WHOM TO ELECT, AND WHY? 25 AUGUST 2024 SHIKHAR ‘THE-ONE’: KING OF ICC TOURNAMENTS CALLS IT A DAY A CLARION CALL www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 PAGE 14 PAGE 13 PAGE 15 INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 PAGES 18 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR WEATHER Generally cloudy sky. One or two spells of light to moderate rain likely to occur. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 29 °C and 26 °C respectively. RAINFALL: 38.0 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 97 % CBI conducts polygraph Cabinet approves Unified test on RG Kar ex-head Pension Scheme, brings back assured pension Five others also examined; polygraph test on Sanjay Roy to take place today STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 24 AUGUST Min. 84 % CBI registers FIR against Sandip Ghosh TEMPERATURE Max: 29.6˚C (-3.1) SUN RISES 05:15 hrs MOON SETS 10:51 hrs Min: 25.5˚C (-1.1) SUN SETS 17:58 hrs MOON RISES 22:02 hrs New Moon on 3 September THUMBNAILS Aspirants try to climb on to a crowded bus at Charbagh bus stop after appearing for the UP Police constable recruitment exam, in Lucknow on Saturday. n ANI Terrorist killed in ongoing Baramulla encounter: A terrorist was killed on Saturday in an encounter with the security forces in J&K's Baramulla district. Earlier, an exchange of firing took place between the security forces and the terrorists in the Watergam area of Baramulla district. â�œIn the exchange of firing, one terrorist was killed and his weapon was recovered from the encounter site. The exact identity of the slain terrorist is being ascertained, an official said. T he Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), probing the gruesome rape and murder of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee (PGT) doctor in the state-run R G Medical College and Hospital, on Saturday conducted polygraph tests on Prof (Dr) Sandip Ghosh, controversial former principal of R G Kar and four junior doctors, including two first year PGT doctors, a house staff and an intern of the teaching hospital. The investigating agency will conduct the polygraph test on the prime accused in the case, Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer of Kolkata Police, on Sunday in the correctional home where he has been lodged. The procedure on the others, including Prof Ghosh, an orthopaedic surgeon, was held separately at the CBI offices at the CGO Complex at Salt Lake. The four junior doctors had dinner with the victim inside the chest medicine department housed in the third floor of the ninestoried emergency building KOLKATA, 24 AUGUST Students of the R Ahmed Dental College stage a protest over the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder incident at Moulali More in Kolkata on Saturday. n SNS of the hospital on 8 August. A special team of the CBI along with experts of the Central Forensic State Laboratory (CFSL) reached the CBI office in Kolkata on Saturday from Delhi. Prof Ghosh came to the CGO Complex in Salt Lake on Saturday morning for the ninth consecutive day, and was then taken for the test, sources said. The two first-year PGT doctors are undergoing the lie detection test because their fingerprints were allegedly found inside the seminar hall at the R G Kar Medical College Hospital where the medic's body was discovered, according to sources. The agency hopes to corroborate their previous statements with the polygraph tests. Earlier, the central agency had applied to the Sealdah court seeking permission for Roy’s polygraph test. The permission was granted on Friday and Roy also consented to the test. The CBI told the Supreme Court on Thursday that there was an attempt to cover up the rape and killing of the post-graduate doctor by the local police, as the crime scene had altered by the time the federal agency took over the investigation. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR against Dr Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, relating to financial irregularities, following orders from Calcutta High Court. This morning, a Special Investigation Team of Kolkata Police handed over documents related to the case to the CBI. The CBI filed the FIR after receiving these documents. AGENCIES (See Page 3) The trainee doctor’s body with severe injury marks was found inside the seminar hall of the hospital's chest department on the morning of 9 August. Sanjay Roy was arrested the following day. On 13 August, Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the investigation from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which began its probe on 14 August. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 24 AUGUST NEW AND IMPROVED? The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday approved a comprehensive Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) for its employees that will have assured pension with inflation relief and greater contribution by the government. Proposed to be effective from 1 April, 2025, the scheme has assured pension, which will be 50 per cent of the average basic pay drawn over the last 12 months prior to superannuation, for a minimum qualifying service of 25 years. This pay is to be proportionate for lesser service period up to a minimum of 10 years of service. The UPS will have an assured family pension which will be 60 per cent of the pension of the employee immediately before her/his demise. It will also have assured minimum pension which will be at the rate of 10,000 per month on superannuation after minimum 10 years of service. The scheme will have inflation indexation, on assured pension, on assured 8Proposed to be effective from 1 April 2025, the scheme has assured pension, which will be 50 per cent of the average basic pay drawn over the last 12 months prior to superannuation, for a minimum qualifying service of 25 years. This is to be proportionate for lesser service period up to a minimum of 10 years of service, with a minimum pension at superannuation of Rs. 10,000 per month. 8The UPS will have an assured family pension which will be 60 per cent of the pension of the employee immediately before her/his demise. 8The Central government’s 23 lakh employees will benefit from the schemes. The employees can opt to stay in the existing pension scheme, NPS. So far employees have been contributing 10 per cent in the scheme. While this will continue, the government’s share is being raised to over 18.5 per cent. familypensionandonassured minimum pension, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told newspersons after the Cabinetmeeting.Thescheme will be fully-funded. Cabinet Secretary-designate T V Somanathan who chaired a committee to prepare the scheme explained some of the features of the scheme. The committee was formed last year. The Dearness Relief will Shah chairs high-level meet, pledges to eradicate Maoist insurgency by March ’26 Rajnath holds talks with US defence secy, NSA; USA clears sale of anti-submarine warfare sonobuoys to India STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE RAIPUR, 24 AUGUST STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Advocating a decisive and relentless approach to combating Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), Union Home Minister Amit Shah has pledged to eradicate the Maoist insurgency from India by March 2026. The home minister emphasised that the Maoist movement represents a significant challenge to India's democratic framework and expressed confidence that the battle is nearing its final phase. During a high-level meeting in Raipur, Mr Shah reviewed the progress of government schemes in LWE-affected districts and discussed strategies to overcome obstacles in infrastructure projects. He reaffirmed the Central government’s commitment to developing regions from Bastar and Bijapur to Dantewada and Dhamtari. In a move that will help bolster India's defence capabilities, the USA has approved a possible sale of anti-submarine warfare sonobuoys and related equipment to the country at an estimated cost of $52.8 million for the multi-mission MH-60R Seahawk helicopters. The Defence Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification, notifying the US Congress of this possible sale on Friday. The approval coincided with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's ongoing four-day visit to the USA. A Biden administration notification stated that this deal will support Washington’s foreign policy and national security objectives by helping to strengthen the bilateral strategic relationship and NEW DELHI, 24 AUGUST Mr Shah highlighted significant achievements in the fight against the Left insurgency, including a historic drop in fatalities to below 100 for the first time in four decades. From 2014 to 2024, there has been a notable reduction in LWE incidents, with 14 top Maoist leaders neutralised. Key initiatives announced include a joint campaign by the Chhattisgarh government and the Ministry of Home Affairs to improve literacy among individuals affected by Naxal insurgency, regardless of age. Mr Shah also revealed plans to amend the tendu leaf procurement policy and establish a State Investigation Agency (SIA) modeled on the NIA. Additionally, the Chhattisgarh government is updating its surrender policy, with an announcement expected in the coming months. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visits the Arlington National Cemetery Museum, in Washington, DC, on Friday. n ANI improving the security of a major defence partner, India. It said India continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions”. This proposed sale will strengthen the India-US strategic and defence relationship. It will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing its capacity to conduct anti-submarine warfare operations from its MH60R helicopters. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held substantive talks with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan during which the two sides deliberated on Prime accused in Assam gang rape case drowns; tried to escape, say police Stranded on ISS, Sunita Williams, Barry Wilmore to return to earth only next year STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 24 AUGUST GUWAHATI, 24 AUGUST Tafazul Islam, the prime accused in a gang rape case involving a 14-year-old girl in Assam’s Nagaon district, died in the early hours on Saturday, after allegedly attempting to escape police custody. The incident occurred when Islam, who had been arrested on 23 August, was taken by police to the crime scene in Dhing for further investigation. According to the police, at around 4 a.m., he tried to flee by jumping into a nearby pond. A search operation was immediately launched, and after two hours, his body was recovered. Islam was one of three men accused of abducting and raping the minor girl on 21 August, as she was returning home from tuition. The girl was found unconscious by locals near the The case has sparked widespread outrage in Assam, with protests demanding the arrest of the remaining suspects and justice for the victim. The search for the other two accused is ongoing. crime scene and is currently receiving medical care. The case has sparked widespread outrage in Assam, with protests demanding the arrest of the remaining suspects and justice for the victim. The search for the other two accused is ongoing. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier assured that the perpetrators of the crime would face severe punishment, emphasising the government's commitment to swift and strict action against such heinous acts. AGENCIES NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, who flew to the International Space Station (ISS) in June this year on board Boeing's faulty Starliner capsule, will return to Earth early next year, the space agency said in a release on Saturday. NASA will return the Boeing’s Starliner to Earth without the two astronauts aboard the spacecraft, the agency said. The uncrewed return will allow NASA and Boeing to continue gathering testing data on Starliner during its upcoming flight home, while also not accepting more risk than necessary for its crew. In a post on X, NASA said: “After extensive review by experts across the agency, NASA's @BoeingSpace Crew Flight Test will return with an uncrewed #Starliner. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are scheduled to return to Earth next spring." Wilmore and Williams, who flew to the International Space Station in June, have been busy supporting station research, maintenance, and Starliner system testing and data analysis, among other activities, the NASA release said. “Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe, nor routine. The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boe- ing’s Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety: Our core value and our North Star,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, adding: “I’m grateful to both the NASA and Boeing teams for all their incredible and detailed work.” Wilmore and Williams will continue their work formally as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew through February 2025. They will fly home aboard a Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members assigned to the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission. Starliner is expected to depart from the space station and make a safe, controlled autonomous re-entry and landing in early September, NASA said in the release. NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and experienced issues with the spacecraft reaction control thrusters on 6 June as Starliner approached the space station. Since then, engineering teams have completed a significant amount of work, including reviewing a collection of data, conducting flight and ground testing, hosting independent reviews with agency propulsion experts, and developing various return contingency plans. The uncertainty and lack of expert concurrence does not meet the agency’s safety and performance requirements for human spaceflight, thus prompting NASA leadership to move the astronauts to the Crew-9 mission, the space agency said. the evolving geopolitical situation and the ongoing defence industrial collaboration between the two countries. Mr Singh also interacted with senior leaders of the US defence industry at a round table organised by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. The round-table was attended by a large number of US defence and technology companies. According to official sources, the Indian minister discussed potential areas in which the industries of the two countries could work together with his US interlocutors. During his meetings, Mr Singh emphasised that India welcomes US investment and technology collaboration. India is ready with a skilled human resource base, robust pro-FDI and pro-business ecosystem, and a large domestic market, he said. be based on All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers as in case of service employees. The scheme has provision for a lump sum payment at superannuation in addition to gratuity. This will be 1/10th of monthly emoluments (pay+DA) as on the date of superannuation for every completed six months of service this payment will not reduce the quantum of assured pension. Four injured as pvt chopper crashes near Pune hills AGENCIES PUNE, 24 AUGUST Four persons including the pilotwereinjuredwhenaprivate helicopter crashed in a hilly area near a Pune village on Saturday while on a flight from Mumbai to Hyderabad, and attempted to make an emergency landing, an official said. The incident occurred near Paud which has been lashed by heavy rains in the past two-three days, and the chopper belonged to Global Vectra Helicorp Ltd. based in Mumbai at Juhu Airport. The injured persons are identified as Captain Sanjay Anand, Amardeep Singh, S.P. Ram and Dir Bhatia, according to the police. All the injured were taken to a hospital in Pune, where Capt. Anand was admitted for treatment. (Details on Page 5) 2,144-pg chargesheet filed against Prajwal Revanna AGENCIES BENGALURU, 24 AUGUST A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Police has filed a chargesheet of 2144 pages against former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna in the sexual assault and rape case. Mr Revanna is facing a probe by the SIT over allegations of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation following a complaint by a woman who worked as a domestic help at his house. In June this year, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Police, which is investigating cases of sexual assault and harassment against Prajwal Revanna, registered a fourth case against the former Janata Dal (Secular) MP from Hassan. Unlike the three previous cases registered against Prajwal Revanna which invoked the Indian Penal Code (IPC)'s section for sexual assault, the fourth case has been registered under sections for sexual harassment, stalking, and criminal intimidation of a victim as well as clandestinely recording and sharing images of the victim Prajwal Revanna returned to India from Germany nearly a month after leaving the country, supposedly on the night of 26 April, after several obscene videos allegedly involving him surfaced on social media platforms. He was arrested on 31 May upon arrival at Bengaluru airport. Earlier on 29 May, the SIT arrested two prime accused in connection with the case. The arrested have been identified as Naveen Gowda and Chetan.