MONDAY 12 AUGUST 2024 www.thestatesman.com INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR SC TO HEAR K KAVITHA’S BAIL PLEA ON MONDAY SEEKING LIGHT, DISPELLING DARKNESS IN B’DESH P7 WEATHER Generally cloudy sky. Light to moderate rain / thundershower very likely to occur.Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 32 °C and 27 °C respectively. VINESH DESERVES SILVER: GANGULY J&K L-G: DELIMITATION, ASSEMBLY POLLS AND THEN STATEHOOD P4 P5 P12 SEBI chief Buch counters Hindenburg allegations RAINFALL: 3.5 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY Dismisses allegations as an attempt at ‘character assassination’ after show-cause notice Max. 94 % STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 11 AUGUST Min. 80% TEMPERATURE Max: 31.1˚C (-1.3) SUN RISES 05:11 hrs MOON RISES 10:42 hrs Min: 27.0˚C (+0.2) SUN SETS 18:12 hrs MOON SETS 22:7 hrs Full Moon on 19 August THUMBNAILS Vehicles drive through the waterlogged Subhash Chowk following heavy rainfall, in Gurugram on Sunday. n ANI RG Kar Hospital superintendent removed : The medical superintendent of R G Kar Hospital was removed from his position on Sunday, days after a female post graduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered while on duty at the hospital. Meanwhile, protests demanding quick punishment of the culprits responsible continued for the third day on Sunday, affecting services in government hospitals across Bengal. According to sources, the hospital superintendent, Dr. Sanjay Vasishth has been replaced by Dr. Bulbul Mukhopadhyay, who is the dean of the hospital and also a member of the 11-member inquiry committee formed to investigate the rape and murder. (Page 3) A mid the controversy surrounding a fresh Hindenburg report, which alleges investments by SEBI chief Madhabi Puri Buch and her husband Dhaval Buch in funds related to Gautam Adani, the couple on Sunday dismissed the allegation as an attempt at "character assassination" following SEBI's recent enforcement action and show cause notice issued to the USbased short seller. "It is unfortunate that Hindenburg Research, against whom SEBI has taken enforcement action and issued a show cause notice, has chosen to attempt character assassination in response," the Buchs stated in a joint statement. In a report released late Saturday, Hindenburg Research, citing whistleblower documents, alleged that Madhabi Buch and her husband Dhaval Buch first opened their account with IPE Plus Fund 1 on 5 June 2015, in Singapore.A declaration of funds signed by a principal at IIFL states that the source of the investment is “salary”, and the couple´s net worth is estimated at $10 million, the report added. The Buchs, in the statement issued in response, claimed that their finances are transparent and have been consistently disclosed to the relevant authorities. Deputy NSA in Ukraine, holds talks with Zelenskyy’s top aide STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 11 AUGUST India’s Deputy National Security Advisor Pavan Kapoor, who is in Ukraine, held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s top aide, Andriy Yermak, in Kyiv. The meeting came amid reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could visit the battle-ravaged nation this month. The two sides have not officially stated anything on the PM's proposed visit. A statement issued by the Cong president renews JPC demand, calls it imperative Ukrainian government said Mr Yermak emphasised the importance of restoring “just peace” for Ukraine and “India’s participation in this process”.“Met with India's Deputy National Security Advisor, Ambassador Pavan Kapoor. I emphasised the importance of restoring a just peace for Ukraine and India's participation in this process. Expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will contribute to these efforts," Mr Yermak said in a social media post on X. Sources said the two sides also discussed Mr Modi’s planned trip to Kyiv later this month around Ukraine's National Day on 24 August. The PM had held talks with President Zelenskyy in June on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy’s Apulia. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 11 AUGUST They expressed their willingness to provide any additional financial documents if requested. "Our lives and finances are an open book. All required disclosures have already been furnished to SEBI over the years. We have no hesitation in disclosing any and all financial documents, including those from the period when we were strictly private citizens, to any and every authority that may seek them," the statement read. The joint statement released by the Buchs said: “The investment in the fund referred to in the Hindenburg report was made in 2015 when they were both private citizens living in Singapore and almost 2 years before Madhabi joined SEBI as a Whole Time Member. The decision to invest in this fund was because the Chief Investment Officer, Anil Ahuja, is Dhaval’s childhood friend from school and IIT Delhi and, being an ex-employee of Citibank, JP Morgan and 3i Group plc, had many decades of strong investing career.” “As confirmed by Anil NEW DELHI, 11 AUGUST Senior politician and former external affairs minister K Natwar Singh passed away on Saturday. He was 95. He was admitted at a hospital in Gurugram following an illness and breathed his last there on Saturday night. According to a news agency, his son Jagtar Singh has said: “He was ill for a very long time. His health deteriorated over the past two months. He was in the hospital for the past month...Yesterday, he took his last breath.” “His last rites will be performed at Lodhi Road Crematorium tomorrow, 12th August.”Natwar Singh, a former diplomat, later joined politics, and had served as External Affairs Minister in the UPA regime back in 200405. He had made his debut in politics from Bharatpur Rajasthan during the early eighties, from where he contested the Lok Sabha polls, and was elected to Parliament. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister persist that PM Modi will continue to shield his ally, compromising India's Constitutional institutions, painstakingly built over seven decades," Mr Kharge, who is also the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said. Former Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said: “The integrity of SEBI, the securities regulator entrusted with safeguarding the wealth of small retail investors, has been gravely compromised by the allegations against its Chairperson." them "recycling of discredited claims". In a statement filed with stock exchanges on 11 August, the Adani Group spokesperson said these claims had already been thoroughly investigated and dismissed by the Supreme Court in January 2024. "We completely reject these allegations against the Adani Group, which are a recycling of discredited claims that have been thoroughly investigated, proven to be baseless, and already dismissed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in January 2024," the spokesperson stated.The Adani Group further clarified that it has "absolutely no commercial relationship with the individuals or matters mentioned in this calculated, deliberate effort to malign our standing." The statement also underscored the conglomerate's commitment to transparency and adherence to all legal and regulatory requirements. ‘Maldives is our key partner in Indian Ocean region’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 11 AUGUST With a significant improvement in relations between India and the Maldives, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Sunday said the archipelago is a key partner to India in the Indian Ocean region and at the heart of its neighbourhood-first policy. “Maldives is a key partner to India in the Indian Ocean region and it's at the heart of our neighborhood-first policy. The cooperation between the two countries has moved beyond the traditional role, and today aspires to be a modern partnership," Mr Jaishankar said after his meeting with his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer, when they jointly inaugurated the Addu Reclamation Project and Addu Shore Protection Project (Photo). "Our devel- Former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh passes away at 95 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Ahuja, at no point in time did the fund invest in any bond, equity, or derivative of any Adani group company..." the statement reads. “When Mr Ahuja left his position as CIO of the fund in 2018, we redeemed the investment in that fund,” the release stated. They also confirmed, with Ahuja’s affirmation, that at no point did the fund invest in any bonds, equities, or derivatives of any Adani group company. The release also addressed Dhaval’s appointment as Senior Adviser to Blackstone Private Equity in 2019. The couple clarified that this role was due to Dhaval’s expertise in supply chain management and was publicly known long before Madhabi became SEBI Chairperson. “On his appointment, the Blackstone Group was immediately added to Madhabi’s recusal list maintained with SEBI,” the statement said. The Adani Group also strongly rejected the latest allegations made by Hindenburg Research, terming Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said here on Sunday that a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is imperative to investigatethis"massivescandal" in the wake of Hindenburg Research report against Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch. Stating that the small and medium investors belonging to the middle class who invest their hard-earned money in the stock market need to be protected, as they believe in the SEBI, he said: "A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) inquiry is imperative to investigate this massive scandal. "Until then, concerns Narendra Modi have expressed grief on Singh’s passing away. Prime Minister Modi also remembered Singh’s contributions to the world. “Pained by the passing away of Shri Natwar Singh Ji. He made rich contributions to the world of diplomacy and foreign policy. He was also known for his intellect as well as prolific writing. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this hour of grief. Om Shanti,’ PM Modi wrote on social media platform X. Taking to social media, Mr Dhankhar said that Natwar Singh served the nation in varied capacities including as External Affairs Minister. opment cooperation is aimed at touching all facets of people's lives here and to find ways of bringing tangible benefits to their lives. I think it is a statement in itself that we are today among the largest trading partners of Maldives and witnessing greater investment flows from India to the Maldives, particularly in the tourism sector," said Mr Jaishankar who was on a three-day visit to the Maldives. In the last few years, India has invested around $220 million in Addu, intending to provide a fair idea of the importance which is attached to regional development in the Maldives. Mr Jaishankar also mentioned inaugurating the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement Studies in March 2022, which was a $30 million Indian grantfunded project. He said: "I'm very glad to see that it has become a hub for imparting critical training to NPS personnel in the Maldives." India has partnered with the government of Maldives on the Addu Reclamation and Shore Protection Project to find a sustainable way to develop Addu as a regional hub. The reclamation of 184 hectares of land was concluded earlier this year. This ambitious programme of $80 million involves reclamation for tourism development purposes and the overall economic development of Addu. “Another important project being carried out with Indian assistance is the redevelopment of the Addu Roads and Drainage Development, with an outlay of $70 million is nearing completion and once completed, will solve problems of waterlogging and roads in Addu" he said. Mamata urges Odisha CM to ensure safety of Bengal migrant workers West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Sunday spoke to Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi over allegations that several Bengali migrant workers living in Odisha have been assaulted, sources at the state administrative headquarters, Nabanna, said. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 11 AUGUST West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee today spoke to Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi over allegations that several Bengali migrant workers living in Odisha have been assaulted, sources at the state administrative headquarters Nabanna said. According to the sources, the Odisha chief minister assured Miss Banerjee that such incidents would not be repeated in the future. There have been allegations that several Bengali migrant workers living in Odisha have been assaulted. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee expressed concern over the issue and rang up Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi. According to these sources, the Odisha Chief Minister assured over the phone that such incidents would not be repeated in the future and steps would be taken to prevent such incidents. It has also been learned that Mamata Banerjee, through the Odisha government, has invited these migrant workers to return to West Bengal and work here instead. This came after a video was widely circulated showing a a person assaulting a vendor selling miscellaneous goods on a bicycle. The vendor was asked to show his Aadhaar card, and when he failed to produce it, he was beaten. However, the authenticity of this video has not been verified by The Statesman. According to sources from Nabanna, amid the unrest in Bangladesh, several Bengali migrant workers living in Odisha have been harassed. There have also been allegations that they are being beaten on suspicion of being Bangladeshi. It may be mentioned that earlier at least 20 migrant workers from West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, who were branded as Bangladeshis and allegedly beaten up in Odisha were rescued and brought back to the state. On 19 March this year, a week after CAA [Citizenship (Amendment) Act] rules were notified, around 20 migrant workers from Murshidabad were attacked by a group of people at Bhadrak in Odisha. The workers were tied up, branded as Bangladeshis and beaten up. Could have remained in power if I had surrendered St Martin’s Island & allowed America to hold sway over Bay of Bengal: Hasina AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 11 AUGUST Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that she could have remained in power if she had "surrendered" the sovereignty of Saint Martin’s Island and “allowed America to hold sway over the Bay of Bengal”, media reports said. Disclosing the contents of her undelivered speech in India, where Hasina flew on 5 August amid violent protests in her country, the 76-year-old leader said that she resigned so that she does not have to see a "procession of dead bodies". These revelations are part of her undelivered speech, which she wanted to make but could not happen as protesters reached her residence and she was forced to flee the country. The former prime minister said she was pained over her party Awami League being targeted but said she “will return to Bangladesh soon”. She said that she would pray for the future of Bangladesh. “I resigned so that I did not have to see the procession of dead bodies. They wanted to come to power over the dead bodies of students, but I did not allow it. I resigned from premiership. I could have remained in power if I had surrendered the sovereignty of Saint Martin’s Island and allowed America to hold sway over the Bay of Bengal. I beseech the people of my land, please do not be manipulated by radicals,” her undelivered speech says. “If I had remained in the country, more lives would have been lost more resources would have been destroyed. I made the extremely difficult decision to exit. I became your leader because you chose me, you were my strength,” Sheikh Hasina stated. In May, Sheikh Hasina had claimed that "conspiracies" were being hatched to topple her government and alleged a "white man's" plot to carve a new "Christian country" out of Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina had claimed that if she allowed a certain country to build an airbase in Bangladesh, then she would have had no problem. Bangladesh saw protests against job quotas that snowballed into a wider movement against the government, forcing Sheikh Hasina to resign from the Prime Minister's post. Over 400 people lost their lives in the protests since mid-July. After Sheikh Hasina's departure to India, Nobel laureate and microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus took over as the head of the interim government on Thursday and assured that the new regime would not only restore peace in the country but also ensure the protection of Hindus and other minorities. Amid massive student protests demanding judiciary's revamp, Bangladesh Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan and five other top judges were forced to resign on Saturday.