Thursday by her relatives and police after she fell ill and lost consciousness at home.

Unable to contact her since Wednesday, worried relatives of Raj Kumari Kalani went to check on her and found the door of the flat locked from inside. Police were alerted at 9.50am. “The caller informed us that his aunt was not answering the phone, and the main gate of her apartment was locked from inside,” said deputy commissioner of police (southwest) Rohit Meena.

A police team was sent immediately and the lock of the main gate was broken with the assistance of the fire brigade. “The elderly woman was found sitting unconscious in a chair. An ambulance was called and she was rushed to Indian Spinal Hospital,” the DCP said. She is communicating, but is still in ICU, said police.

The nephew told police that Kalani, his father’s sister, was unmarried and stayed alone. An officer said she herself did the household chores and probably fell unconscious due to old age.

TNN

Times Global

- Mob lynches a domestic tourist in Pak’s Swat over blasphemy claims

- Southern China flooding kills 47

- China threatens death penalty for ‘diehard’ Taiwan separatists

- Have appealed ruling on abuse, this part of verdict ineffective now: Hindujas’ lawyers

- AROUND THE WORLD

- Bibi’s spats with US, own military raise questions on war’s future

- Ukraine may fire US-provided missiles into Russia wherever it is coming under attack, says Pentagon

- Canada court upholds decision to put Sikh separatists on no-fly list

- Trump’s campaign officials clarify there would be an ‘aggressive vetting process’ for green cards

- ‘Ukrainian soldiers turn to yoga on frontline, speed up recovery & rehabilitation’

Mob lynches a domestic tourist in Pak’s Swat over blasphemy claims

Omer Farooq Khan TNN

Islamabad: An enraged mob burnt to death a domestic tourist in Pakistan’s northwestern Swat district late on Thursday over blasphemy allegations after grabbing him from inside a police station and dragged his body through town before hanging it at a bus station.

According to eyewitnesses, some people in Swat’s popular tourist destination of Madyan had alleged that the suspect, Muhammad Ismail of Sialkot in Punjab, had desecrated a copy of the Quran while staying at a hotel in the town.

As word spread, law enforcers took the suspect into custody and shifted him to a nearby police station. The arrest was later announced from mosques’ loudspeakers, prompting dozens to gather outside the police station baying for his blood.

On police’s refusal to hand over the suspect, an exchange of fire took place between the charged crowd and the law enforcers, leaving eight cops injured. The mob eventually stormed into the police station and snatched the man. Social media videos showed a mob circling a body on fire in the middle of a road. Later, the mob dragged the body to the bus station in a busy market and hanged it. They also torched the police station, and its vehicles, forcing the cops to flee.

Blasphemy constitutes an incendiary charge in Pakistan, where mere accusations can lead to mob violence. Last month, police saved a Christian man under attack in Punjab’s Sargodha on allegations of desecration of the Quran. He, however, died nine days later from his injuries. In 2022, a man was stoned to death over similar allegations in Punjab’s Khanewal district.

Southern China flooding kills 47

Beijing:At least 47 people have died as downpours in southern China’s Guangdong province caused historic flooding and slides, state media reported Friday, while authorities warned of more flooding ahead in other parts of the country. State broadcaster CCTV said Friday afternoon that another 38 people were confirmed dead in the jurisdiction of Meizhou city, adding to nine others previously reported dead elsewhere in Meizhou. Heavy rains caused landslides, floods and mudslides that severely damaged eight townships in Pingyuan County, where the latest deaths were reported, CCTV said. The previous day, CCTV reported four deaths in Meizhou's Meixian district, and five in Jiaoling County.

AP

China threatens death penalty for ‘diehard’ Taiwan separatists

Beijing: China on Friday threatened to impose the death penalty in extreme cases for “diehard” Taiwan independence separatists, a ratcheting up of pressure even though Chinese courts have no jurisdiction on the democratically governed island. China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, has made no secret of its dislike of Prez Lai Ching-te who took office last month, saying he is a “separatist”.

The new guidelines say China’s courts, prosecutors, public and state security bodies should “severely punish Taiwan independence diehards for splitting the country and inciting secession crimes in accordance with the law, and resolutely defend national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity”, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency. The guidelines are being issued in accordance with laws already on the books, including the 2005 anti succession law, Xinhua said. That law gives China the legal basis for military action against Taiwan if it secedes or seems about to.

REUTERS

Have appealed ruling on abuse, this part of verdict ineffective now: Hindujas’ lawyers

A Jan photo of Indian-Swiss billionaire family members Namrata Hinduja (L) and Ajay Hinduja (2nd R) at the Geneva’s courthouse with their lawyers

 Continued from P 1

Lawyers representing the defendants said they would appeal. In a statement, the Hindujas’ advocates Yael Hayat, Robert Assael and Roman Jordan said, “Our clients have been acquitted of all human trafficking charges. We are appalled and disappointed by the rest of the decision… we have filed an appeal to the higher court, thereby making this part of the judgment not effective. Under Swiss law, the presumption of innocence is paramount till a final judgment by the highest adjudicating authority is enforced.” There is no effective detention for any members of the family, they added.

The court said the four were guilty of exploiting the workers and providing unauthorised employment, such as by giving meagre if any health benefits and paying wages that were less than one tenth the pay for such jobs in Switzerland. It dismissed the trafficking charges on the grounds that the staff understood what they were getting into, at least in part. The four Hindujas also barred the domestic workers from leaving the villa and forcing them to work excruciatingly long hours, among other things.

Prakash Hinduja and his wife Kamal each received 4 1/2 year sentences, while their son Ajay and his wife, Namrata, were sentenced each to four years. The trial opened June 10.

Last week, it emerged in criminal court that the family —which has roots in India — had reached an undisclosed settlement with the plaintiffs. Geneva prosecutors opened the case for alleged illegal activity including exploitation, human trafficking and violation of Swiss labour laws.

The family set up residence in Switzerland in the late 1980s, and Prakash was already convicted in 2007 on similar, if lesser charges, though prosecutors say he persisted in employing people without proper paperwork anyway.

Swiss authorities have already seized diamonds, rubies, a platinum necklace and other jewellery and assets from the family in anticipation that they could be used to pay for legal fees and possible penalties.

Prosecutors said that at times the staffers — in jobs like cooks or house help — were forced to work up to 18 hours a day with little or no vacation time off. One ailing employee got stuck with a hospital bill of over 7,000 francs (dollars), and the family only agreed to pay half, the court said. Employees worked even later hours for receptions and slept in the basement of the villa in the upscale Cologny neighbourhood — sometimes on a mattress on the floor, prosecutors said. They described a “climate of fear” instituted by Kamal Hinduja.

Some employees allegedly spoke only Hindi and were paid their wages in Indian rupees in banks back home that they couldn’t access.

AP

AROUND THE WORLD

SUMMER LOVE: A couple mark summer solstice by the tying the knot at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, on Thursday. It is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and one when most of Britain sees about 17 hours of daylight. Every year, thousands of people flock to Stonehenge to watch the short night turn into day

Pope told off by a student for using homophobic slurs

A student pleaded with Pope Francis on Thursday to stop using offensive language against the LGBT community, taking the 87-year-old pontiff to task over homophobic slurs he has allegedly used during private meetings. Francis was twice quoted by Italian media in the last month as using the Italian term “frociaggine”, roughly translating as “faggotness” or “faggotry”. Jack Lorenz Acebedo Rivera addressed the pontiff during a panel discussion on “Building Bridges Across Asia Pacific” between university students and the pope which was broadcast on YouTube. “I myself I am outcasted and bullied due to my bisexuality, my gayness, my identity, and being a son of a single parent,” he said. In his response, the pope spoke against discrimination, particularly targeting women, but didn’t address Acebedo Rivera’s appeal.

Co fined for selling ‘made in China’ cars as ‘made in Italy’

Italy’s competition watchdog on Thursday fined car firm DR Automobiles ¤6 million for covering up the Chinese origin of its vehicles. The far-right govt has launched a campaign against companies that seek to portray foreign-produced cars as Made in Italy. The competition authority said DR Automobiles “indicated in a misleading way Italy instead of China as the place of production for cars marketed under the brands DR and EVO”. “These were cars produced in China, except for marginal finishing,” it said.

Bibi’s spats with US, own military raise questions on war’s future

WH: Criticism On Support Vexing, No Other Nation Has Done More

Protests held outside Netanyahu’s Jerusalem home calling for early elections

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel this week engaged in increasingly public spats with his military brass, his right-wing coalition partners and his most powerful supporter, the White House. The cascading conflicts — all with allies who are on his side in the battle against Hamas — have renewed difficult questions about the future of the war and about the Israeli premier’s own political survival.

“We are fighting on several fronts,” Netanyahu said in a statement this week directed at his squabbling coalition partners — whom he told to “get a hold of themselves” — but he could easily have been describing himself. In the ninth month of the war, Netanyahu finds himself increasingly isolated. His pledges of “total victory” against Hamas are at odds with his military leadership, which has signalled that it wants to ease combat operations in the Gaza Strip and that only a ceasefire can bring home the remaining Israeli hostages. He has alternately placated and slapped down his right-wing allies, whose support he needs to remain in office but whose hawkish stances on the war and on Palestinian rights have drawn global condemnation.

Analysts say the combative strategy reflects Netanyahu’s need to balance competing interests — to show a domestic audience that he is standing up for the country amid rising global condemnation of the war, while keeping his right-wing allies just close enough that they don’t abandon him. Still, he is picking a high-stakes fight with the Biden administration, which has provided political cover for Israel’s devastating military campaign while supplying it with key weapons.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu posted a video lashing out at the US for withholding some heavy munitions, an apparent reference to the Biden administration’s decision to withhold a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs over concerns about their use in densely populated parts of Gaza. That video drew a sharp response Thursday from John Kirby, a White House spokesperson, who said there was “no other country that’s done more, or will continue to do more, than the US to help Israel defend itself.” The Israeli PM’s comments were “deeply disappointing and certainly vexing to us,” Kirby added.

More pressing for Netanyahu at home is the feud with his military. Going public with frustrations, the armed forces’ spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari appeared to criticise Netanyahu’s oft-repeated call for “absolute victory,” saying: “The idea that it is possible to destroy Hamas— that is throwing sand in the eyes of the public.” But Netanyahu has shown no sign of wanting to end war, refusing to endorse a US backed ceasefire proposal.

NYT

Israeli official describes secret govt bid to cement control of West Bank

An influential member of PM Netanyahu’s coalition told settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank that the govt is engaged in a stealthy effort to irreversibly change the way the territory is governed, to cement Israel’s control over it without being accused of formally annexing it. In a taped recording of the speech, Bezalel Smotrich can be heard suggesting that goal was to prevent West Bank from becoming part of a Palestinian state.

Israel’s Supreme Court has ruled that Israel’s rule over the territory amounts to a temporary military occupation overseen by army generals, not a permanent civilian annexation administered by Israeli civil servants. Smotrich’s June 9 speech at a West Bank private gathering may make that posture harder to maintain.

In it, he outlined a carefully orchestrated programme to take authority over the West Bank out of the hands of the Israeli military and turn it over to civilians working for Smotrich in the defence ministry. Parts of the plan have already been introduced over the past 18 months, and some authorities have already been transferred to civilians. To deflect international scrutiny, the govt has allowed the defence ministry to remain involved in the process, he said. Smotrich, a far-right lawmaker, said Netanyahu was “with us full on”.

Even as international pressure grows to declare a Palestinian state that would encompass the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Smotrich’s comments suggest that Israel is quietly working to firm up its control over the West Bank.

NYT

Ukraine may fire US-provided missiles into Russia wherever it is coming under attack, says Pentagon

Washington: Ukraine’s military is allowed to use longer-range missiles provided by the US to strike targets inside Russia across more than just the frontlines near Kharkiv if it is acting in self-defence, the Pentagon said. Prez Joe Biden initially loosened the restrictions on how Ukraine could use US-provided munitions to give it another option to defend the eastern city of Kharkiv from a relentless barrage of Russian missiles. Since the beginning of Russia’s 2022 invasion, the US had maintained a policy of not allowing Ukraine to use the weapons it provided to hit targets inside Russia for fear of further escalating the war.

Russia has been firing on Ukrainian targets from inside its border, treating its territory as a “safe zone”, said Maj Gen Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary. “As we see those forces conducting those types of operations from across the border, we’ve explained Ukraine can and does have the right to fire back to defend themselves,” he told reporters. The Pentagon said additional permissions are not a new policy.

“This is not about geography. It’s about common sense,” said spokesman army major Charlie Dietz. “If Russia is attacking or about to attack from its territory into Ukraine, it only makes sense to allow Ukraine to hit back against the forces that are hitting it from across the border.” “Additionally, they can use air defence systems supplied by the US to take Russian planes out of the sky, even if those Russian planes are in Russian airspace, if they’re about to fire into Ukrainian airspace,” Dietz said.

The White House also announced Thursday that it is rus- hing delivery of air defence interceptor missiles to Ukraine by redirecting shipments planned for other allied nations.

AP

As Kyiv expands military draft to replenish war-battered forces, some go into hiding

First, Vladyslav stopped going into Kyiv, Ukraine’s city centre to avoid draft officers checking papers. Then he stopped exercising at the gym. Now he spends most of his days holed up in his apartment, often using his binoculars to watch officers serving draft notices to commuters leaving a nearby subway station. “They’re everywhere now,” said Vladyslav, 45, who requested that his last name not be published. As Russian forces are on the attack across the front line, the Ukraine military has been desperately trying to replenish its war-battered forces, embarking on a large-scale mobilisation campaign backed by new laws. As officers scour the country to draft men of military age, currently 25 to 60, many have gone into hiding, fearful that conscription is a one-way ticket to the front line. It is not clear how many men are hiding out, but in big cities like Kyiv and Lviv, social media groups alerting members to the movements of draft officers include tens of thousands of members. All expressed fear of dying. Many also said that they opposed conscription because of lack of sufficient training. “I’m afraid I’ll die senselessly,” said Mykyta, a 28-year-old.

NYT

Canada court upholds decision to put Sikh separatists on no-fly list

Significantly, separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed last year, was also on the same no-fly list

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

The Canadian federal court of appeal has upheld the decision to put two Sikh separatists on the country’s no-fly list, after they weren’t allowed to get on planes in Vancouver in 2018.

In a ruling this week, according to a Globe and Mail report, the court dismissed an appeal by Bhagat Singh Brar and Parvkar Singh Dulai after they lost their constitutional challenge of Canada’s Secure Air Travel Act in the lower court.

Significantly, Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed last year, was also on the same no-fly list. Canadian parliament observed amoment of silence this week to mark the first anniversary of his murder in what India sees as a case of parliament condoning terror threat to its own people. Asked about the respect shown, India’s MEA said Friday, “We naturally oppose any moves giving political space to extremism and advocacy of violence”.

Brar and Dulai were seen a potential threat to airline safety with potential to undertake terror acts. According to Globe report, the ruling says the act empowers the public safety minister to ban people from flying if there are “reasonable grounds to suspect they will threaten transportation security or travel by air to commit a terrorism offence.”

Both Brar and Dulai claimed in court that their inclusion on the list violated their Charter rights, but the court ruling found the legislation was justified and the confidential portions of the court process were procedurally fair. “The ruling says based on confidential security information, the minister had reasonable grounds to suspect that the two men would travel by air to commit a terrorism offence,” said the report.

Trump’s campaign officials clarify there would be an ‘aggressive vetting process’ for green cards

More than a million Indian college graduates already in the US, going back 10 to 15 years, have been in line for a green card, which typically paves the way for citizenship

Chidanand Rajghatta TNN

In a surprising turnaround from policies he had pursued as the US president, Donald Trump on Thursday promised green cards to all foreign students graduating from US universities. During a podcast, Trump said he would institute policies where “you graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country, and that includes junior colleges”.

But hours after Trump’s unscripted remarks, his campaign officials tempered the comments, saying there would be an “aggressive vetting process” that would “exclude all commu- nists, radical Islamists, Hamas supporters, America haters and public charges”, and that the policy would apply only to the “most skilled graduates who can make significant contributions to America”.

That would still open the doors to tens of thousands of skilled immigrants, mainly from India and China, who come to the US for higher education. By some estimates, more than a million foreign students come to the US every year; and at any given time nearly 300,000 students from India — now said to be the largest contingent of foreign students — are studying at US universities and colleges.

In the “All-In” podcast hosted by David Sacks, a Silicon Valley investor who backs the former president’s 2024 campaign, Trump appeared to be courting — at the risk of angering his voting base — the tech business community which has long sought to streamline the immigration process to get more high-skilled workers who come to America as students and graduate into H1-B visas that allow limited stay in the US. But Trump’s nativist MAGA (Make American Great Again) base sees this as a betrayal of American workers.

During the Trump presidency, his advisor Stephen Miller fashioned an immigration policy that restricted among other things a work-visa programme for foreign students even though the then president often spoke of giving permanent residency to immigrants who are wealthy and/or highly educated, at the expense of family-based immigration that also allows non-skilled or low-skilled immigrants to get a green card on the basis of family ties.

‘Ukrainian soldiers turn to yoga on frontline, speed up recovery & rehabilitation’

SOURCE OF HEALING: In conflict-hit Ukraine, yoga is witnessing a rise in popularity for wellness, recovery and healing. Some special forces units, like the Falcon Force, are even integrating yoga into their training

Rudroneel Ghosh

Ukrainian soldiers are rolling out their yoga mats on the frontlines of the Ukraine war. At the command post of the 225th Separate Assault Brigade, their 37-year-old commander says yoga transformed his life. “Before the beginning of the full-scale war, back in 2014, I was drafted into infantry operations and I hurt my spine. I started practising yoga regularly in 2016. All my problems disappeared,” says the young commander. Yoga now helps him with his responsibilities in the war. “I always try to do asanas, nauli and pranayama, and I read the Hare Krishna Maha- mantra. It helps me have better control over my emotions and plan things in my duty.”

In conflict-hit Ukraine, yoga is witnessing a rise in popularity for wellness, recovery and healing. There are projects to support Ukrainian yoga teachers and provide them with tools to deal with trauma and PTSD. Some special forces units of the Ukrainian army, like the Falcon Force, are even integrating yoga into their training.

The ‘Healthy Ukraine’ programme, an initiative of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that started in 2021, gave yoga a serious boost. Active Parks, a project under the programme, transformed public pa- rks into weekend fitness clubs, with instructors holding free classes. “The response for yoga was overwhelming,” says Ele- na Siderska, responsible for developing yoga in the project. “Active Parks now supports studios and clubs that work with trauma, PTSD and rehabilitation of soldiers,” Siderska adds.

Siderska’s father, Andrii Siderskyi, the doyen of yoga in Ukraine, says the roots of the Indic practice are long in his country. “Actually, people in Ukraine came in contact with yoga as far back as the 19th century. Following World War II, Kyiv, Odessa and Kharkiv became some of the main centres of yoga in the Soviet era,” says Siderskyi.

Today yoga has travelled across the world and looped back to Ukraine. Yuliia Denisova works with the charity Fierce Calm. She has been using yoga to help injured Ukrainian soldiers at four rehabilitation centres. “Yoga nidra and pranayama have had huge benefits for war veterans dealing with sleep disorder, PTSD, and amputation-related challenges,” affirms Denisova. Valeria Samborskaya, who is running a project to promote traumasensitive yoga for Ukraine, concurs. “We have seen affected soldiers being fearful of going near parks because they were injured in forested areas on the frontline. But after a few sessions of yoga, especially pranayama, they are able to overcome their mental trauma,” she says. Denisova adds, “I as a Ukrainian can’t thank India enough for giving the world and keeping this wonderful ancient knowledge.”

Times Business

- Job creation in pvt sector strongest in 18 yrs: Survey

- Forex reserves dip $3bn from $656bn peak

- Nvidia sheds $200bn in value

- Zepto scores $665mn as funds ride Q-comm wave

- Pine Labs & Avanse IPOs to help PE investor exit

- GST rate rationalisation after item-wise analysis

- Don’t advertise ‘Ulips’ as investments: Irdai

- ‘Need to balance productivity & job creation’

- Electric car launches to charge up streets this yr

- RBI wary of higher food prices derailing inflation

- RBI revises priority sector lending norms

- NBFC unsecured loans grow twice as fast as retail credit

Job creation in pvt sector strongest in 18 yrs: Survey

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Robust activity in manufacturing firms and service sector companies on the back of new orders and global sales pushed job creation in the private sector to its strongest in 18 years in June, a survey showed on Friday.

The HSBC Flash India Composite Output Index, which measures the month on-month change in the combined output of India’s manufacturing and service sectors, increased from 60.5 in May to 60.9 in June, highlighting a quicker rate of expansion that was significant by historical standards and in line with average over the past 12 months.

Growth was stronger at goods producers than at service providers — a trend that has been visible since Feb, the survey showed. Private sector companies attributed the strength to demand and new business gains as total new orders rose sharply and to a greater extent than in May.

New export orders increased for the twenty-second successive month in June. Despite slowing since May, the rate of expansion was sharp and the second-fastest since the series became available in Sept 2014. Survey participants pointed to gains from Africa, Asia, Australia, the Americas, Europe and West Asia.

The survey results showed that mild capacity pressures remained evident in June as private sector firms continued to signal higher volumes of outstanding business. Attempts to clear backlogs and fulfil rising production requirements led to a surge in overall employment. The pace of job creation was the fastest in over 18 years, according to the survey.

Forex reserves dip $3bn from $656bn peak

Mumbai: India’s forex reserves dropped by $2.9 billion to $652.9 billion for the week ended June 14, RBI said on Friday.

In the previous reporting week, the kitty had jumped by $4.3 billion to $655.8 billion, a new all-time high after consecutive weeks of increase in the reserves. For the week ended June 14, foreign currency assets, a major component of the reserves, decreased by $2.1 billion to $574.2 billion, the data released on Friday showed.

Expressed in dollar terms, the foreign currency assets include the effect of appreciation or depreciation of nonUS units like the euro, pound and yen held in the foreign exchange reserves.

AGENCIES

Nvidia sheds $200bn in value

Nvidia’s run as the world’s biggest company didn’t last long. Shares of the chip giant have tumbled on back-to back days, dropping more than 7%, after rallying earlier in the week and pushing its valuation to $3.3 trillion, just above Microsoft and Apple. Nvidia, of course, could reclaim the top spot soon enough after shedding more than $200 billion in market value in two days.

BLOOMBERG

Zepto scores $665mn as funds ride Q-comm wave

At $3.6Bn, Startup’s Valuation Nearly Triples In Under A Yr

Asmita.Dey@timesgroup.com

Mumbai: Zepto has raised $665 million in fresh funding round at a valuation of $3.6 billion underlining growing investor appetite for the quick commerce segment. The investment comes less than a year after the Mumbai-based firm pocketed $235 million from investors at a valuation of $1.4 billion, joining the league of unicorn startups.

The funding led by existing backers Glade Brook Capital, Nexus Venture Partners and StepStone Group also saw new investors Avenir, Lightspeed and Avra join the startup’s cap table. The investment will boost the startup’s balance sheet as it aims for a public listing in 2025, cofounder & CEO Aadit Palicha told TOI.

“We want to have a healthy balance sheet going into the IPO. We do not have any intent to spend the capital needlessly. The ambition to go for an IPO is within 2025 but it would depend on where the capital markets are at that time,” Palicha said.

The quick commerce space has been growing in India, helped by demand from millennials and GenZs, many of whom often do not make planned purchases and end up ordering several times a month from platforms like Zepto which offer doorstep deliveries in 10-15 minutes. Zepto competes with Zomato’s Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart and Tata’s BigBasket in the market, which has quickly expanded beyond groceries. Currently, Blinkit leads the space with a 40-45% market share, analysts said.

The funding for Zepto comes at a time when players like Walmart’s Flipkart and Reliance’s JioMart are set to enter the space, intensifying competition. The funding also indicates a revival of latestage deals in the startup space where flow of large invest- ments have been tepid.

“We are getting this financing because we have executed quite well. We have been able to grow our sales and are quite close to overall ebitda break-even,” Palicha said. Ebitda refers to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation. Zepto claimed that its gross merchandise value (or the value of goods sold on its platform) stood at $1 billion in FY24.

The startup is now looking to expand into about 10 cities with launches planned in Jaipur, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and Coimbatore in about a couple of months. Besides, it will work on expanding selection of products on the platform and take its dark store count to 700 from 350 by March 2025.

“About 75% of our stores are generating profits. We will keep reinvesting the profits we are making from our matured stores back into the business,” said Palicha.

Pine Labs & Avanse IPOs to help PE investor exit

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: Two major financial sector IPOs are set to enter the market this year, with the bullish sentiment and high earnings multiples of Indian stocks providing private equity investors an opportunity to exit.

Education loan provider Avanse Financial Services has filed a draft prospectus with Sebi for a Rs 3,500-crore IPO, comprising a combination of fresh issue and offer for sale from existing shareholders. Pine Labs, a company that handles digital payments in Asia, plans to raise $1 billion by selling its shares for the first time in India, seeking a $6-billion valuation. The IPO will be a combination of new share sale and a sale by existing investors.

Avanse was originally set up by promoters of home loan company DHFL and was acquired by Warburg Pincus in 2019 after the collapse of the DHFL group. In April, the company raised Rs 1,000-crore equity from Mubadala Investment and Avendus.

The selling shareholders in Avanse, according to the draft prospectus, are Olive Vine Investment (Warburg), International Finance Corporation, and Kedaara Capital Growth Fund. Meanwhile, Pine Labs is considering a pre-IPO fundraising round. If Pine Labs goes ahead with this $1-billion sale, it would be the biggest first-time sale by an Indian finance and technology company since 2021. Pine Labs had earlier planned an IPO in the US and filed papers with the SEC. However, the company shifted its registration from Singapore to India. In its last funding round, Pine Labs was valued at close to $5.8 billion.

Pine Labs began as a point of-sale system for merchants but has rapidly expanded into digital payments and the buy now-pay-later market.

GST rate rationalisation after item-wise analysis

Sidhartha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Rationalisation of GST rates may be some time away, but assessment has begun in the background to assess possible changes that may be required to make the indirect tax regime more balanced and avoid inverted duty structure in several segments where the duty on the final product is lower than the tax on inputs.

While industry has demanded that rationalisation, which will mean reworking of rates on various goods and services and also merging the four slabs on three, govt is not going to rush into any such exercise without a detailed analysis. A group of ministers had earlier looked at the issue but a decision on it has been pending for several months.

The broad assessment among industry players is that 12% and 18% slabs will be merged and a new 15-16% rate could emerge as the midrate, along with the 5% and 28% slabs. Given that several items will see an upward movement from the 12% slab, a political call needs to be taken. In fact, a few years ago some internal exercise had also been done in the finance ministry but Covid had upset all the calculations. Whenever the rate changes take place, which could be several months away, govt wants to avoid a situation where it is accused of being anti-consumer, while also ensuring that the exercise is revenue neutral to the extent possible.

As a result, a very preliminary internal assessment is being done to see how a change in the rate of items in these segments would impact revenue flow, especially when the weighted average rate worked out to 11.6% according to an analysis done by RBI a few years ago, against the proposed revenue neutral rate of 15-15.5% when GST was launched almost seven years ago.

But there is growing demand, and to an extent even realisation within a section of govt, that the rates on several items, such as insurance or telecom services should not be 18%, but lower. Or, for that matter even cement should not be in the 28% bracket, given that it is used for construction, which has been a key demand of the industry. But before item-wise rates are discussion, finance ministers from the states and the Centre need to take a call to move ahead with rationalisation.

Don’t advertise ‘Ulips’ as investments: Irdai

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: The insurance tegulator has said that unit linked insurance plans (Ulips) and index-linked plans cannot be promoted as investment products.

In a circular, the Irdai specified that advertisements referring to past fund performance must meet strict criteria. They should display compounded annual returns for the previous five calendar years, accompanied by a disclaimer that past performance does not guarantee future results. If relevant, benchmark index performance must also be disclosed alongside fund performance data.

The circular pointed out that advertisements should not overstate benefits, selectively disclose benefits without outlining limitations, or make disparaging comparisons against competitors or the industry.

To ensure compliance, insurers are required to establish an advertisement committee under the regulations and appoint compliance officers within distribution channels. These entities are responsible for maintaining strict controls over advertisement content and ensuring adherence to approved policies.

Additionally, the regulator has instructed companies to provide policyholders with the option to make online premium payments or appoint a new agent or direct sales staff if the agent who sold the policy leaves the company. The regulator has allowed the renewal commission to be paid to the new agent. Furthermore, insurers are now permitted to accept any new policy from the assigned insurance agent or direct sales staff for the same policyholder if the assigned policy is not revived or is surrendered within six months.

‘Need to balance productivity & job creation’

Asmita.Dey@timesgroup.com

Mumbai: India’s growthcentric policies, technological prowess and rising affluence places it well in its journey towards becoming one of the world’s leading economies but to leverage the opportunities that India has to offer and realise the country’s growth potential, focus on building “human capital” is essential, said Nitin Paranjpe, chairman at Hindustan Unilever in his address at the company’s 91st AGM on Friday.

India, Paranjpe said, will have to strike a balance between productivity and job creation to achieve growth going forward. “In any growth model, productivity will always be a key driver but it cannot just be productivity. It will have to be productivity plus creation of jobs. That should be in a position to address the new roles that we need to create to absorb the people who are coming into the working class. The focus just doesn’t have to be on growth but the texture of growth,” Paranjpe told TOI in an interview at the HUL headquarters here.

The way India would derive its growth has to be different from how countries like Japan, South Korea, or parts of Euro- pe would get growth. “They are going to be short of people in the working class and therefore, their growth has to be only productivity-led. We need that balance,” Paranjpe said. A greater focus on sectors that have a high employment elasticity like the services and MSME sectors will be key. “Everything that govt is doing to create more jobs is really what we need,” said Paranjpe.

Projections indicate that the country will need to create 90 million non-farm jobs over the next decade to both manage the migration of labour from agriculture and provide employment opportunities to the people entering the working age population. However, job creation alone will not help, the process needs to be aided by ensuring that the working age population is “employable”. This is where foundational literacy becomes imperative, said Paranjpe.

“As a nation, we have to make sure that the quality of education that we impart to people delivers the outcomes that we want…. it is about building human capital which is geared to address the jobs we need to,” Paranjpe said, adding that govt and corporates will need to collaborate to address the challenges in de- veloping human capital.

“Corporates will need to play a key role — be it in ensuring reskilling and upskilling the workforce populace, creating employment, embracing diversity or supporting human development,” Paranjpe said. HUL, the chairman said, has in the last year alone invested 1,00,000 hours on training and upskilling interventions across its offices, factories and sales workforce.

Paranjpe said that he is “quite optimistic” about the growth opportunities that India has for the next decade and beyond. “Much of it is going to come from consumption, new category creation…. It is going to come from premiumisation. All of these are good growth drivers for the economy at large and for companies in the FMCG space as well,” Paranjpe said.

Electric car launches to charge up streets this yr

Concerns Over Charging Infra, Relatively Higher Prices Won’t Deter Auto Biggies

Pankaj.Doval@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Going may be challenging for green cars on concerns around charging infrastructure and relatively higher prices, but India will see a flurry of SUV launches, including green versions of some popular models, within six-to-eight months.

The new models will be introduced by almost all the top carmakers — Tata Motors, Mahindra, Hyundai and sibling Kia, Maruti Suzuki, JSW MG Moto, and luxury maker Mercedes-Benz.

Tata Motors will be first to add to its robust EV portfolio. The company, which last year accounted for almost 70% of electrics sold in the country through green versions of Nexon and Punch SUVs and Tiago hatch and Tigor mini sedan, will drive in Harrier EV. Harrier currently comes with a diesel engine and is priced upwards of Rs 17 lakh (on road). Its green version is expected to be priced some degrees higher, considering how aggressively the company has priced Nexon EV, which comes at par with the diesel variant.

Before Harrier EV, Tata is expected to introduce muchawaited Curvv. The crossover car, which has been showcased at Auto Expo, will offer both electric and ICE (internal combustion engine) op- tions. “The plan is to launch both EV and ICE versions together,” a company official said. It is expected that the model will be priced around the Rs 15 lakh mark, but a lot depends on the battery capacity.

Hyundai will debut Creta electric and Kia will drive in luxury EV9, that will be priced around Rs 1 crore.

JSW MG Motor, which has ZS and Comet EVs, plans to drive in Cloud EV crossover utility vehicle. The company’s Chinese parent SAIC already sells this model in some markets under different badging. This is expected to be priced under Rs 20 lakh and will be placed below ZS.

Mahindra & Mahindra is also preparing to drive in a green version of XUV7OO model, whose launch will be closer to first born electric model (BE 05). XUV7OO elec- tric is likely to be priced under Rs 20 lakh.

And Maruti Suzuki, the biggest carmaker, will not be behind. It will finally drive in its first EV, which is likely to debut at Auto Expo in 2025. The model will be based on eVX concept SUV that Maruti had showcased at the previous Auto Expo, with a battery capacity of 60kWh and a single-charge range of 550 km. Maruti’s model will be priced in Rs 10-15 lakh bracket, if the company will opt for a bigger battery size.

On the luxury side, Mercedes-Benz will drive in EQA around August and this will be the smallest electric car in its portfolio. Mercedes expects to get a quarter of its sales from EVs by 2026. The company currently sells EQS luxury saloon, EQB and EQE electrics in India.

RBI wary of higher food prices derailing inflation

TIMESNEWSNETWORK

Mumbai: RBI’s members in the monetary policy committee have expressed concern regarding food inflation, which has not sufficiently moderated. Fear of food prices rising further due to adverse weather has forced them to keep rates on hold and liquidity in check, minutes of arecent MPC meet, which were released on Friday, showed.

“The impact of exceptionally warm summer months on output of certain perishables; a likely rabi production shortfall in some pulses and vegetables — particularly potatoes and onions, and the upward revisions in milk prices, warrant close monitoring,” RBI governor Shaktikanta Das said meeting held on June 5-7. Das said that while the consumer price (retail) inflation was moderating, it was happening at a very moderate phase.

Deputy governor Michael Patra was even more hawkish. “The speed of the easing of inflation has been disappointing so far, even from a cross-country perspective. Food prices are persisting for too long as the principal impediment to a faster disinflation,” said Patra.

Patra was also explicit in linking the RBI stance on rates to food prices. “Food prices are holding back any consideration of possible changes in the monetary policy stance,” he said. RBI executive director Rajiv Ranjan noted that food, with a weight of 45.9% in CPI, contributed to three-fourths of the headline inflation in April 2024 compared to about 40% a year ago. “Discounting the likely one-off drop in inflation to below target rate in Q2FY25 due to favourable base effects, the ongoing disinflation/process, though gradual, is expected to continue over the second half of 2024-25,” he said.

External member Shahsanka Bhide voted to keep ra- tes on hold citing food prices. “As a major part of these price pressures relates to food inflation, a watchful approach is appropriate to ensure that there are no spillovers of high food inflation to the prices of other items in the consumption basket,” said Bhide.

However, other external members economists Ashima Goyal and Jayanth Varma strongly advocated for a 25-basis-point (100bps = 1 percentage point) reduction in the repo rate and a shift to a neutral stance. Goyal argued that keeping the real policy rate above the neutral level for an extended period could hamper growth. With inflation projections for 2024-25 at 4.5%, maintaining the current repo rate would result in a real repo rate higher than necessary, potentially slowing down growth.

RBI revises priority sector lending norms

TIMESNEWSNETWORK

Mumbai: RBI has revised its priority sector guidelines to encourage banks to provide small loans in economically disadvantaged districts with low average loan sizes. The new norms discourage lending in districts with high average loan sizes.

Starting from FY25, more weight (125%) will be given to fresh priority sector loans in districts where the loan availability is low (less than Rs 9,000 per person). In districts with high loan availability (more than Rs 42,000 per person), the loans will have a weight of 90%. With the exception of outlier districts with low credit availability and those with high loan sizes, all other districts will continue to have the current importance level of 100%.

“RBI has decided to rank districts based on per capita credit flow to the priority sector, and to establish an incentive framework for districts with lower credit flow and a disincentive framework for districts with higher priority sector credit flow,” RBI said.

FY2017-24

NBFC unsecured loans grow twice as fast as retail credit

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: Unsecured loans by NBFCs expanded at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 32% during FY2017-2024. While this growth is on a lower base, it is double the growth rate of retail secured loans such as vehicle, home, gold and property loans during the same period.

According to a report on NBFCs by Assocham and ICRA, the share of unsecured retail loans in NBFCs is estimated to have increased to 14% of the overall NBFC credit. If the large chunky loans to infrastructure projects by lending institutions were to be excluded, the share of unsecured loans would be 23%, of the NBFC portfolio up from 5% in March 2016.

The retail unsecured loans which grew at a much higher pace include micro- finance, personal and consumption loans and unsecured SME loans, which expanded at a higher pace. The unsecured book pushed the growth in retail loans to an 18% CAGR during FY2017-FY2024.

In overall lending as well, NBFCs have steadily improved their market position by expanding at a healthy CAGR of around 15% during FY2017-2024, which is higher than the 11% CAGR achieved by banks during this period.

“NBFCs registered a robust expansion in the last two financial years, boosting their position in the overall financial ecosystem. However, their improved systemic importance and higher interconnectedness, especially with the banking sector, have led to increased regulatory oversight and actions in the recent past,” said Karthik Srinivasan, senior VP, ICRA.

Editorial

- A thought for today

- Cops, Stop & Think

- The Wealth Effect

- Are Plants Intelligent? Yes, But Not Like We Are

- Capitalism: We Need More, Not Less

- ‘Future of America’s cricket league bright...NRIs, passionate about the game, are good at professionalising sport’

- Yog Teaches Us To Control Modifications Of Mind

- Sacred space

A thought for today

No arrest can be made because it’s lawful for the police officer to do so. Existence of the power to arrest is one thing. Justification, for the exercise of it, quite another

SUPREME COURT

Cops, Stop & Think

Courts critique random arrests. Is police listening?

Regardless of which law police invokes, courts have repeatedly held that any arrest should be the last option, and that indiscriminate arrests violate human rights. In the latest reiteration of this principle, Allahabad HC granted anticipatory bail to a man accused in a cow slaughter case, observing that arrests should only be carried out when custodial interrogation of an accused is required.

Restraint in exceptional cases | Allahabad HC said that “courts have repeatedly held arrest should be the last option” and that “irrational and indiscriminate arrests are gross violations of human rights.” Supreme Court, in several cases, has stressed that even in exceptional cases, the need for arrest should be proportional to the gravity of the alleged offence.

Sanctity of due process | HC’s call comes barely a month after SC emphasised in the Prabir Purkayastha (NewsClick founder) vs State (NCT of Delhi) case the paramountcy of procedural safeguards that flow from the Constitution to ensure arrests are not arbitrary.

Colonial mindset | India’s plethora of preventive detention laws have arbitrariness almost inbuilt in terms of their loose wording and expansive interpretation. Given the burden of undertrials across India’s prisons, SC in 2022 even urged Centre to frame a law to restrain probe agencies from arresting any accused “unnecessarily”. It said indiscriminate arrests reflect a “colonial mindset” and create the impression of a “police state”.

Social media arrests | Perhaps no “sector” has seen as many arbitrary FIRs and arrests as social media posts. If arrests of students celebrating a Pakistan match win were jaw-dropping, various state police forces have criss-crossed the country to swoop down on young people over their online POVs, taking them into custody on the flimsiest of excuses. Eventual bail or quashing of charges is not the point. The point is police get away scot-free for the trauma they induce, working only to please political masters – across party lines.

The Wealth Effect

Giving away money won’t create prosperity

News of an Austrian heiress giving away most of her $27mn fortune makes for a great story no doubt. Criticising the absence of taxes on wealth and inheritance in her country, Marlene Engelhorn holds that democratic values call for redistribution of wealth.

Inequality as villain | Given similar talk in India during the recently concluded poll season, it is important to bust some misconceptions in this context. There has been a growing focus on inequality of late, as if economic disparities between people is the most important problem of all. Such a discourse forgets that entrepreneurs create wealth not just for themselves but society at large by generating jobs, backing innovation. And, to borrow from Milton Friedman, it ignores the danger that redistribution could destroy the incentive to create wealth.

Tackle unemployment | Our policy planners and political parties would be expending their energies better if they got to the root of the problem: unemployment. In a country where 7-8mn young people are added to the labour force each year, youth account for 83% of the unemployed workforce. Tackling the problem requires sound economic policy that targets labour-intensive sectors, where India holds a competitive advantage. And it needs investment in education and skilling that allows young people to work those jobs.

Read the verdict in recently concluded LS polls: voters were angry at lack of opportunities, not because a few Indians are very rich.

mind field SHORT TAKES ON BIG IDEAS

Are Plants Intelligent? Yes, But Not Like We Are

Plants can hear, take in and process info, and act on that

How do plants sense, what do they feel? The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth by Zoe Schlanger is a study of the controversial world of plant intelligence.

Many of us have heard claims about plant feelings, the kind of music they prefer and so on. All this comes from a 1973 book, called The Secret Life of Plants, which still haunts botany. Globally popular but scientifically unsound, it is the reason researchers and funders are wary of the field.

But the wrangle is all about how intelligence is defined. For long, we located intelligence in creatures close to us in evolutionary terms, like dolphins, dogs and primates. But now we know more about nonhuman intelligences, like that of the octopus, how a powerful cunning can evolve quite independent of our own.

The mechanics and the purpose of plant intelligence are still a mystery. How does something without a brain coordinate responses to stimuli? They clearly sense gravity: their roots go down and shoots go up, even if you tip a plant over. Experiments show that when a plant is nicked, its biochemistry changes instantly.

Plants engage with frequency and vibration, almost like they have ears. They register the sound of a caterpillar chewing. Since they’re rooted in place, and can’t flee or seek, hearing is a useful sense to have. In one bit of research, a sound cue caused a plant to produce its own pesticide: imagine the implications for agriculture if this were pursued. Could they release their pollen to a recording of buzzing bees, or could the sound of thunder prepare them for rain? Could the tiny hairlike structures on their leaves, called trichomes, function as antennae?

If they hear, could they speak? Chemical signalling is now established, but could there be a sound-based plant language, like bat sonar? They can even remember: some plants in the high Andes adjust their pollen by remembering when the pollinator last visited. These are ‘memory flowers’, they learn from experience. Apple and peach trees won’t flower or fruit without a memory of winter.

Is this a form of intelligence and consciousness? If robots can be called intelligent based on these signs, why not flowers? It is not mere automatism. It is taking in information, processing, making decisions and acting. The plant’s entire body reflects its conditions, its response to its environment, to obstacles, nutrients and light.

Plants communicate with other species too: starving bees bite leaves, making flowers bloom early, sating their hunger and serving the plant’s purpose. Some plants hire ants, to fight off their enemies like flea beetles. Interspecies chatter is constant, and invisible to human perception.

Plants have a social life too. Some are altruistic, some prefer solitude, some are nice to their family but hostile to others. They pass on wisdom to their children, not slowly through genetics, but dramatically within generations, morphing to survive their environments.

Discussions of plant intelligence need nuance; we need to resist casting them in our image. The book urges us to look at the marvel of plants on their own terms, and then see the rich interrelated web of life that entangles us too.

Capitalism: We Need More, Not Less

Govts’ policy of providing a constant stimulus to economies has slowed growth, created zombie companies and skewed income distribution. Capitalism needs room to work

Ruchir Sharma

Across the developed world, voters are angry with an economic system that feels rigged against the little guy and in favour of giant corporate oligopolies, and their billionaire owners. Capitalism is losing favour, particularly with the young and the left. By a margin of 2 to 1, American Democrats under 30 are more likely to have a “positive” view of socialism than of capitalism.

They need to beware what they wish for.

I was born in mid-1970s when India was staggering under its homespun brand of socialism. By nationalising big businesses, expelling foreign ones, govt was spending on welfare programmes without the revenue to pay for them. Shortages were routine; per capita income growth was below the global average. I was drawn as a young rebel to capitalism as the answer.

In 1991, I got in to see the maiden parliamentary address of finance minister Manmohan Singh. With India on the verge of default, he promised a series of big-bang reforms that finally gave Indians more economic freedom. I was so exhilarated.

That was 1990s. “Liberalisation” was cool. Singh became a global celebrity, but at home, as the crisis passed, the still deeply socialist political elite began lobbying him to slow reform. Singh complied. India’s progress slowed.

To this day, the standard Indian excuse, when compared to China, is that the world’s largest democracy can’t force much development the way Communist China once did. But democracy is not the problem; many democracies have grown much richer than India. It is India’s lingering attachment to a state that overpromises and underdelivers.

The irony now is that America’s headed the way of India. Leading Indian businessmen tell me they see in America’s turn to economic statism under Biden a dismaying echo of India in 1970s. Biden is effectively building on a govt that, in virtually all measurable respects, has been growing for almost a century.

US govt spending has risen from 3% of GDP in 1930 to 36%. What changed under Reagan was that US govt started paying for its own expansion by borrowing, not taxing. Deficits went from rare to routine and US public debt has quadrupled since 1980 to more than 120% of GDP.

Today, the young are turning to socialism because the standard histories of capitalism say it went wrong in an “era of small govt”, dating to Reagan. But since 1980, welfare spending has risen in most of the developed economies and has risen faster than the average in US.

Even before Reagan, US govt had abandoned the original Keynesian idea that govt should save during recoveries, so it could spend heavily to ease recessions. Instead, US has run significant deficits in good times and bad, averaging 4% of GDP in recessions, and 3% in recoveries – basically, constant stimulus.

By 1990s, Federal Reserve had joined the constant stimulus project, first by holding its own interest rates at historic lows. When crisis hit in 2008, Fed could not lower its rates much further, so it tried lowering borrowing costs a new way, by buying bonds and other debt in public markets in multi-trillion dollar bulk. By soaking the system in debt, authorities were making it more fragile, ratcheting up pressure on themselves to respond to each crisis with bigger bailouts. Many Democrats call this supportive version of capitalism “socialism for the very rich”, but a more apt tag is “socialised risk”: state guarantees against economic pain for anyone.

This growing tendency – to regulate, stimulate and rescue – peaked in the pandemic. The resulting crisis of capitalism is clear and present in the insidious ways overactive govt is widening the key flaws of modern capitalism – slower growth, less fairly distributed.

Behind the slowdown is a collapse in the rate of growth in productivity, or output per worker. Before the pandemic, it had fallen by more than half since 1960s, and mounting evidence traces this decline to a business en- vironment thick with govt regulation and debt, in which mega firms thrive and more corporate deadwood survives each crisis.

Though “Big Tech” gets all the attention, three of every four US industries have ossified into oligopolies, dominated by three or four names. Worse, these oligopolies are more and more often the “bad kind”, prospering by lobbying regulators and killing off competitors, not innovating.

Easy money also spawned “zombie companies”, which don’t earn enough to cover even interest payments on their debt, and survive by taking on new debt. Zombies barely existed outside Japan before 2000, and now account for as many as one in five public companies in US. Zombies also tend to hobble the performance of rivals in the same industry by sucking up talent and financing.

Squeezed from the top by oligopolies and from the bottom by zombies, the corporate middle has stagnated. Before the pandemic, US was generating new firms at a little over half the rate and shutting down old ones at two-thirds the rate of early 1980s.

Throughout, income inequality was rising, but after 2000, it was no longer explained by the rise of CEOs. Now it stems from superstar firms like Google, where every employee is making more than peers at weaker firms.

To work, capitalism needs space for the small and new to rise up and creatively destroy old concentrations of power. As oligopolies spread, more local labour markets came to rely on one big employer. Other than Britain, America is the nation where people are least likely to earn much more than their parents.

I was one of the many who came to US inspired by Reagan’s vision of the “shining city on a hill”, and I still marvel at its allure. Among the 100 biggest US companies, 10 of the CEOs were born in India, testimony to a capitalist meritocracy. Yet I worry about where America is taking the world now.

Its politicians are status quoists, hoping that the same old strategy – bigger govt – will produce better results. Instead, they are likely to get more billionaires and oligopolies, more popular anger. They should be seeking a middle ground between 1920s-style liquidationists and today’s liquefictionists. Help for the unemployed during downturns, and for markets when they are frozen by fear, makes sense. But authorities need to stop stimulating during recoveries, and leave financial markets free enough to falter on occasion. Their experimental quest for constant growth is a utopian step too far.

Though politicians now speak of the economy as an “engine” subject to “fine tuning”, it is more like a natural ecosystem in which humans meddle at great risk to the system and themselves. Their thinking needs to change, before the overconfidence of modern economics – not nearly so hard a science as many imagine – does more damage. Capitalism is still the best hope for human progress, but only if it has enough room to work.

The writer is an author and global investor. This essay has been adapted from his book What Went Wrong With Capitalism

Q&A

‘Future of America’s cricket league bright...NRIs, passionate about the game, are good at professionalising sport’

Ottawa-based Amit Gupta is an academic of many parts. An expert in international security who taught at USAF Air War College in Alabama, he has also written extensively on the globalisation of sports, including IPL and WPL. In an interview with Avijit Ghosh, he talks about the future of cricket in US and more:

● US has performed extremely well in T20 World Cup 2024. In July, Major League Cricket’s (MLC) second edition will be held. How do you think the two events will impact the game in US?

In US, the top four sports are baseball, basketball, American football and ice-hockey. That’s where the multi-million-dollar salaries are. Below that comes mixed martial arts, which has become very popular among the young, including women, and soccer (football). Then there’s rugby, lacrosse, and of course, cricket.

The interesting thing is that IPL franchisees Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders have bought teams in MLC. BCCI has a vested interest in making them succeed. This is different from other cricket leagues, as in South Africa.

In US, the Indian diaspora and all other cricket playing diasporas can bring in a lot of money into the sport. Don’t think of cricket competing with NBA. Look at it as a semi-professional sport with a passionate audience. No American has the time and patience to understand the subtleties of cricket.

● An estimated 200,000 play cricket in 400 local leagues. Is it enough to run a sports league?

America has a population of 330mn. My demographic of all cricket-playing South Asians plus those from other cricket-playing countries would be roughly 10mn. Think of it this way. Denmark has a successful pro-league football with 5.5mn people. Norway has one with 4.5mn and Portugal with 10mn. So, you can have a professional cricket league with 10mn.

If you price tickets reasonably, people would love to watch MLC. There are enough players who have played semi-professional cricket elsewhere who can play for the national team. Saurabh Netravalkar is the best example. You can see how the US team has been embraced by Indians as their H1B team.

● So you are optimistic about MLC’s future prospects. Right?

It will succeed because they are being clever about it. They are using the MLS (Major League Soccer) model to start with to build a fanbase and making sure that wherever they have the ground they also have the licensing rights. In 1970s, they had a soccer team, New York Cosmos, for which Pele played. They played on rented grounds and whatever they made from merchandising, a large chunk went to the owners.

With MLS, which Sunil Gulati, an Indian, ran successfully for many years, they did the merchandising. It is the same thing with MLC. Indians are extremely good at professionalising sport. The Toronto cricket league used to be run by West Indians who ran it more like a social event than a serious cricket league, where you had jerk chicken and met dates.

Enter the Indians! They set up matches and schedules and so on, and now you have a professional Toronto cricket league. The point is every cricket-playing nation, except India and to some degree Australia, needs money. Even Pat Cummins has signed a four-year contract to play for San Francisco Unicorns.

If I were BCCI, I would send MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar during the league on a four-week holiday to US, all expenses paid.

Those are the stars whom the Indians of a certain generation want to see, it is nostalgia and it resonates. Once you get star power, you get crowds.

● India might bid for 2036 Olympics. Is it a good idea?

It’s not a smart idea. Olympics are hugely expensive, costing an estimated $100bn. Rich countries don’t want to host Olympics. Superrich Sweden turned down the offer to host Winter Olympics, saying they can’t afford it.

Victoria in Australia refused to host Commonwealth Games for similar reasons. Olympics can bring you bad publicity.

The moment you say we are hosting Olympics, world media pounces on everything scandalous and problematic in the country.

India should try to host World Cup football. The games can be played at night and there’s no need to build major infra, unlike Olympics. WC stadiums don’t create infra white elephants. Football stadiums can be used by different teams, hold any event, from political rallies to music concerts. But remember that people aren’t going to come unless it is tourist-friendly.

As a friend of mine says, India is for travellers, not tourists. You need to build a safe environment. Amsterdam has 900,000 people and gets 17mn tourists annually. India’s population is about 140cr and it gets about 11mn tourists a year. Think about that!

THE SPEAKING TREE

Yog Teaches Us To Control Modifications Of Mind

Swami Sivananda

Yog, in a generic sense, refers to Karma Yog, Bhakti Yog, Raj Yog, Jnan Yog, Hath Yog, Mantra Yog, Laya Yog or Kundalini Yog. In a restricted sense, it means the Ashtang Yog or Raj Yog of Patanjali Maharishi only.

The word yog is also applicable in a secondary sense to all those factors and practices that are conducive to the final achievement or fulfilment of yog, and as such indirectly lead to final freedom or perfection. Similarly, though the one who has reached the final asamprajnatasamadhi or union with Reality is called a yogi, one who is attempting to get perfection in yog is also called a yogi.

Yog philosophy is one of the six systems of Hindu philosophy. Unlike so many other philosophies of the world, it is a philosophy that is wholly practical. Yog is an exact science based on certain immutable Laws of Nature. It is well-known to people of all countries of the world interested in the study of Eastern civilisation and culture. It is held in awe and reverence as it contains the master-key to unlock the realms of peace, bliss, mystery and miracle.

Yog is that state of Absolute Peace wherein there is neither imagination nor thought. Yog is control of mind and its modifications. Yog teaches us how to control the modifications of the mind and attain liberation. It teaches us how to transmute the unregenerate nature and attain the state of Divinity. It is the complete suppression of the tendency of the mind to transform itself into objects, thoughts, etc. Yog kills all sorts of pain, misery and tribulation. It gives you freedom from the round of births and deaths…bestows upon you all the Divine Powers and final liberation through super-intuitional knowledge.

Equanimity is yog. Serenity is yog. Skill in actions is yog. Anything by which the best and the highest in life can be attained is also yog. It is thus all-embracing, all-inclusive and universal in its application, leading to all-round development of body, mind and soul. Yog is primarily a way of life, not something which is divorced from life. Yog is not forsaking of action, but is efficient performance in the right spirit. Yog is not running away from home and human habitation, but a process of moulding one’s attitude to home and society with a new understanding. Yog is not a turning away from life; it is the spiritualisation of life.

Courtesy: Yoga, The Divine Life Trust Society

Sacred space

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass the world is too full to talk about.

Rumi

Times Sport

- HAT-TRICK FOR PATRICK AS AUSTRALIA HUMBLE BANGLADESH

- Under-pressure Windies face US after heavy loss to England

- CAUTION: BANANA-SKIN ENCOUNTER AHEAD

- Watch out for India’s triple left-arm spin threat

- Rashid & his lonely quest for excellence

- SA pip England by 7 runs, move closer to semifinal

- GALLERY

- Jay Shah invites state units for a session to exchange ideas

- T20 WC: Pak players criticised over ‘family trip’

- EURO 2024’S LEADING SCORER: OWN GOAL

- SPAIN SERVE IT HOT AND SPICY

- BAGGIO ROBBED AT HOME DURING ITALY’S LOSS TO SPAIN

- Guler Turkiye’s hope against Portugal

- Messi off to bright start in latest quest for glory

- Yaremchuk’s late strike revives Ukraine hopes

- Austria’s win pushes Poles to the brink

- GALLERY

- No fixed hours, we take work home too, say senior officials

- Student, 21, shot dead in Dhanbad

- ‘INDIA NEEDS 20 YEARS TO MAKE PROGRESS’

- PGA C’ship: Aditi makes steady start

- Indian-American Akshay Bhatia tied second at Travelers Championship

- ‘Gambhir a misunderstood person’

- India’s position on Dalai Lama consistent and clear, says MEA

- Hasina to meet PM today, ink several pacts

- Didn’t expect tip-off to open NEET Pandora’s box: Cops

- NIA chargesheet against 5 linked to human trafficking, cyber fraud syndicates; 2 held

- With 76 heat-stroke deaths, Delhi tops list; UP 2nd with 51

HAT-TRICK FOR PATRICK AS AUSTRALIA HUMBLE BANGLADESH

CUMMINS

North Sound: Fast bowler Pat Cummins took a hat-trick and David Warner smashed an unbeaten halfcentury as undefeated Australia kicked off their Super Eight campaign at the T20 World Cup with a rain-hit 28-run win over Bangladesh on Thursday.

Recalled with fellow quick Josh Hazlewood after being rested against Scotland, Cummins’s three-wicket burst helped restrict the South Asians to 140 for eight before rain cut short Australia’s chase.

Victory was secured by the Duckworth-Lewis method. Australia were 100 for two after 11.2 overs before the match was abandoned, with Warner unbeaten on 53 and Glenn Maxwell 14 not out at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Test and One-day skipper Cummins bowled Mahmudullah for two, had Mahedi Hasan caught for a duck by Adam Zampa at deep third man and then dismissed Towhid Hridoy for 40 when the batter scooped to Hazlewood.

Cummins’s third victim came in the over after his first two wickets, and his hat-trick celebration was conspicuously understated. “I had no idea. I totally forgot about it,” Cummins said of his first hat-trick for Australia and the first at the tournament. AGENCIES

Brief scores: Bangladesh 140/8 in 20 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 41, Towhid Hridoy 40; Pat Cummins 3/29) lost to Australia 100/2 in 11.2 overs (David Warner 53*, Travis Head 31; Rishad Hossain 2/23) via DLS method.

Under-pressure Windies face US after heavy loss to England

PREVIEW

Bridgetown (Barbados): West Indies cannot afford another misstep as they take on a tenacious USA outfit in the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup here, seeking to renew their quest for an unprecedented third title.

After remaining unbeaten in the group stage, the West Indies slumped to an eight-wicket loss to defending champions England in their opening Super Eight fixture, paying the price for playing out as many as 51 dot balls and failing to rotate strike. The heavy defeat to England has not only pushed Rovman Powell and his men to the bottom of the group but they now have a net run rate of -1.343 and need to win big to keep their hopes of lifting the title at home alive.

USA, on the other hand, haven’t won any game since their victory against Pakistan earlier this month. But they gave a good account of themselves against India and almost shocked South Africa, falling just 18 runs short of the Proteas’ 194-4 against a high-quality bowling attack.

The co-hosts have shown that they are not here just to make up numbers and are not to be taken lightly. They have played an aggressive brand of cricket so far and in likelihood will continue to do so in the coming matches.

Even though they have their backs against the wall, West Indies coach Darren Sammy asserted their “spirits are not dampened”.

Brandon King, who suffered a side strain and was forced to retire hurt against England, remains a doubtful starter for the hosts. If he doesn’t recover, Shimron Hetmyer could take King’s place in the playing XI. USA have been without skipper Monank Patel since their game against Pakistan.

PTI

CAUTION: BANANA-SKIN ENCOUNTER AHEAD

Spirited Bangladesh Will Look To Rile Up A Stronger India In Battle Of Spinners In Antigua Today; 2007 Champions Need To Address Poor Form Of The Top Order

THINK-TANK: Indian captain Rohit Sharma (left) and coach Rahul Dravid

TIMES IN THE CARIBBEAN

PREVIEW

Dwaipayan.Datta@timesgroup.com

Bridgetown: There’s no time to rest. India had just finished a comprehensive win against Afghanistan at the Kensington Oval on Thursday, but even before they could catch their breath, Rohit Sharma’s boys were on the road again.

It’s going to be like this till the end of the World Cup. This time it’s destination Antigua, where they take on neighbours Bangladesh, who haven’t really been a match for India over the years.

The pitch at the Vivian Richards Stadium isn’t what it used to be. The pace and bounce that were so integral to cricket in this part of the world is a thing of the past and now it’s only spin, spin and more spin.

Quite predictably, India shifted from their four-pacer theory in the USA leg of the World Cup to a three-spin line-up, with Kuldeep Yadav being added to a lineup which already included Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. Kuldeep took 2-32 against the Afghans after star pa cer Jasprit Bumrah had done the early damage. The Indian attack is truly looking very balanced.

Bangladesh, too, during the course of their loss to Australia in Antigua in a day-nighter on Thursday, played four spinners. Offies Mahedi Hassan and Mahmadullah will be backed by leggie Rishad Hossain and left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hassan. On paper, Bangladesh have a bit of depth, but that doesn’t count for much in a game against India.

Man to man, India’s spinners are better than Bangladesh, the Indian batters’ ability against spin should also stand them in good stead.Suryakumar Yadav is probably the best player of spin in limited-overs cricket and he has been in supreme touch of late, scoring two back-to-back, matchwinning half-centuries. Shivam Dube, too, is a monster against spin, and so is Rishabh Pant. Virat Kohli is still due for a big score but batting coach Vikram Rathour seems hardly bothered.

“Obviously we want him to score but even when he hasn’t, the others have chipped in, which is a good sign. But Virat stays at the top of the order and we know he will get the runs,” Rathour said.

Though there is a quiet confidence about the way India are going about their job, there can always be a worry that complacency may creep into the ranks, especially against a team that isn’t fancied on paper. And the World Cup is being played in such a format that one defeat can suddenly make qualification difficult, especially with the threat of rain always round the corner.

While India will be keen not to have a curtailed game — Antigua doesn’t have any rain forecast in the next couple of days — Rathour insisted that the team is taking all measures to ensure they don’t lose focus ahead of a match like this. “We know what we are expected to do and everyone understands that. There is absolutely no option for any kind of complacency,” Rathour said.

The fact that Bangladesh have a bit of depth in their spin attack has also kept the Indian management on their toes. “They have some experienced spinners in conditions which are favourable for spin. And they are a good team, there’s a reason why they are in the Super 8,” the batting coach warned.

The likes of Shakib, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Liton Das or Mustafizur Rahman have been playing India for a very long time and it is not that they haven’t troubled the Men in Blue on an odd occasion or two, especially in bilateral T20 cricket. Left-arm medium pacer Mustafizur, not too long ago, looked particularly good playing for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and his cutters may just be effective on a pitch like Antigua’s. Add to that the extra gear that Bangladesh will try to find, especially because it’s India and their survival in the World Cup is on the line. India will have to avoid any possible pitfalls.

Watch out for India’s triple left-arm spin threat

Jadeja, Axar & Kuldeep Are All Left-Handed Tweakers But Are Individually Unique And Highly Versatile

KULDEEP

Dwaipayan.Datta@timesgroup.com

Bridgetown: The overriding theme of this World Cup, from now on, is going to be spin bowling. How teams deal with spin is going to be key. Yes, there’s also a Jasprit Bumrah or a Pat Cummins who are masters of their craft — fast bowling — and can win games in all conditions, but it’s the tweakers who will call the shots.

India, in their team selection, have been quite unorthodox, to say the least. Once they landed in the West Indies, they opted to go in with three left-arm spinners, something we don’t always see teams doing. Captain Rohit Sharma has been adamant going into this World Cup — probably his last as captain — he won’t care for reputation and will go with in- stinct and current form. Hence, it’s Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav together, unless of course there are seamer friendly conditions available, as Rohit pointed out after the win on Thursday. Even though Jadeja, Axar and Kuldeep are left-armers, they are not necessarily the same bowlers. As for Jadeja and Axar, the release points are not the same, because the Gujarat man is taller. So the bounce and the angles that are generated are different and the use of the crease is also not the same. Jadeja comes closer to the stumps while Axar normally prefers to go slightly wider while delivering the ball.

Kuldeep, meanwhile, is a wrist-spinner who is a completely different kettle of fish. He is an out-and-out attacking option. Rohit looks to buy wickets with him, even if it is at the cost of a few runs, as was the case against Afghanistan.

Axar, who is one of the key components of this attacking formation, explained how they go about their job. “We have played quite a bit together and we communicate well. Whoever comes to bowl first lets the other know what is working and what is not. I think that is very important when you work as a bowling unit,” Axar said.

While Kuldeep and Jadeja are the ones who are brought into action after the Powerplay is over, Axar often bowls in the first six overs as well, when nine fielders are inside the ring. “I can bowl in the Powerplay, middle or towards the end, in the 15th or 16th overs. I know my role well and can be called by the captain in any situation. My plan is to know what the team needs at that time — if there is a need for wickets I go for it, if the choice is to defend, I try that,” Axar said. The left-armer explained that with examples from the Pakistan game in New York, where Axar bowled a superb 16th over to turn the game around. “In that game, I felt that if I give less runs in the 16th over, that would be very good for the team. So, basically according to the situation, I plan my bowling,” Axar said.

Jadeja is more or less similar, just that his role is slightly more restricted between the 7th and 15th overs. He has been doing it for CSK for a long time now and if he can translate his IPL performances into something similar in the World Cup, India can go from strength to strength.

JADEJA

AXAR

Rashid & his lonely quest for excellence

RASHID

Dwaipayan.Datta@timesgroup.com

Bridgetown: There are times you feel for Rashid Khan. Shane Warne used to call him the best modernday spinner. However, there isn’t enough international success to back up such a claim. Take Thursday’s game, for example. The spinner was outstanding against an Indian batting lineup that is probably the best against spin across the globe. He had figures of 3/26. The wickets in his bag were that of Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Shivam Dube, all excellent players of spin. Yet, the first question coach Jonathan Trott and Rashid himself had to face after the defeat was whether the skipper did the right thing by finishing his quota of overs within the 15th over.

While Rashid was smiling sitting at the other end of the table, Trott categorically said that “it was definitely not the reason why Afghanistan lost the match”.

But that’s the predicament of Rashid in a team like Afghanistan, where he doesn’t always get the support to churn out consistent winning performances. In a way, he at times reminds you of Kapil Dev away from home in the late 1970s and through the 1980s.

When Trott was asked about Rashid’s role, the coach’s first reaction was: “How much time do we have?” “With all great players it’s often what they do off the field, that’s not in front of the cameras. The way they conduct themselves. Rash is sitting here and he won’t mind me saying, setting high standards for themselves that take others with them and inspire other people is what he does,” Trott said.

While Rashid is probably the best spinner playing in this World Cup, the coach insists that he “never stops learning”. “It’s his work ethic, desire, ability to listen and learn, and always wanting to grow and discover, try new deliveries, and push the boundaries of the game,” Trott enlisted the qualities that have made the 25-year- old a global superstar.

It’s true that Rashid sets an example for his teammates, but against India it wasn’t enough. There wasn’t enough help either with the bat or ball that could ensure a win for Afghanistan.

You could see Rashid was disappointed, but he tried not to blame his younger colleagues, who according to him “are still new to international cricket”.

We have seen time and time again, both in the IPL and international cricket, that despite the options Rashid has, he generally sticks to a plan. He was probably slightly frustrated on Thursday about the fact that his teammates were “trying too many things”. “You don’t need to have so many plans, it is about one clear plan and sticking to it. In your desperation to try many things, if you end up giving three extra boundaries, that’s when the pressure starts to build, especially against top sides,” Rashid said.

SA pip England by 7 runs, move closer to semifinal

Gros Islet: A fluent fifty by Quinton de Kock and a gritty effort by bowlers powered South Africa to a tight sevenrun win over England in their Group 2 Super Eights match of the T20 World Cup here on Friday.

Harry Brook made 53 off 37 balls (7x4) but there was not much contribution from other batters as defending champions ended up at 156/6, chasing 164. Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj took two wickets apiece for SA.

Earlier, De Kock made a forceful half-century but South Africa were limited to 163 for six. De Kock made 65 (38b, 4x4, 4x6), while David Miller’s 43 (28b) gave the South African innings the late impetus. For England, pacer Jofra Archer starred with 3-40. PTI

Brief scores: South Africa: (Quinton de Kock 65, David Miller 43; Jofra Archer 3/40) bt England 156/6 in 20 overs (Harry Brook 53, Liam Livingstone 33; Keshav Maharaj 2/25, Kagiso Rabada 2/32) by 7 runs

GALLERY

Pelé’s mother Celeste Arantes dies at age 101

Sao Paulo: Celeste Arantes, the mother of late soccer great Pelé, died on Friday at age 101. Arantes spent the past five years in a vegetative state and was not informed about her famous son’s death in 2022. Pelé was one of Arantes’ three children. AP

ACTION TODAY

ARCHERY: Archery WC, Stage 3, compound team final, 12.30 pm (Sony Sport);

CRICKET: ICC T20 WC, India vs Bangladesh, 8 pm (Star Sports);

FOOTBALL: Euro 2024, Georgia vs Czechia, 6.30 pm; Turkey vs Portugal, 9.30 pm; Belgium vs Romania, 12.30 am (Sony Sports);

TENNIS: Halle Open, 4.30 pm, (Eurosport)

Jay Shah invites state units for a session to exchange ideas

Gaurav.Gupta@timesgroup.com

Mumbai: Board secretary Jay Shah has invited all the representatives of the state associations under it for a get-together at the BCCI’s HQ in Mumbai and to “exchange ideas to improve cricket in India” and watch the India versus Australia T20 World Cup match on June 24.

In a communication to the state associations on June 14, Shah has written: “It is my pleasure to extend an invitation to you to come to Mumbai to have a session to meet, exchange ideas and watch together the India v. Australia World Cup match on June 24, 2024. Fri- ends, it has been sometime since we have met in person and had discussions on important topics.”

“I feel (that) it is imperative that we meet from time to time and have regular informal discussion on the issues concerning cricket and how to further improve cricket in India. It is with these things in mind that I hereby invite you to an evening of exchanging ideas and discussion at Mumbai along with a live stream of the exciting match between India and Australia in the ongoing T20 World Cup,” Shah has stated in his communication. The BCCI wants its state unit office-bearers to have a look at the recently renovated Board HQ in Mumbai.

T20 WC: Pak players criticised over ‘family trip’

Lahore: Pakistan’s disastrous T20 World Cup campaign in the USA has expectedly triggered a backlash against the players, who are being criticised for taking their families along, even as their beleaguered cricket board mulled invoking a new defamation law to tackle “unsubstantiated claims and reports”.

According to a local media report, apart from the nearly 34 players, support staff and officials who were part of the national squad in the USA, the team hotel was teeming with around 26 to 28 family members of the players.

These included their wives, children, parents and even siblings in some cases. Pakistan were eliminated after losing to India and USA in their group league matches held in New York. The report said players like Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, and Muhammad Amir were among those who had family members travelling with them.

Babar, who is not married, had his father, mother and brothers staying in the team hotel. “The extra expenses incurred on having families is obviously paid by players but having family members around does hit the focus of the players,” another report said. “Some 60 rooms were booked where the team stayed to accommodate the other people travelling with the team. The environment was a family one with take-away dinners and outings being the norm for some players,” one report said.

Amir had also taken his personal trainer to the World Cup at his own expense despite the team having a foreign trainer, strength conditioning coach, physiotherapist and doctor.

PCB mulls legal action against unverified reports:

The Pakistan Cricket Board will be using a new defamation law by the Punjab government to go after digital or mainstream media who insinuate corruption by players during the World Cup or make very personal remarks about them. A source in the PCB said that the Board’s legal department has already started working on possible notices under the new defamation law. “These people will be asked to prove their allegations or face action under the new defamation law," he said. PTI

EURO 2024’S LEADING SCORER: OWN GOAL

In the games so far, own goals are top of the scoring chart at six in this Euro edition, three more than the entire 64 games played in 2022 World Cup. Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori was the unlucky one on Thursday night.

THE UNFORTUNATE ONES

Fabian Schar

SCOTLAND V SWITZERLAND

Scott McTominay’s shot was well struck but it was heading towards the grateful hands of Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer until Schar’s intervention deflected the ball into the roof of the net.

Robin Hranac

PORTUGAL V CZECH REP

Across to the back post was headed towards goal by Portugal’s Nuno Mendes but Jindrich Stanek’s save ricocheted off the knee of Hranac into his own net.

Max Wober

FRANCE V AUSTRIA

Kylian Mbappe’s wing wizardry broke Austria’s resistance and unfortunate Wober could only head Mbappe’s cross past his own goalkeeper Patrick Pentz.

Klaus Gjasula

CROATIA V ALBANIA

Luka Sucic’s shot was blocked by a defender but found Klaus Gjasula’s leg and bounced back into the goal.

Antonio Rudiger

GERMANY V SCOTLAND

Andy Roberson’s freekick somehow found Rudiger’s head and flashed past Manuel Neuer leaving a taint on Germany’s dominant show.

RICCARDO CALAFIORI

SPAIN V ITALY

Nico Williams’s shot from the left was parried by the Italian keeper Donnarumma, but Riccardo Calafiori’s attempted clearance landed into the net to his utter dismay.

SPAIN SERVE IT HOT AND SPICY

Luis De La Fuente’s Young Team Advances To Knockout Round With Statement Win Over Defending Champions Italy

MAN OF THE MATCH: Spain’s Nico Williams blazed down the left flank and harassed Italy defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo (No. 2) on Thursday night

Gelsenkirchen: Spain fans — including King Felipe — purred with a growing belief that their team can go all the way and be crowned Euro 2024 winners after an utterly dominant victory over defending champions Italy.

Livewire winger Nico Williams was irresistible in Spain’s 1-0 win over Italy at, the pick of a selection of exciting young stars who are raising hopes of a return to the glory days for La Roja.

The 21-year-old Athletic Bilbao left-winger ran Italy right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo ragged in Gelsenkirchen as Spain made it two wins from two at the tournament to clinch top spot in Group B and a last-16 berth.

The only wonder was how Spain did not win by a wider margin in a performance which earned them a measure of revenge for what happened when the sides met at Euro 2020. The winners of Euro 2008 and Euro 2012 lost on penalties to Italy in the semifinals at Wembley three years ago.

It was a display which put the reigning champions firmly in their place and sent out a message to the rest of the continent to watch out for the nation that enjoyed so much success a decade ago.

They completely dominated here, with the craft and skill of 21-year-old duo Williams and Pedri, and 16-year-old Lamine Yamal — the trio behind striker Alvaro Morata — proving too much for their opponents. It took several important saves from Gianluigi Donnarumma to keep Italy in the game in the first half, including one from a Pedri header following a Williams cross inside 90 seconds. Williams spent most of his evening wreaking havoc on the left. It was from there that he made the goal 10 minutes after the break, as he again got away from Di Lorenzo before sending in a cross that was bundled into his own net by Riccardo Calafiori.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said, “I am delighted and proud not just with the result against a great side, the reigning European champions, but with the way in which we got it. Opponents get to know you as you go along and so it is very hard to win a competition like this, but I think there is no team better than us and we just need to keep working and playing as we have been. Football is physical but it is also about technique and tactics. We felt superior in every aspect,” De la Fuente said of his team’s display. I think it was undoubtedly the best game of the 17 of which I have taken charge, the most complete,” said the 62-yearold, who replaced Luis Enrique in the dugout after Spain went out of the 2022 World Cup in the last 16 to Morocco.

AGENCIES

BAGGIO ROBBED AT HOME DURING ITALY’S LOSS TO SPAIN

Rome: Retired Italy star Roberto Baggio was robbed at gunpoint at his home while watching the national team’s game against Spain at the European Championship. At least five armed robbers burst into Baggio’s villa near in Vicenza around 10 pm, according to Italian media reports. One struck Baggio on the head with the butt of a gun when the former soccer player confronted them. The robbers locked the 57-year-old Baggio and his family in a room while they stole jewellery, watches and cash.

After the thieves left, Baggio broke down the door and called police. He was taken to the hospital and received stitches for the wound. His family members were not harmed. “Luckily, the violence I suffered only resulted in a few stitches, bruises and a lot of fear. Now it is to overcome the fear,” Baggio was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA.

Baggio played 56 games for Italy, scoring 27 goals.

AP

PREVIEWS

Guler Turkiye’s hope against Portugal

Dusseldorf: Arda Guler will test his mettle against a Portugal team packed with big names on Saturday after the Turkish teenager showed why he is a star in the making with one of the goals of Euro 2024.

Real Madrid midfielder Guler crashed in Turkey’s stupendous second goal in Tuesday’s thrilling 3-1 win over Georgia. The 19-year-old’s rocket of a shot put Turkiye ahead against spirited Georgia.

“(Real Madrid coach Carlo) Ancelotti wrote me a message today but I couldn’t scroll through all the ones I got from my teammates!” said Guler after the match.

Guler and Turkey will be through to the last 16 as Group F winners if they beat Portugal and the Czech Republic don’t beat Georgia, who pushed Turkey all the way in their major international tournament debut. Also pushing Turkey will be their hordes of fans who will once again descend on the Westfalenstadion in huge numbers and create a hostile atmosphere for a Portugal side stacked with talent and experience. Guler will share the pitch with ageing ex-Real Madrid icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe, who at 41 years old is the oldest player to ever play at a European Championship. He is at his fifth Euros as a former winner while Guler became the youngest player to score for Turkey with his first strike for his country, another special curler against Wales in qualifying.

“His goals don’t surprise me as we also played together at club level,” Fenerbahce defender Ferdi Kadioglu told UEFA’s website.

Belgium in danger of early exit as vital Romania clash looms

Cologne: Belgium are in danger of an embarrassing early exit as the serial underachievers face a crunch clash with Romania on Saturday.

After a shock 1-0 loss to Slovakia in their Group E opener, Domenico Tedesco’s side will be pushed to the brink of elimination if they suffer a second successive defeat in Cologne. Belgium will be unable to finish in the top two if they lose to Romania and Ukraine do not beat Slovakia, with their hopes of going through as one of the four best third-placed teams also extremely slim.

Slovakia’s unexpected victory blew Group E wide open, just hours after Romania beat Ukraine 3-0 in the other match in that pool.

Czechs aim to attack more

Hamburg: The Czech Republic aim to shackle Georgia’s exciting winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in Saturday’s Euro 2024 clash while unleashing their own attackers more than they could in their opener.

Coach Ivan Hasek’s side were largely on the back foot in their first Group F game where they lost 2-1 to Portugal, and want to express themselves more against unfancied Georgia who also lost their first match.

“We really do want to attack, get set pieces, and be dangerous,” Hasek said. “We didn’t attack that well in the first game, and that’s why we want to do it tomorrow.”

AGENCIES

Messi off to bright start in latest quest for glory

Helps In Both Goals As Argentina Beat Canada 2-0

AGELESS WONDER: Lionel Messi was involved in Argentina’s two goals against Canada and extended his tournament assists record to 18

Atlanta: Lionel Messi’s latest quest for international glory in the twilight of his career is off to a smooth start with Argentina’s 2-0 win over Canada at the Copa America opening. Despite winning accolades galore at club level from an early age, it took Messi until 34 to triumph with Argentina at a major international tournament, lifting first the 2021 Copa America then the 2022 World Cup.

Now, with fans wondering if this is his last dance on the big stage, Messi’s Argentina are red hot favourites to win a successive Copa America.

The stage appears set for Messi, who turns 37 next week.

Perennial rivals Brazil are on a poor run of form while Argentina are brimming with talent all around, headlined by their captain, and the July 14 Copa final takes place in Florida where Messi is ending his career with Major League Soccer club Inter Miami.

Thursday night’s victory over Canada on a below-par temporary grass pitch in Atlanta was not a vintage performance: the Argentine captain and talisman missed a couple of clear chances though he also had a hand in both goals.

“The important thing is that we started with a win,” said Messi.

“We struggled a bit in the first half and the pitch didn’t help either,” he added after his record 35th Copa America finals appearance. “We’ll always give our best, sometimes playing better, sometimes worse, but always fighting our hardest.” It was Messi’s perfectly weighted pass to Alexis Mac Allister that made Julian Alvarez’s opener followed by another controlled through ball to assist Lautaro Martinez’s second. “When Lionel Messi gets going, everything looks easy,” football writer Diego Provenzano wrote in Argentine daily Clarin.

Messi could yet make the 2026 World Cup, depending on how his body holds up, but coach Lionel Scaloni has urged fans to stop speculating about that and just enjoy the moment. “It doesn’t make much sense to be thinking about when they are not here,” he said of Messi and veteran striker Angel DiMaria. “Let’s enjoy them now. Then we’ll see what happens.”

Argentina next face Chile and Peru in Group A of the U.S.-hosted tournament between 16 teams in the Americas. With some, including French striker Kylian Mbappe, suggesting the Copa is inferior to the also ongoing European Championship, Messi noted that his tournament included teams with 10 World Cups between them: Brazil (5) Argentina (3), and Uruguay (2).

“There are a lot of world champions left out to say that it (the Euros) is the most difficult tournament,” he said.

THE STICKY TURF

After the match, the teams criticized the playing surface at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“The field was a disaster,” Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said. “It seems like a springboard with the ball jumping. They need to improve this. If not, Copa America will always be at lower level than the Euro.” Grass was installed after a Major League Soccer game Saturday was played on the usual artificial turf at the stadium.

“Thank goodness we won. Otherwise it would have been a cheap excuse,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “The field is not apt for these players.” The stadium will host eight games during the 2026 World Cup. “It felt like walking on a stage, as if it was hollow,” Canadian defender Kamal Miller said.

AGENCIES

Yaremchuk’s late strike revives Ukraine hopes

Ukraine’s Roman Yaremchuk scores their second goal

Dusseldorf: Ukraine’s third comeback triumph in four competitive games in 2024 kept them in contention at the European Championship on Friday as Roman Yaremchuk’s goal sealed a 2-1 victory over Slovakia.

After two 2-1 comeback wins in the playoffs in March to reach Euro 2024, beating Slovakia by the same score revives the team’s campaign. Ukraine’s poor goal difference following a 3-0 loss to Romania on Monday meant another defeat would have put it on the brink of elimination.

Playing in heavy rain, Slovakia took the lead in the 17th minute with a header from Ivan Schranz, who also scored the only goal in their surprise 1-0 win over Belgium four days earlier.

Oleksandr Zinchenko then crossed low for Mykola Shaparenko to score Ukraine’s first goal of the tournament in the 54th.

Shaparenko played his part in the second goal, too, sending a long pass over the top for Yaremchuk, who controlled the ball with his first touch before prodding it past goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

Slovakia are level with Ukraine and Romania on three points in Group E.

Ukraine coach Serhiy Rebrov made four changes but the same fragility in defence remained. Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, in for Real Madrid’s Andriy Lunin after errors against Romania, made a series of saves early on but could do nothing to stop Schranz’s header.

Austria’s win pushes Poles to the brink

ARNAUTOVIC

Berlin: Austria secured a 3-1 victory over Poland in their Euro 2024 Group D match on Friday to renew hopes of a top-two finish and a spot in the knockout stage while leaving their opponents in last place with no points and only a slim chance of advancing.

In a furious start, the Austrians, now on three points from two matches as many as France and Netherlands who meet later on Friday applied early pressure and it paid off in the ninth minute with Gernot Trauner’s powerful header at the near post.

Poland, who have now lost both of their matches, levelled through Krzysztof Piatek’s his second attempt in the box after his first effort was blocked on the half-hour mark.

Fit-again Poland striker Robert Lewandowski came on in the 60th minute but it was Austria who scored twice more, first with a flowing move and Christoph Baumgartner finish just inside the box in the 66th and a Marco Arnautovic penalty 12 minutes later.

To avoid elimination, Poland need the Netherlands to beat France in a later Group D match on Friday.

Robert Lewandowski, who missed Poland’s first match against the Netherlands due to an injury, came on in the second half but failed to make an impact.

Both teams lost their first matches, with Poland falling to the Netherlands 2-1 and Austria losing to France 1-0.

GALLERY

Shreyasi in shooting squad for Olympics

New Delhi: The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Friday announced a final 21-member Indian shooting team for the Paris Olympics after the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) accepted their request for a quota swap. Shreyasi Singh has now been added to the team as a result and she will be starting the event alongside Rajeshwari Kumari. The team now comprises 8 members in rifle, 7 in pistol and 6 in shotgun discipline. Adding the mixed events, the shooting team will now have 28 starts at the quadrennial sporting extravaganza.

Odisha govt pledges support for Indian hockey until 2036: The newly elected BJP government in Odisha has extended the sponsorship deal with Hockey India until 2036 affirming the state’s commitment to the sport, which brought the country a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics after more than four decades. Odisha has been sponsoring Indian hockey since 2018.

Gauff headlines US team at Paris Olympics: US Open champion Coco Gauff is set to make her Olympic debut this year after being named in a Paris-bound American tennis team that includes six first time Olympians. World No. 2 Gauff, who was unable to compete in the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for Covid-19, will be joined on the US women’s singles team by Jessica Pegula, Danielle Collins and Emma Navarro.

Alcaraz plans ATP talks over ‘new’ shot clock rule: World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz said he would speak to the ATP about a “new” shot clock rule being trialled by the governing body after feeling rushed during his defeat by Briton Jack Draper at the Queen’s Club Championships. Alcaraz’s preparations for his Wimbledon title defence suffered a setback with his 7-6(3) 6-3 loss to Draper in the last 16. The 25-seconds shot clock was previously started only when the chair umpire called the score but the tweak to the rule in the trial means that the countdown to a serve begins almost immediately after a point is concluded.

Denmark’s men footballers refuse salary rise to secure equal pay for women: Denmark’s male footballers have refused a salary increase for playing for the national side to gain their female counterparts equal basic pay. “The men’s team chose not to ask for a salary increase... to improve the conditions of the women’s team,” union spokesperson Magnus Hviid told AFP. He welcomed “an extraordinary measure to help take this small step in the right direction”, but acknowledged there were “still more glass ceilings to break to ensure equal opportunities and conditions”.

AGENCIES

No fixed hours, we take work home too, say senior officials

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Senior officers complain that they do not have any fixed office hours as they usually leave after 7pm. Besides, they argue that post-Covid, with access to electronic files, they often end up working from home, including on holidays or over the weekend. Soon after coming to office in 2014, Modi govt had sought to enforce office timings, which was resisted by employees, many of whom argued that they travel long distances.

Aadhaar-enabled biometric attendance system was monitored to ensure that people were on time, until Covid led to suspension of the mechanism. Several senior officers had installed biometric devices on their table to avoid standing in queues to mark their attendance.

The latest directive refers to instructions issued last year which had asked central govt employees to revert to biometric attendance, which was resumed in Feb 2022. “Habitual late coming and early leaving of office should be viewed seriously and discouraged. Action against the same may be initiated,” it had said.

In departments, where IT-enabled faceless mechanism of dealing with public has been put in place, several employees routinely skip office or come in for a short while. The move is expected to enforce greater discipline but will also annoy employees who routinely walk in at 10am or even after that.

Student, 21, shot dead in Dhanbad

Dhanbad:Amardeep Bhagat (21), a student of a private engineering college and a resident of Jharkhand’s Manaitand, was shot dead by unknown assailants on Friday, said police, reports Anil Ashutosh.

Bhagat was found in the bushes near the law college football ground from where he was taken to SNM Medical College, Dhanbad, but he succumbed to gunshot wounds.

‘INDIA NEEDS 20 YEARS TO MAKE PROGRESS’

Big Name Coach Won’t Take The Job, Says Stimac

FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS: Former national men’s football coach Igor Stimac

Marcus.Mergulhao@timesgroup.com

Panaji: Igor Stimac isn’t going down without a fight.

Sacked earlier this week for a string of disappointing results that started with India finishing as the worst-performing among 24 teams at the AFC Asian Cup — no goals, no point — and missing out on qualification to the next stage of the Fifa World Cup qualifiers, Stimac said he was planning to resign, even if India had made it to the third round of the qualifiers for the first time.

“I had informed some senior players that I have decided to leave, even if India qualified, since it was impossible to work without proper support, just lis- tening to lies,” Stimac told reporters during an online media interaction that lasted for almost two hours on Friday. “Nobody was bothered about the players, everyone (at the All India Football Federation) is more worried about their own personal interests.”

For most part, Stimac trained his guns at senior AIFF officials, starting with president Kalyan Chaubey. “Sooner he leaves, Indian football stands a chance,” he roared. Vice president NA Haris was always “entering airports, travelling, not serious enough (about football),” while secretary general M Satyanarayan, he said, astounded him by proposing an Inter-Continental Cup in July, a time when clubs start their preseason. Even the legendary IM Vijayan wasn’t spared. In his words, “a great footballer and legend but not the right person to be chairman of a technical committee.”

Then there was the customary stick reserved for FSDL, the body that owns and runs the In- dian Super League (ISL), India’s top-tier league. Stimac said the contract between AIFF and FSDL started in good faith but remains questionable. “The league and top tier cannot be run by corporate business,” he said.

Handed an extension seven months ago, Stimac was sacked this week after a poor AFC Asian Cup campaign and an even poor- er Fifa World Cup qualifying run. The sacking, Stimac suggested, came less than 24 hours after he had told the AIFF that he was negotiating with two potential employers and needed time to resign. “I told (AIFF secretary general) Satya I am negotiating with two parties for jobs in the future, so until the end of the month, I will accept one of the of- fers and you won’t have to pay more than one (month’s) salary. The next day I received the termination letter on email. I could not believe it. This happened only half a day after telling him to be patient and not get influenced with social media,” said Stimac.

A bronze medal winner at the Fifa World Cup in 1998 with Croatia, Stimac got the India job in 2019 after convincing the technical committee that he could help Indian footballers punch above their weight. Five years later, while India are playing more attractive football and won a record three trophies last year, the Croat is leaving with a bitter taste in his mouth.

“I came here with open arms, but your football is imprisoned. Without the law being changed and allowing PIO players to represent India, nothing will change. It’s a slow process. Will take another two decades or so to make progress,” said Stimac.

The AIFF has started the process to look for Stimac’s successor. On the first day itself, there were 45 applications from coaches across the world.

But given the negative publicity surrounding the sport here, Stimac felt the job wouldn’t attract bigger profiles. “The new coach will know immediately (what awaits him),” he said. “You cannot get a big-name coach. Everyone knows what kind of things we deal with in Indian football. How we operate, you might get someone who is desperate for a job. Don’t think there will be any success.”

Asked what he would have done differently during his five year tenure, Stimac said he should have resigned after the SAFF Championship in July last year, winning his third trophy of the year. “I shouldn’t have trusted these people,” said Stimac. “After winning three trophies in 2023, I had huge support among the media and fans. As much as they wanted me out, they could do nothing. The only way they knew of running was through social media. They don’t care about other things. It’s a wrong approach to run any serious institution.”

PGA C’ship: Aditi makes steady start

R.Satya@timesgroup.com

Sammamish (USA): It took the country’s leading pro Aditi Ashok nine holes to find her rhythm and range. Three-over at the turn, the 26-year-old found her touch just as the mercury began to soar on the opening day of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship here on Thursday.

But for one poor shot on the 14th hole, the Bengalurean hardly put a foot wrong on the back nine en route to an even-par 72 in the $10.4 million event at the par-72, 6,754-yard Sahalee Country Club course. Aditi was tied 22nd, four shots off the pace.

American Lexi Thompson, who got off the blocks with three straight birdies in the afternoon, took a one-shot lead over Olympic champion Nelly Korda and Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit. Playing a few groups ahead of Thompson, Aditi hit her straps on the back nine with two back-to- back birdies. She sank a monstrous 50-foot putt on the 10th and holed an eight-footer on the next that was set up by a brilliant gap wedge third shot.

Aditi dropped a shot on the 14th, where she left her 8-iron second shot short of the green and missed a 12-foot par putt. She quickly put that blemish behind her and nailed the pin on the 16th with a 7-iron for a birdie and sank a tough 15-footer on the closing hole for her 72 on a tough scoring day. “I didn’t play well on the first nine holes,” said Aditi, the first Indian athlete to book an Olympic spot. “It was good to bounce back with four birdies on the back nine.”

Select scores (After 18 holes): 68: Lexi Thompson (US); 69: Patty Tavatanakit (Thai), Nelly Korda (US); 70: Mao Saigo (Jpn), Hinako Shibuno (Jpn), Madelene Sagstrom (Swe), Celine Boutier (Fra), Charley Hull (Eng); 71: Ruoning Yin (Chn, T-15); 72: Aditi Ashok (Ind, T-22).

Indian-American Akshay Bhatia tied second at Travelers Championship

Cromwell: Indian-American Akshay Bhatia is lying second after the first round of the Travelers Championship. Bhatia shot 6-under 64 as Korea’s Tom Kim fired his lowest score of the season with a 8-under 62 for a two-shot lead.

Bhatia was bogey-free with four birdies and an eagle, while Kim, also bogey-free, had eight birdies. Another Indian-American Sahith Theegala (71) was T-33.

Rahil takes 5-shot lead: India’s Rahil Gangjee shot a three-under-67 to take a massive five-shot lead after the third and penultimate round of the Selangor Masters. Gangjee has two wins on the Asian Tour – at the Volkswagen Masters in 2004 in China and then 14 years later in Japan at the Panasonic Open. Among other Indians, only Saptak Talwar (71-71-76) made the cut and is now at tied-40.

AGENCIES

‘Gambhir a misunderstood person’

Star Off-Spinner R Ashwin Backs Frontrunner For Team India Coaching Job

MAKING HIS POINT: R Ashwin with his wife Prithi Narayanan during the cricketer’s book launch in Chennai

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: In recent months, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has spoken many times about the positive influence Gautam Gambhir has had on Indian cricket.

Be it on his YouTube channel or in his interaction with Gambhir on the platform, Ashwin stressed how “misunderstood” the southpaw is. And, while addressing the gathering during the launch of his autobiography – titled ‘I Have The Streets: A Kutti Cricket Story’ – here on Friday, Ashwin did not forget to mention the pivotal role that Gambhir played in the early stages of his international career.

Gambhir, whom the premier spinner describes as “unbelievably good”, is the favourite to replace Rahul Dravid as the men’s team head coach post the conclusion of the T20 World Cup. “Gautam is a very misunderstood person. If you had seen ‘Kutti Stories’ (Ashwin’s YouTube show), you would have realized that. He is very different, it is a problem of perception. He is a fighter. I have massive respect for him,” said Ashwin.

“Some of the most intense cricket battles I have had are with my friend. I will not give him an inch; he will not give me an inch. I really like that intensity and Gautam is like that. Gautam is a competitor, he is a fighter and is just unbelievable. His hunger and desire not to lose… there are some people who do not smile (when they are on the field). Gautam is unbelievably good at what he does,” added the 37-year-old.

“In my first full series against New Zealand, which was ahead of the 2011 50-over World Cup, Gautam (the stand-in skipper at that time) gave me so much confidence. I was not used to somebody from outside my state (Tamil Nadu) giving me that sort of confidence. MS Dhoni and Gautam were the ones who did this to me,” Ashwin said.

‘TESTS IN CHENNAI ALWAYS SPECIAL’

Ashwin is delighted that his hometown Chennai is back on the Test scene, with the MA Chidambaram Stadium set to host the first match of the two-game series against Bangladesh in September. “I knew that there was going to be a Test match here. I thought that it would be against New Zealand, but it is against Bangladesh. Test matches in Chennai are always special,” said Ashwin, who recently completed a century of Test appearances.

ACE OFFIE TO PLAY TNPL

Ashwin confirmed that he will play the upcoming edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League, which will begin on July 5. He is expected to lead Dindigul Dragons as the franchise chases its maiden TNPL title. “I will be playing the TNPL. I have committed to it.”

India’s position on Dalai Lama consistent and clear, says MEA

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Govt of India’s position on His Holiness the Dalai Lama is clear and consistent. He is a revered religious leader and is deeply respected by people of India. His Holiness is accorded due courtesies and freedom to conduct his religious and spiritual activities, said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. “As regards statements by the US delegation, I would refer you to the US side and it is for them to answer,” he added.

China had on Thursday described the “Tibetan government-in-exile” in Dharamsala as entirely a separatist political group and an “illegal” organisation that violates China’s constitution and laws.

“No country in the world recognises it. When it comes to the contact and talks between Chinese Central Govt and the 14th Dalai Lama, our policy is consistent and clear. The key is that the 14th Dalai Lama must have a complete reflection on and thoroughly correct its political propositions,” said the Chinese foreign ministry.

Hasina to meet PM today, ink several pacts

New Delhi: Foreign minister S Jaishankar called on Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina on Friday shortly after her arrival for what is the first incoming bilateral state visit after formation of new govt in India. Hasina will have a bilateral meeting with PM Narendra Modi on Saturday, after which the two countries are expected to sign several agreements and announce some fresh initiatives. She will call on PrezDroupadi Murmu before returning.

“Delighted to call on PM Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh. Her state visit to India underlines our close and abiding ties. Appreciate her guidance on further development of our special partnership,” Jaishankar posted on X.

TNN

Didn’t expect tip-off to open NEET Pandora’s box: Cops

Police officials detain a Congress worker at a party demonstration to ‘demand justice’ for students affected by alleged irregularities in NEET, in Mumbai on Friday

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The quartet arrested in Patna had been tasked with helping students memorise answers through the night and dropping them at their designated exam centres. “The tip-off turned out to be precise — just that we didn’t expect it would lead to a Pandora’s box linked to NEET-UG. We worked hard on the case and pieced together each clue. The results are there for all to see, although there is still a long way to go,” said Amar Kumar, SHO of Shastri Nagar police station.

During the raid that followed the first arrests in the case, police found 13 roll numbers in the safe house. Within an hour, multiple teams fanned out to NEET exam centres. Four aspirants were picked up and, after interrogating them, cops got nine more names, including that of Sikandar Yadavendu, a junior engineer in Danapur municipal council.

Yadavendu allegedly supplied the question papers and answers to aspi- rants on May 4 to memorise. On May 6, police recovered burnt question papers from Yadavendu’s flat. The next day, 13 people, including parents of some aspirants, were rounded up. On May 11, the case was handed over to EOU. Manavjit Singh Dhillon, DIG of the unit, was deputed to lead the probe.

Suspicions about a paper leak deepened after one of the arrested students, a 19-year-old from Danapur, Yadavendu’s nephew, con- fessed that he had received the same set of questions a day before the test and they were identical to those he had answered at the exam centre. “He said the deal had been struck for a hefty price ranging from Rs 30-40 lakh for confirmed admission. Since then, we have held coaching institute owners, teachers, and some students who were allegedly involved in the racket,” a source said.

Yadavendu and two others allegedly behind the pa- per leak — Nitish Kumar and Amit Anand — confessed to the leak.

The student had stayed at an NHAI guest house arranged by his uncle for a few days before moving to the safe house, police said. Amit and Nitish received the question papers on their WhatsApp on May 4, a day before the exam, from a NEET exam centre in Hazaribagh.

“Photocopies of the question papers were given to the candidates and they were told to memorise the answers. The duplicate question papers were collected later in the morning and burnt,” one official said.

A 22-year-old candidate who scored 185 out of 720 marks overall achieved 85.8 percentile in physics, 51%in biology and 5% in chemistry. He told police that he received the questions a day prior to the test, but couldn’t devote enough time to memorise the chemistry answers.

Police have seized incriminating documents, electronic devices, and a significant amount of cash during the raids.

NIA chargesheet against 5 linked to human trafficking, cyber fraud syndicates; 2 held

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday chargesheeted five accused, including two foreign nationals, in a case relating to human trafficking and cyber fraud syndicates operating both within and outside the country.

While two chargesheeted accused, Jerry Jacob and Godfrey Alvares, are under arrest, remaining three — Sunny Gonsalves and foreign nationals Niu Niu and Elvis Du, are absconding.

As per NIA probe in the case — in which several foreign nationals are involved, as per the chargesheet — the accused were targeting Indian youth who were proficient in computers and English language, and coercing them into working in fraudulent call centres on tourist visa, for pecuniary gains. Victims were being recruited, transported and transferred from India to Golden Triangle SEZ in Lao PDR via Thailand. Upon arrival, they were trained in use of Facebook, Telegram, basics of cryptocurrency, and handling of apps created by the scam company.

The powerful syndicates also used victim control tactics in case any of the trafficked youth refused to continue with the online fraud work. These tactics includ- ed isolation and restriction of movement, confiscation of personal travel documents and physical abuse, arbitrary fines, threat to kill, threat to rape in case of women and threat to arraign in false case of drugs in local police station, etc.

The human trafficking and cyber fraud racket, an NIA spokesperson said, was being operated with audacity, with the accused even deleting data of victims’ mobile phones to destroy evidence. Victims faced threats if they approached the embassy concerned or any local authority. In some cases, victims were held in scam compounds, confined without food for three to seven days, and tortured if they refused to work. They were only released after extraction of extortion payments ranging from Rs 30,000 to Rs. 1,80,000, or intervention by the Embassy of India in Lao PDR on complaints made by the victims.

According to Indian Cyber Coordination Centre (I4C), southeast Asian countries like Lao PDR and Cambodia have of late emerged as the new hubs of financial cyber fraud reported in India, with 46% of defrauded money now lost to cybercrimes like investment scams, digital arrest scams, trading scams and dating scams originating from there.

With 76 heat-stroke deaths, Delhi tops list; UP 2nd with 51

People splash in the Ganga in Prayagraj. According to health ministry data, states/UTs have reported more than 41,000 suspected heat-stroke cases this year with MP reporting the maximum 10,672

Continued from P 1

Heat stroke is a condition characterised by overheating of the body because of prolonged exposure to or physical exertion in high temperatures.

Ministry sources said the death figure may go up further as some deaths suspected to be caused by heat stroke are currently under investigation.

As per data collated by TOI, Delhi has so for recorded 76 heat-related deaths, the highest confirmed toll in the country. These numbers have been gathered from authorities in various govt hospitals in the capital. UP’s Relief Commissioner Office has recorded 51 confirmed heat-related deaths while at least 65 more people were suspected to have died due to ailments related to severe heat, including 51 in Ghaziabad district and 14 in Noida district.

Odisha reported the third highest number of confirmed heat-related deaths at 41, with as many as 118 others who were suspected to have died of aliments related to heat. Bihar confirmed 19 such deaths while Rajasthan’s toll stood at 16.

MP and Chhattisgarh reported 14 and 15 deaths, respectively, suspected to have been caused by heat, while Jharkhand reported 12 such cases, and Haryana and TN five each.

Meanwhile, a health min- istry official explained how the ministry collates data on heat deaths. “The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has laid out guidelines for declaring deaths due to heat-related illnesses. Once the hospital or local authority is satisfied with the same, they upload the data on govt portal,” the official said.

“This year, we have seen 51 heat stroke cases and eight deaths since March. It is unprecedented. Last year, we saw only 3-4 heatstroke cases and one death suspected to have been caused by the condition,” Dr Suresh Kumar, medical director of Delhi’s Lok Nayak hospital told TOI.

According to health ministry data, states/UTs have reported more than 41,000 suspected heatstroke cases this year. MP has reported the maximum 10,672 suspected heatstroke cases, followed by Rajasthan (6,709), Andhra Pradesh (4072) and Jharkhand (3,802). “Labourers who work in the open, car mechanics, sales personnel and elderly people are most susceptible to getting heat stroke and succumbing to it,” the Lok Nayak hospital director said.

Recently, the health ministry directed officials to ensure that all hospitals should be prepared to provide the best healthcare to those affected by the heatwave.

(With inputs from New Delhi, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Bhubaneswar, Ahmedabad and Patna)

Delhi Times

- Robbery at Anupam Kher’s office; cash, film stolen

- Khushi & Vedang witness a shift in contemporary dating dynamics

- ‘FOR US, ONE SITTING MEANS ONE SONG’ - JAVED AKHTAR

- BUZZ STOP

- TAKE A PLUNGE IN THE POOL, TRY AQUA YOGA THIS SUMMER

- ‘Poetry is the music of language’

- Anoushka receives an honorary degree from Oxford Univ

- Action movies are really glamorous, jokes Priyanka

- DID YOU KNOW?

- ZAHEER IQBAL POSES WITH SHATRUGHAN AHEAD OF WEDDING WITH SONAKSHI

- I want to try different kinds of projects: Rajniesh

- I’ve always played negative roles with a positive attitude: Ashutosh

- Must-try places for butter chicken in Delhi

- High fat diets linked to anxiety: Research

- HOW TO: Prepare a vegan poke bowl

- TAKE A PLUNGE: TRY AQUA YOGA THIS SUMMER

- Team India pays tribute to late pacer David Johnson

- YOGA IS MORE THAN JUST COOL ASANAS: SAMYUKTHA

- Music gives me a sense of freedom: Raghu Dixit

- Korean stars dazzle at Milan fashion week

- Learn the Gen Z lingo to pass the vibe check

- We shot Chaiyya Chaiyya on a train to create nostalgia about a train journey: Santosh Sivan

- Donald Sutherland passes away at 88

Robbery at Anupam Kher’s office; cash, film stolen

As per the police officials, the First Information Report was registered at Amboli police station under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and a probe was underway

Two unidentified persons broke into the office of Anupam Kher and stole the negatives of a film produced by his company and `4.15 lakh in cash, police said on Thursday. It came to light around 9.45 on Thursday morning, when the office staff arrived and found the locks broken, he said.

Kher wrote, “Last night in my Veera Desai Road office two thieves broke two doors and stole the entire safe from the accounts department (which they probably couldn’t break) and the negatives of a film produced by our company which was in a box. Our office has filed an FIR.” CCTV footage outside the building showed the duo leaving in an auto rickshaw. PTI

Khushi & Vedang witness a shift in contemporary dating dynamics

Khushi Kapoor and Vedang Raina

Women will now have more control over who they engage on a dating app. Bumble, the women-first dating app, has launched an Indiawide integrated campaign with Khushi Kapoor and Vedang Raina. Titled ‘Opening Moves’, the app’s new feature added to their ‘Make The First Move’ functionality, is set to give women users the option to set a question that their matches can respond to, creating a new way to engage with connections.

Khushi says, “Being a part of this collaboration is really exciting for me. It represents a crucial shift in contemporary dating dynamics, empowering women to take charge of their own romantic journeys. I’m happy to work with Bumble on this campaign which contributes to the transformation of the dating landscape, which is something that’s important to me and my generation.”

Vedang adds, “Making the first move is not always easy, and I love that the brand has continuously chosen to stay true to their women-first philosophy by updating how women can continue to initiate conversations on their own terms with the introduction of Opening Moves! I’m thrilled to be a part of a campaign that’s spearheading a shift towards a more equitable dating atmosphere. I hope that by watching us try this feature, women see that they can use it to prioritise their preferences and dating approaches.”

‘FOR US, ONE SITTING MEANS ONE SONG’ - JAVED AKHTAR

‘I FEEL SECURE THAT JAVED SIR IS WITH ME IN THE INDUSTRY’ - SHANKAR MAHADEVAN

Music triggers wonderful feelings and is such an amazing tool of communication. Through World Music Day, we can celebrate music because the language of music is universal – Shankar Mahadevan Shankar is very special to me. Recently, I went to his house and we had a huge lunch... By evening, we had completed a song. Our ultimate work together was Breathless – Javed Akhtar

Debarati S Sen

On the occasion of World Music Day (June 21), renowned writer, lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar and Grammy-winner, singercomposer Shankar Mahadevan, came together to share some moments with us to talk about their musical memories, their strong bond and most of all, their endless fascination for music.

Your entire life has been immersed in music, words, sur and poetry…does the beauty of it all still continue to fascinate you?

Javed: The origin of music always fascinates me. That’s how humans must have found rhythm and sur in the universe – in nature, through birds, rivers, waterfalls, wind, and so on. It’s so fascinating how human beings all over the world discovered that there are seven notes.

CONTINUED ON 2

BUZZ STOP

GUJARAT HC EXTENDS STAY ON RELEASE OF MAHARAJ BY ANOTHER DAY

The Gujarat High Court on Thursday extended its interim stay to the release of Maharaj, the debut film of Aamir Khan’s son Junaid, for one more day. It is based on the Maharaj Libel Case of 1862. The court had restrained the release temporarily in response to a plea filed on behalf of followers of the Pustimargi sect. The plea argued that the film is scandalous and could disrupt public order. PTI

TAKE A PLUNGE IN THE POOL, TRY AQUA YOGA THIS SUMMER

Thanks to soaring temperatures, aqua yoga is growing in popularity. It helps in physical fitness and mental well-being, say experts.

P10

JUKEBOX

‘Poetry is the music of language’

‘Music unites people in a powerful, beautiful way’

Our ultimate collaboration was Breathless! The idea was with me for almost 6-7 years. I’d mentioned it to different singers and music directors. Everybody liked the idea, but nobody took it up. Then I met Shankar at a music label’s office and I mentioned it to him. He immediately agreed to do it and that is how it started – Javed Akhtar

SHANKAR MAHADEVAN When I was around three, I saw an instrument (harmonium). At that time, I didn’t even know what it was and started playing a bhajan that we used to sing at home. That was my first memory of music – Shankar Mahadevan

JAVED AKHTAR

CONTINUED FROM 1

Javed: Even when I think about how music developed in prehistoric times, it fascinates me. Music is inherent in human nature. I feel that music is the poetry of sound, and poetry is the music of language. So, of course, we should honour this day, but I feel World Music Day should be celebrated every day!

Shankar: Music unites people in a beautiful and tremendously powerful way. Music triggers wonderful feelings and is such an amazing tool of communication. It’s great to celebrate World Music Day, because the language of music is universal.

Tell us about your first memories of music – of learning, listening and being blown away by a song.

Shankar: When I was three-and-ahalf years old, I saw an instrument (harmonium). At that time, I didn’t know what it was, and I started playing a bhajan that we used to sing at home. So, that was my first memory of music. The mystery of the seven notes was demystified in one shot.

Javed: My mother, who came from a middle-class background, taught in a college. But being a great music lover, she had a gramophone and some records, a luxury which only rich people could afford back then. In Bhopal, we used to live on the first floor of a building and the owner was on the ground floor. Obviously, he was richer than us because he had a radio, and every time he would play it, we’d hear it too. When I was about five years old, I remember seeing my mother rushing to the balcony, because one of her favourite songs was playing on the radio. She would stand there, and I’d follow her and look at how she’d listen to this song (Ghabra Ke Jo Hum Sar Ko Takraye To Achcha Ho from Mahal) with so much attention. So, that is my first memory of music. Another memory is of my daugh- ter, Zoya, who was about four months old when she used to react only to one song from Raja Jani.

Both of you have worked together as composer-lyricist on over 250 songs. Tell us about the connect that you have and how that leads to creating great music together.

Shankar: I consider him as a blessing that has come to me from above. Javed sir is one person who stood by me like a pillar of strength, he has been a guide and a genuine wellwisher for my entire family. I feel secure that Javed sir is with me in the industry. We don’t feel it’s work when we are creating a song together. One day, Shabana (Azmi) came to the studio and said that if any producer sees the way you both work, they will never pay you. Javed sir’s biggest strength is his humour, and because of that, even serious work gets done easily.

Javed: Shankar is very special to me. Recently, I went to his house and we had a huge lunch. Then we went to his music room, and by evening, we had completed a song. For us, one sitting means one song. Our ultimate work together was Breathless.

Did you always dream of being a musician?

Shankar: I’m from a simple, middle-class South Indian family. I could never think of pursuing music as a career. We were a simple family, we lived in a 1BHK (500sqft) house, so how could I think of making a living out of music? It was far, far beyond my reach.

Javed saab, you come from a family of writers, was writing always your calling?

Music and tunes have always fascinated me. I have the talent and I think that with a little training, I could be a musician. Writing, of course, was inevitable, as that was my heritage, it was in my genes. The last seven generations of my family were writers of a certain known status.

Creating a film’s soundtrack is a collaborative effort, how do you react to feedback that comes your way, given the knowledge and experience you have in this field?

Javed: The director has certain requirements. Then, there are music directors, and more often than not, the songs are written to the tune. So, he may say, ‘Sir, my tune cannot adjust this particular sound or word. There is a murki here and this word is flat and will not allow the murki.’ That happens. But I refuse to accept unnecessary, non-creative suggestions. Sometimes, if the situation becomes impossible, I walk out of it. I have no hesitation in leaving a film. But, I will not write what I am not capable of. I will not write anything that is obscene by any stretch of imagination. I will not write something grammatically wrong. If you don’t know the language, I can’t be responsible for that.

Shankar: I feel the director is closest to the film and the captain of the ship. For a movie, we are not just music composers, we are music designers. The director knows what works best for them. So, we take their inputs positively and design music that satisfies the director’s vision.

Anoushka receives an honorary degree from Oxford Univ

Nine-time Grammy nominated sitarist and composer Anoushka Shankar has received an Honorary Degree from Oxford University.

In an Instagram post noting the accomplishment, Anoushka wrote, “Where to begin? It’s genuinely hard to put into words the day I’ve just experienced. Yesterday I received an Honorary Degree from Oxford University and became a Doctor of Music, and well, what an astounding honour.”

Anoushka, who trained extensively under her father and sitar maestro late Pandit Ravi Shankar, further wrote, “I learned to play music under the watchful tutelage of my father, ‘graduating’ from our home’s music room onto stages across the globe. It was a bold and beautiful way of being brought into being as an artist, and something I wouldn’t change for the world, but what it did mean is that I eschewed traditional higher education, choosing instead to learn on the job rather than in an institution.”

Action movies are really glamorous, jokes Priyanka

Priyanka Chopra has been busy shooting for her upcoming action film. Her recent Instagram carousel, featuring her covered in blood, stands as proof. The actress shared a rather not-so-glam look and joked, “Yeah, when you do action movies, it’s really glamorous!” About the blood she wrote, “For those who can’t tell, we use fake blood for movies. It’s makeup.” TNN

DID YOU KNOW?

The makers of Schindler’s List needed to dress up 20,000 extras

For Schindler’s List, to gather costumes for 20,000 extras, the costume designer took out advertisements seeking clothes. Since economic conditions were poor in Poland when the film was shot in the early 90s, many people were eager to sell.

ZAHEER IQBAL POSES WITH SHATRUGHAN AHEAD OF WEDDING WITH SONAKSHI

Ahead of Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal’s wedding on June 23, veteran star and Sonakshi’s father, Shatrughan Sinha was seen posing with Zaheer outside their residence, on Thursday evening. While Sonakshi’s mother, Poonam Sinha was also spotted by the paps, Sonakshi evaded media attention by swiftly entering the apartment

I want to try different kinds of projects: Rajniesh

I still feel like I have so much more to give to the industry. I won’t say showbiz hasn’t given me a fair chance... Perhaps I was not there at the right places at the right time

Rajniesh Duggal; (below) in a still from the film Dangerous Ishq

Amina Ashraf

Dangerous Ishq fame actor Rajniesh Duggal, last seen in the web series Inspector Avinash alongside Randeep Hooda, has been busy with shoots. After Dangerous Ishq, Rajniesh started taking on new genres to avoid getting pigeonholed. He calls his journey a rollercoaster ride of experiences, from modelling to venturing into films in 2008 and television. He says, “I have learnt to never procrastinate. If I like something, let’s do it. Instead of doing one film a year, I’d rather enjoy playing different parts in television, OTT, or movies. I still feel like I have so much more to give to the industry. Right now, I want to try different kinds of projects. I won’t say showbiz hasn’t given me a fair chance. Maybe it was my laziness or perhaps I was not there at the right places at the right time.

Talking about being typecast and being offered roles that sought bold scenes, similar to the one in the song Mohabbat Barsa Dena, the actor says, “Yes, I started getting similar offers. It took me three to four years to get out of it where I kept declining the offers to avoid being stereotyped. I’ve finally made the decision to not be categorised in that way now. If I were single, or my thought process was different, then I would have probably said yes to them. However, my priority is to balance my family and work life.”

Rajniesh further adds, “I am not against doing intimate scenes. If there is a need for it, I am open to it.”

I’ve always played negative roles with a positive attitude: Ashutosh

Masumi Shah

Ashutosh Rana, whose negative roles in movies like Sangharsh and Dushman are talked about even today, continues to excel at playing the villain. He has demonstrated that in

ample measure in recent OTT shows like Murder In Mahim (2024) and The Great Indian Murder (2022). Excerpts from a chat with the actor.

‘ONSCREEN VILLAIN CHARACTERS HAVE BECOME A LOT MILDER NOW’

Ashutosh says Bollywood doesn’t offer intense villain roles anymore. “As our society evolves, art evolves too. Any piece of literature or cinema reflects our society. So, such changes are bound to happen. Earlier, a dichotomy existed, where good and bad characters had completely separate definitions. Then, gradually, a grey area was added to the narrative. I feel this has led to changes in writing and onscreen villain characters have become a lot milder now,” he feels.

The actor adds, “I think I have received so much love and appreciation because I have always tried to play negative roles with a positive attitude.”

‘Treat every project as my debut’

Talking about his work in theatre, he says, “I’ve returned to theatre after 24 years; my last play was in 2000. I treat every show or project as my debut. Acting is my passion, profession, and education. I passed out from the National School of Drama. Jis se main kamana chahta tha, maine ussi cheez ko padha hai. So, I’m not an actor by chance.”

Ashutosh Rana with Richa Chadha in The Great Indian Murder

WHAT'S HOT - IT'S HAPPENING, IT'S HERE

Must-try places for butter chicken in Delhi

Craving some creamy, tangy, and smoky deliciousness on a plate? Here are some outlets in the city that you can visit to enjoy butter chicken

Savour butter chicken at Ikk Panjab

Winner of six consecutive Times Food and Nightlife Awards, Ikk Panjab is one of the places that is celebrated in the city for its butter chicken. “We offer a taste of pre-partition Panjab with dishes like gosht Beliram from Maharaja Ranjeet Singh’s kitchen, Sialkot masale wali raan, Rawalpindi chooza, Kotkapura atta chicken, Ferozepuri crispy macchi, and more,” says the brand’s management team.

“Our success lies in using authentic, generational recipes,” says Rajan Sethi, Director of the restaurant, adding, “This dedication has earned us the title of the city’s best butter chicken.” The restaurant is also available on online aggregators.

Address: BK Dutt Market, Rajouri Garden

Contact: 9971114104 and 8929096772

Serving north Indian delicacies at Moti Mahal Delux, South Ex-2

One can enjoy an array of North Indian dishes at Moti Mahal Delux. “Established in 1975, our outlet is celebrated for its rich heritage. Our restaurant is renowned for its signature butter chicken. Many food enthusiasts from all over the world visit us to try our butter chicken. This iconic dish has been savoured by generations for over 50 years. With a legacy rooted in culinary innovation, our resto continues to captivate diners with its flavours and service, making it a cherished destination for North Indian cuisine enthusiasts in Delhi.”

Address: Metro Station South Extension, E 31-32, NH 48, South Extension II

Contact: 011 40507400, 011-46081333 and 8700877544

Meal for two: ₹1800

Delicious butter chicken at Goila Butter Chicken

Famous for its smoky butter chicken, Goila Butter Chicken (GBC) is one of the most popular restaurant chains that serves North Indian cuisine in India. “We have more than 100 outlets in over 40 cities,” says the brand’s management team.

“Founded by celebrity chef Saransh Goila, our brand has won the hearts of food lovers. The chef’s famous butter chicken has been widely appreciated. The judges of MasterChef Australia even called it ‘one of the most mind-blowing butter chickens in the world.’ Our version of the dish uses fresh tomatoes cooked slowly for hours and special coalsmoked butter, giving it a depth of flavour.”

The restaurant offers a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, including Goila butter paneer, paneer malai tikka, tawa chaap chatkara, desi ghee wale rajma, kadhai chicken, mutton rogan josh, Delhi tandoori chicken, mutton seekh kebab, and much more.

“Whether you’re dining solo or hosting a corporate event, we deliver fresh meals to your doorstep,” the team adds. The brand recently introduced GBC Pops. The team adds, “To celebrate this launch, we are offering flat ₹150 off on your order; use code FLAT150.” The brand is available on online aggregators.

Contact: 8588887718

Website: www.goilabutterchicken.com

A zesty butter chicken at Karigari

At Karigari by Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi, one can enjoy delicious butter chicken which is made to satisfy your cravings. The restaurant offers a traditional dish with a zesty twist and calls it lemon grass butter chicken. The brand’s management team says, “It is rich and flavourful, simmered with lemongrass-flavoured cashew nut gravy full of flavour and no less than a royal treat.”

Locations: Sector 51, Noida; Sector 142, Noida; Mall Road; Timarpur Civil Lines; Infinity SK Mall, Karkarduma West Metro Station; Punjabi Bagh; Worldmark, Gurgaon; Sector 12, Faridabad; Rajpur Road; Dehradun; Phoenix Mall Of Asia, Bangalore; and Vijay Nagar, Indore

Contact: 9560009998

Enjoy a creamy butter chicken at Chicken Inn, Pandara Road

Chicken Inn on Pandara Road offers North Indian, Mughlai, and Chinese cuisines. “Established in 1960 and founded by Asanad Arora, our restaurant has garnered a loyal following for butter chicken. It is enjoyed for its rich, creamy texture and balanced spices. Now managed by the third generation of the Arora family, the restaurant serves delicious dishes in a welcoming atmosphere.” The brand is set to launch a new outlet in Gurgaon.

Address: 13,14,15 Pandara Road Market;

Contact: 011 23382288; Meal for two: `1800

Relish smoky butter chicken at Currynama by Seven Seas

Known for its tangy flavour and good balance of spices, Currynama by Seven Seas’ butter chicken is one of the top choices for foodies in the NCR. The brand’s management team says, “Our dish features chicken pieces with a smoky flavour, prepared using the dhungar method, combining traditional spices with a modern twist.”

They add, “We use eco-friendly packaging to deliver your meals, ensuring both quality and sustainability. One can visit our website to explore our menu. Some of our must-haves are dal Seven Seas, teh peh teh paneer tikka, kakori kebab taco, and mango trifle.” The outlet is also available on online aggregators.

Locations: Gurgaon, Noida, Preet Vihar, Greater Kailash, Rohini and Lawrence Road

Contact: 8800994060/61/63/64/67/68

Website: www.currynama.com

With a touch of modernity at Punjab Grill

One of the largest North Indian restaurant chains in India, Punjab Grill offers a dining experience that balances age-old customs with modernity. Some of the brand’s must-haves are kebabs, dal Punjab Grill, biryanis, and butter chicken. The brand’s management team says, “Tender pieces of chicken tikka are simmered in the rich, silky buttery gravy prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients, adding a slightly tangy and sweet taste to the dish.”

The brand’s menu also features Punjab Grill Chicken 1965, “a lighter and healthier take on butter chicken.” They add, “In this version, tender pieces of chicken are cooked in a buttery and tomato gravy. Both versions maintain their distinct taste and flavours.”

Location: Select CityWalk; Janpath; Defence Colony; GK 2; Pacific Mall, Tagore Garden; Vegas Mall, Dwarka; Netaji Subhash Place, Pitampura; Aerocity; North India Mall, Ghaziabad; The Mall of Faridabad and Khan Market

Contact: 9811967664

Chef Yuvraj Kohli

Butter chicken

Chef Saransh Goila

Mutton rogan josh

Taw a chaap chatkara

Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi

Butter chicken 1965

Murgh makhani

High fat diets linked to anxiety: Research

We often look forward to a comforting meal (the more fried and cheesy, the better) to relieve our stress or anxiety, but a recent study suggests it might be adding to our discomfort. A study published in BMC Biological Research suggests that highfat diets may contribute to both obesity and anxiety. Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder explored how high-fat diets affect gut microbiome composition, diversity, brain serotonin systems, and anxiety-like behaviours.

Over nine weeks, the researchers studied two groups of rats: one group was fed a control diet containing 11% of their daily calories from fat, while the other was fed a high-fat diet containing 45% of their daily calories from fat.

The research discovered that rats on the high-fat diet had more active genes involved in serotonin production and signalling in the brainstem’s dorsal raphe nucleus – a part of the brain linked to feelings of stress and anxiety. While serotonin is often known as a “happy chemical,” certain serotonin neurons can induce temporary fear or anxiety-like behavioural responses when activated, as explained by the study authors. Agencies

HOW TO: Prepare a vegan poke bowl

PREPARE THE BASE

Choose a base such as sushi rice, brown rice, quinoa, or mixed greens. Cook the rice or quinoa and let it cool slightly.

PREPARE THE VEGAN PROTEIN

Select a plant-based protein such as marinated tofu or chickpeas. If using tofu, cube them and marinate with soy sauce, sesame oil, and a touch of maple syrup for sweetness. If using chickpeas, you can season them with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and spices of your choice.

PREPARE THE VEGGIES

Add cucumber, avocado, carrots, radishes, and any other vegetables you prefer.

These add crunch, colour, and nutrition to your poke bowl.

ASSEMBLE THE BOWL

In a bowl, place your chosen base at the bottom. Arrange the protein on top of the base. Add the chopped vegetables around the bowl.

ADD SAUCE AND GARNISH

Drizzle your favourite sauce over the bowl. A soy-sesame dressing, a creamy tahini dressing, or a spicy sriracha mayo are popular choices. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Summer Splash

TAKE A PLUNGE: TRY AQUA YOGA THIS SUMMER

(L-R) Gurgaon residents Simran Sharma, Anita Taneja, Ekta Sharma and Nandita Basu Chowdhary partake in an aqua yoga session

Divya Kaushik and Shivika Manchanda

Thanks to soaring temperatures, aqua yoga is growing in popularity and many beginners (and even regular practitioners) are turning to the pool, this summer

‘Aqua yoga makes for a great pre-natal workout’

N Radha Arora, a Gurgaon-based yoga therapist, says, “Aqua yoga is for everyone – old or young, swimmers and non-swimmers, to-be moms, people with special needs or ones dealing with mental health issues. Aqua yoga makes for a great pre-natal workout, unless advised otherwise by a doctor. For the ageing population, aqua yoga helps enhance flexibility. There is a demand for private sessions from people with specific needs. Aqua yoga workshops are also often conducted at universities, wellness retreats and corporate off-sites.”

‘Aqua yoga combines the benefits of yoga and swimming’

N Radha Arora says, “Water is like a therapist, it helps transcend you to a somatic stage, and yoga makes your movement fluid. So, the combination of water and yoga aligns your body, brings breath into balance, helps to think clearly. Aqua yoga is one of the best workouts for summer as you don’t perspire in water. Submerging the body into water brings relaxation. A person coming out of an aqua yoga class has a cool state of mind and body.”

Ira Trivedi Mantena, well-known yoga expert and writer, adds, “I think the reason why most youngsters are drawn towards aqua yoga is because it combines the benefits of swimming and yoga. When you are in water, there is additional resistance that water offers and it also has an anti-gravity effect which is great for the body.

‘Young corporate employees are opting aqua yoga for stress relief’

Experts tell us that many young corporate employees are choosing aqua yoga for stress relief. Santosh Kumar, wellness expert based in south Delhi, shares, “Young CEOs, startup owners, who like the idea of being in the pool to beat the heat, have taken up aqua yoga. Yoga can help heal sleep-related issues as it soothes the nervous system and relieves stress. Many beginners want to begin their yoga journey with aqua yoga as it is fun, low-intensity, improves flexibility and strength. For those with joint issues, aqua yoga is a good option as there is lesser pressure on joints.”

Your guide to aqua yoga

 Use colourful aqua yoga gear like pool noodles and dumbbells to make your session fun

 Play ambient music in the background

 Early morning or evening is the best time for aqua yoga

 Full way forward asanas can be modified to be done in the pool or by sitting on the poolside

 Wear dry-fit clothes if you are not comfortable with swimsuits Your guide to aqua yoga

 Use colourful aqua yoga gear like pool noodles and dumbbells to make your session fun

 Play ambient music in the background

 Early morning or evening is the best time for aqua yoga

 Full way forward asanas can be modified to be done in the pool or by sitting on the poolside

 Wear dry-fit clothes if you are not comfortable with swimsuits

N Radha Arora (R), a Gurgaon-based yoga therapist, says, breath into balance, helps you to think clearly”

Aqua yoga is often preferred by people looking to improve their flexibility and mobility

Team India pays tribute to late pacer David Johnson

A file photo of David Johnson (R) with fellow cricketer Dodda Ganesh

The Indian cricket team wore black armbands during their Super 8 match against Afghanistan in the ongoing T20 World Cup as a mark of respect for former Indian pacer David Johnson, aka Benny, who passed away on Thursday after reportedly falling from the balcony of his fourth floor house in Bengaluru.

Former cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Virender Sehwag and Venkatesh Prasad shared condolence messages and tributes for Johnson on social media.

TNN

Who was David Johnson?

Johnson was a part of the pace attack of the Karnataka team in the 1990s, alongside Venkatesh Prasad, Dodda Ganesh and Javagal Srinath. Speaking to PTI, Ganesh said, “It is a shocking news as we had played together from our tennis cricket days for a club. That Karnataka bowling attack was the Indian bowling attack for a long time.” Johnson, a right-arm pacer, had a brief international stint, making his Test debut in the first ever Border-Gavaskar series against Australia. He played two Test matches for India.

Suryakumar Yadav wore a black armband during the match on Thursday

YOGA IS MORE THAN JUST COOL ASANAS: SAMYUKTHA

Devika V Menon

Currently holidaying in Bali, actress Samyuktha Hegde says that seeing so many people actively be a part of yoga is a fascinating experience. “I see how people here value our culture in a way that we often do not do so ourselves,” she tells us. Excerpts from a chat:

‘I SPENT TWO DAYS DOING YOGA AT A FEST IN BALI'

I’m currently on a solo trip to Bali and one of my plans for the break included attending a twoday yoga fest. The entire city of Ubud is like a living tribute to yoga. I visited a place called ‘The Yoga Barn’ and I learnt so much; people practise Samyuktha Hegde practices yoga in Indonesia yoga every day here and they indulge in so many different forms that were unknown to me. It is the epitome of all things yoga.

‘YOGA IS MORE THAN JUST A RELIGIOUS PRACTICE'

Back in India, people hold preconceived notions about yoga, which I feel must be let go of. Firstly, it’s not a religious practice, nor is it just about becoming flexible. Yoga is a discipline. You do it as a mark of respect to your body, giving it the importance it deserves. There are so many advantages associated with yoga; it balances your hormone levels, helps regulate your body clock and your toxin levels go down, too. I really hope the current lack of awareness is mitigated.

‘Just 20 minutes of yoga a day is enough’

As a long-time dancer, I wanted to work on my flexibility and when I came across videos of people practising yoga, I became fascinated by it. Eventually, I got to learn about its health benefits and how different asanas target different body parts and systems. Honestly, spending just 20 minutes a day doing yoga is more than enough. Now, I start and end my day with yoga, irrespective of whichever corner of the world I am in.

‘I am currently hooked to acro yoga’

Other than my main practice, I have been indulging in acro yoga. This is a form of partner yoga where you have to put a lot of trust in your partner. It operates on the principle of counterbalance and once you get into the final pose, it takes next to no effort to maintain it. It is a truly surreal experience.

Samyuktha Hegde practices yoga in Indonesia

Music gives me a sense of freedom: Raghu Dixit

Raghu Dixit

Devika V Menon

Love comes in many forms, and musician and singer Raghu Dixit says his tryst with it was in the 1990s when he first held a guitar and strummed it. “I fell in love with something that I would never stop loving,” he says.

‘MY TRAINING IN CLASSICAL DANCE MADE ME WHO I AM’

When I was a kid, I used to make fun of my cousin sister, who was learning Bharatanatyam. One day, I was mocking her, which my dad happened to see. He thought I had an inclination towards dance and enrolled me in classes. Initially, I would cry and throw a tantrum, refusing to learn. One day, once the class was over, the teacher asked if I would be okay with her taking classes just for me. So, whatever I am today, as an artiste, is because of dance. The way I use my costumes, the way I use bells in my feet, to have the discipline to finish something that you start. The drama in my music comes from my dance.

‘I TOOK UP PLAYING THE GUITAR TO PROVE A POINT TO SOMEONE’

My journey with music began when I was in college. Jeffery Paul – who is now a very good friend of mine – used to play the guitar and sing English songs. He used to pull my leg saying I looked effeminate when I danced wearing kajal and makeup. I took that up as a challenge and told him that in two months I would also play his silly instrument and sing a rock song. But, when I held the guitar and sang the song, I found this freedom which I had never experienced before. I fell in love with it immediately!

‘Finding the one thing you love is absolute success; I found music’

It is very difficult to genuinely find love in this world. I am not talking about love of the conventional kind. This is about loving something 100 per cent, absolute surrender, and doing everything that is possible to become the best. That transforms you as a person. You’ll become much more patient, calm, compassionate, and kind when you find genuine love. I think music does that to me.

‘Now people attend concerts just to put it on social media’

There was a time when I had genuine fans who knew the tune, who knew the song, who knew the lyrics, and the meaning of a song. Now it is about putting it out on social media to let the world know they were at a Raghu Dixit concert. I have become meme material because the first thing I do when I go up on stage is see people pull out their cameras, and I tell them to stop ‘shooting me’. I have to be funny about it, but I just wish they would put their phones away and actually enjoy the moment. This moment is the only truth.

Korean stars dazzle at Milan fashion week

Bang Chan of Stray Kids in chic look

From Felix of Stray Kids walking for the Louis Vuitton Fall Winter 2024-2025 show to Blackpink’s Jennie Kim making her runway debut at the Jacquemus Fall 2024 show, Korean stars have continued to rise in popularity in the international fashion space this year. This trend continued at the recently concluded Milan Fashion Week’s menswear events.

Twice’s Sana nailing the spring aesthetic

NCT’s Jaehyun grabbed eyeballs in a denim-ondenim outfit

Woo Seok Byeon from the K-drama Lovely Runner

NCT’s Jungwoo at the fashion week in a classic leather jacket

Learn the Gen Z lingo to pass the vibe check

Do you get confused every time you hear your Gen Z colleague, or cousin talking in Gen Z lingo? If you haven’t caught up with the delulus and solulus yet, we have got you covered

We shot Chaiyya Chaiyya on a train to create nostalgia about a train journey: Santosh Sivan

Mani Ratnam, AR Rahman and I used to spend a lot of time discussing a film’s songs before shooting them

A still from Chaiyya Chaiyya in Dil Se..

Niharika Lal

Veteran cinematographer Santosh Sivan, known for films such as Dil Se.., Asoka, and Iruvar, recently opened up about his collaborations with Mohanlal, Shah Rukh Khan, Mani Ratnam, Priyadarshan, and Raj Kumar Santoshi during a session at the Mumbai International Film Festival.

Recalling the iconic Chaiyya Chaiyya song sequence, Sivan – who received this year’s Pierre Angénieux Tribute at the Cannes Film Festival – shared, “We had already filmed a song with Mohanlal dancing on a train in Iruvar, so the idea was in our mind for some time. But the crucial question was: Why should we do it? When and how can be sorted, but it is the ‘why’ that is crucial. Mani Ratnam, AR Rahman and I used to spend a lot of time discussing a film’s songs before shooting them. For Roja, we would sit for long hours at beaches discussing the songs. Sometimes, I also attended recording sessions. When the idea for Chaiyya Chaiyya came about, we sat in trains and went to the Himalayas to find out which train journey would fit the song. Finally, we decided to create nostalgia for people, and that’s why we went through a tunnel to achieve that.”

Sivan shared, “Once we knew why we were doing it, the shooting part was easy. I remember Shah Rukh kept saying during the shoot, ‘This camera is shaking’. But the camera couldn’t shake because we locked it (laughs). It was a wonderful sequence.”

Santosh Sivan at the MIFF session

Donald Sutherland passes away at 88

The veteran actor essayed the role of the evil President Snow in The Hunger Games

Donald Sutherland, whose lengthy career encompassed films including The Dirty Dozen and The Hunger Games, has passed away at the age of 88, his son said Thursday.

“With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away,” actor Kiefer Sutherland wrote on X.

The veteran actor died in Miami after a long illness, according to a statement from Creative Artists Agency, which represented him.

About Donald Suther- land’s career and films, Kiefer wrote on X, “I personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film. Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived.”

From Helen Mirren and Elliott Gould to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, US President Joe Biden and director Edgar Wright, tributes for the late actor continued to pour in on Thursday.

Agencies

DONALD SUTHERLAND

1935-2024

Table of Contents

TOI Print Edition Jun 22, 2024

Front Page

Mystery call on ‘safe house’ put Bihar cops on NEET trail

Canada court refuses to take Sikh extremists off no-fly list

IN THE COURTS

Trump promises green cards to all fgn students

EC starts J&K poll process, orders revision of rolls

Zepto gets $665m from investors

Pvt sector jobs at 18-yr high: Survey

2 killed in shooting at Arkansas grocery

Rajkot fire: ‘Lapses by cops, officials’

4-4.5 yrs jail to 4 of Hinduja family for exploiting staff

Centre cracks whip, tells staff to be in office by 9.15am or lose 1/2 day CL

Dalai revered in India, free to conduct religious, spiritual activities: MEA

Yoga enthusiasts

Atishi begins fast for more water

EV launches lined up in 6-8 months

TN hooch toll rises to 50, HC raps govt

FINALLY, SCORCHED CITY GETS RAIN BALM

RBI: High food prices derailing inflation target

HC blocks Kejriwal’s release on ED plea against bail order

143 heatstroke deaths this yr: Health ministry; TOI data puts no. at 209

Times Nation

Nikhil Gupta’s extradition: Will it affect Indo-US ties?

Nikhil Gupta has not sought consular access so far: MEA

Blatant untruth, says MEA about Aus TV docu on ‘silencing Sikhs’

Boy electrocuted trying to flee hostel

Govt doc, an ace box cutter, key accused in UP paper leak: STF

TN hooch toll hits 50; HC pulls up govt for ‘inaction’

Zealots plotting to kill Gyanvapi judge, HC told

EC starts J&K poll process, orders revision of rolls

NTA postpones CSIR-UGC-NET, cites ‘logistic issues’ as reason

SC refuses to defer counselling process for MBBS admissions

Anti-paper leak law for exams takes effect

Now, RJD comes up with Bihar dy CM’s pic with leak accused

States hike health spend, India set to meet ‘2.5% of GDP’ target

3 NCC cadets rush to help drowning mate, all 4 die

2 booked for bid to extort `3 cr from Prajwal bro

Malihabad mangoes beat heat, pests with butter paper shield

Centre imposes stock limits on tur, chana dals till Sept

Fruits & vegetables top list of all crops in value terms, reveals NSO report

Porsche teen also in trauma, give him some time, says HC

HC says nothing objectionable in Maharaj, lifts stay on release

IMEEEC: India-UAE leg to get a digital platform in 100 days

Kutch jeweller ends life over stolen bullion

Cong questions pro tem speaker choice, bats for its 8-term MP

No breach in tradition, Cong conduct shameful, says Rijiju

Govt ups outreach before new criminal laws come into force

Police arrest 3 for aiding terrorists in Jammu attack

UP’s growth story: TOI Dialogues to discuss way forward

SIT calls for tweaks in Gujarat Police Act after Rajkot inferno

SC gives 2-wk interim bail to Elgar case accused

Yoga has become unifying force across the world: PM

French journo’s work permit renewal under review: Govt

MEA calls for end to hiring of Indians in Russian army

3 Bihar cops held for robbery

Prez: Yoga crucial today due to rising lifestyle problems

Walking for 30 mins a day can help reduce lower back pain: Lancet

HC: Denying physical intimacy to husband amounts to cruelty

Times City

ED Acting With Bias: Court In CM Bail Order

Bail order perverse, didn’t get time to plead case: ED

In A Temporary Tent, Atishi Begins Fast For More Water

BJP calls it a political drama, Haryana advises Delhi to put its house in order

Govt to look into petrol dealers’ call to hike PUCC fees

Woman’s decomposed body found in N Delhi

No kidding! Yoga can help raise sperm DNA quality

Delhi At Full Stretch For Health Gains

24-yr-old held for role in stabbing man 80 times

Haryana’s baseline survey of Aravalis to map degradation

CINEMA OF THE WEEK

Reined In By Rain! Heatwave Relents, But Will Be Back

Safdarjung reports 6 heat-related deaths

Woman loses `1.3cr to cyber criminals

Man tries to extort money from doc to buy flat, held

Teen dies in AIIMS, organs give 4 a second shot at life

2 Parking Lots Set To Meet June-End Date

Peak summer woes: United’s flight cancellation leaves many stranded

CBI arrests another policeman for demanding bribe

Two rob women they met through dating app, held

Four injured in firing after scuffle over girl

Fire breaks out in outer Delhi factory

Heat Impacts Veggie Supply, Prices Surge

25-year-old stabbed by man posing as official in Air Force

Home alone, unwell elderly woman saved

Times Global

Mob lynches a domestic tourist in Pak’s Swat over blasphemy claims

Southern China flooding kills 47

China threatens death penalty for ‘diehard’ Taiwan separatists

Have appealed ruling on abuse, this part of verdict ineffective now: Hindujas’ lawyers

AROUND THE WORLD

Bibi’s spats with US, own military raise questions on war’s future

Ukraine may fire US-provided missiles into Russia wherever it is coming under attack, says Pentagon

Canada court upholds decision to put Sikh separatists on no-fly list

Trump’s campaign officials clarify there would be an ‘aggressive vetting process’ for green cards

‘Ukrainian soldiers turn to yoga on frontline, speed up recovery & rehabilitation’

Times Business

Job creation in pvt sector strongest in 18 yrs: Survey

Forex reserves dip $3bn from $656bn peak

Nvidia sheds $200bn in value

Zepto scores $665mn as funds ride Q-comm wave

Pine Labs & Avanse IPOs to help PE investor exit

GST rate rationalisation after item-wise analysis

Don’t advertise ‘Ulips’ as investments: Irdai

‘Need to balance productivity & job creation’

Electric car launches to charge up streets this yr

RBI wary of higher food prices derailing inflation

RBI revises priority sector lending norms

NBFC unsecured loans grow twice as fast as retail credit

Editorial

A thought for today

Cops, Stop & Think

The Wealth Effect

Are Plants Intelligent? Yes, But Not Like We Are

Capitalism: We Need More, Not Less

‘Future of America’s cricket league bright...NRIs, passionate about the game, are good at professionalising sport’

Yog Teaches Us To Control Modifications Of Mind

Sacred space

Times Sport

HAT-TRICK FOR PATRICK AS AUSTRALIA HUMBLE BANGLADESH

Under-pressure Windies face US after heavy loss to England

CAUTION: BANANA-SKIN ENCOUNTER AHEAD

Watch out for India’s triple left-arm spin threat

Rashid & his lonely quest for excellence

SA pip England by 7 runs, move closer to semifinal

GALLERY

Jay Shah invites state units for a session to exchange ideas

T20 WC: Pak players criticised over ‘family trip’

EURO 2024’S LEADING SCORER: OWN GOAL

SPAIN SERVE IT HOT AND SPICY

BAGGIO ROBBED AT HOME DURING ITALY’S LOSS TO SPAIN

Guler Turkiye’s hope against Portugal

Messi off to bright start in latest quest for glory

Yaremchuk’s late strike revives Ukraine hopes

Austria’s win pushes Poles to the brink

GALLERY

No fixed hours, we take work home too, say senior officials

Student, 21, shot dead in Dhanbad

‘INDIA NEEDS 20 YEARS TO MAKE PROGRESS’

PGA C’ship: Aditi makes steady start

Indian-American Akshay Bhatia tied second at Travelers Championship

‘Gambhir a misunderstood person’

India’s position on Dalai Lama consistent and clear, says MEA

Hasina to meet PM today, ink several pacts

Didn’t expect tip-off to open NEET Pandora’s box: Cops

NIA chargesheet against 5 linked to human trafficking, cyber fraud syndicates; 2 held

With 76 heat-stroke deaths, Delhi tops list; UP 2nd with 51

Delhi Times

Robbery at Anupam Kher’s office; cash, film stolen

Khushi & Vedang witness a shift in contemporary dating dynamics

‘FOR US, ONE SITTING MEANS ONE SONG’ - JAVED AKHTAR

BUZZ STOP

TAKE A PLUNGE IN THE POOL, TRY AQUA YOGA THIS SUMMER

‘Poetry is the music of language’

Anoushka receives an honorary degree from Oxford Univ

Action movies are really glamorous, jokes Priyanka

DID YOU KNOW?

ZAHEER IQBAL POSES WITH SHATRUGHAN AHEAD OF WEDDING WITH SONAKSHI

I want to try different kinds of projects: Rajniesh

I’ve always played negative roles with a positive attitude: Ashutosh

Must-try places for butter chicken in Delhi

High fat diets linked to anxiety: Research

HOW TO: Prepare a vegan poke bowl

TAKE A PLUNGE: TRY AQUA YOGA THIS SUMMER

Team India pays tribute to late pacer David Johnson

YOGA IS MORE THAN JUST COOL ASANAS: SAMYUKTHA

Music gives me a sense of freedom: Raghu Dixit

Korean stars dazzle at Milan fashion week

Learn the Gen Z lingo to pass the vibe check

We shot Chaiyya Chaiyya on a train to create nostalgia about a train journey: Santosh Sivan

Donald Sutherland passes away at 88