MODI SPEAKS TO BIBI AS ISRAEL STEPS UP LEBANON CAMPAIGN PM Narendra Modi and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the situation in West Asia amid conflict in Lebanon. “Terrorism has no place in our world. It is crucial to prevent regional escalation and ensure the safe release of all hostages,” Modi wrote on X. Meanwhile, a report said Israeli forces have conducted smallscale, targeted raids in Lebanon in recent weeks. The Wall Street Journal reported that the troops entered tunnels dug by Hezbollah on the Lebanese side near border | P12 BENGALURU  TUESDAY  OCTOBER 01, 2024  `9.00  PAGES 22  LATE CITY EDITION CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI To quell controversy, CM’s wife offers to return all 14 sites Dramatic development on a day ED registers PMLA case against Siddaramaiah, family KARTHIK KK & BALA CHAUHAN @ Mysuru, Bengaluru ON a day the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathy BM and others in the MUDA site allotment case, under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, a letter written by Parvathy to MUDA surfaced on Monday where she has offered to surrender all the 14 plots that are at the heart of the controversy . In her letter to the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) commissioner, which is undated, Parvathy requested the Authority to take swift action and take back all the sites as soon as possible. In her emotional letter, she wrote, “I have never sought wealth, property or riches. I have , lived carefully, ensuring that no stain touches my husband’s political career due to my actions.” Parvathy mentioned that she had not discussed her decision with her husband, her son -- Dr Yathindra, who is an MLC, or other family members. “This is a decision I made after consulting my conscience. The day the allegations surfaced, I had made up my mind to return the plots. However, some wellwishers advised me to reconsider as they believed these accusations were politically motivated. But my decision remains unwavering,” she stated. CONTINUED ON P4 HC stays probe against Nirmala in poll bond case YAT H I R A J U @ Bengaluru THE Karnataka High Court on Monday stayed the investigation in the First Information Report (FIR) registered against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, former Member of Parliament Naleen Kumar Kateel, officials of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) and office-bearers of the BJP, by the city police on charges of extortion over elec- toral bonds. Justice M Nagaprasanna passed the interim order after hearing the petition filed by Kateel. The petition questioned the legality of the FIR registered by Tilak Nagar police in Bengaluru on September 28 on charges of extortion over electoral bonds on an order passed by a magistrate. The magistrate’s order fol- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Chennai — Parvathy BM, Siddaramaiah’s wife — Snehamayi Krishna, social activist sel appearing for Kateel, submitted that the documents attached to the petition prima facie demonstrated that no case of extortion was made out in the complaint or in the reference made by the magistrate seeking investigation into the matter. He argued that Iyer’s complaint itself was vague and did not make out any ingredient of extortion from the P4 complainant. Mithun dances his way into elite Phalke club These properties are like dust to me compared to the respect and peace of my husband I had filed a complaint with the ED through email on Friday. Today I personally handed over my plaint to the ED officers lowed a private complaint f i l e d by A d a r s h R I ye r, co-president, Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath (JSP). Justice Nagaprasanna said, “I deem it appropriate to interdict further investigation into the matter till the next date of hearing.” He adjourned the hearing to October 22. KG Raghavan, senior coun- Yashasvi Jaiswal (left) scored 72, while R Ashwin took two wickets to reduce Bangladesh to 26/2 on Day 4 | PTI | P17 RECORDS GALORE IN KANPUR BATTERS GIVE HOSTS POLE POSITION After bowling out Bangladesh for 233, India batters tormented visiting bowlers to rewrite records at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur. They broke the record for the fastest team 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 in men’s Test cricket before declaring at 285/9 India broke an array of records to take the driver’s seat on day four RUN-RATE HITS ROOF Throughout their first innings, India’s scoring rate never dropped down below eight which also is the highest in men’s Test innings (min 200 balls). Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (71 off 51) and KL Rahul (43 off 68) slammed a half-century each while skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli scored at a quick pace to give India a lead of 52 runs. R Ashwin then reduced the visitors to 26/2 giving India a hope of victory, which otherwise was heading for a draw after more than two days of no-play VETERAN actor and BJP politician Mithun Chakraborty will be bestowed with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award—the government’s highest recognition in the field of cinema— this year. Once a sympathiser of the Naxal movement in Calcutta, Chakraborty became a Rajya Sabha MP on a Trinamool Congress ticket in 2014. However, he moved to the ruling BJP in 2021 ahead of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly election that year. Earlier this year, he was also awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour in the country . Making the announcement on X on M o n d ay, U n i o n Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw wrote, “Mithun Da’s remarkable cinematic journey inspires generations! Honoured to announce that the Dadasaheb Phalke Selection Jury has decided to award legendary actor, Sh. Mithun Chakraborty Ji for his iconic contribution to Indian Cinema.” The award will be presented at the 70th National Film Awards ceremony on October 8. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reshared the post and wrote on X, “Delighted that Shri Mithun Chakraborty Ji has been conferred the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, recognizing his unparalleled contributions to Indian cinema. He is a cultural icon, admired across generations for his versatile perfor mances. Congratulations and best wishes to him.” P10 TIRUPATI ROW SC lambasts Naidu for laddu politics S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Monday criticised Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu for making a public statement that the previous government led by Jagan Mohan Reddy used ghee containing animal fat to prepare laddus at Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. After going through the lab report, the court said it was ‘the rejected ghee’ that was sent for test and there was no primafacie evidence to show spurious ghee was indeed used for makP5 ing laddus. PRESS INTAKE 4 Pakistanis, under fake identities, nabbed in B’luru | P3 Janardhana Reddy to return to Ballari after 14 years | P4 Apex court grants interim protection to Siddique | P5 Introducing our new fortnightly page dedicated to interior design in City Express, where you can catch up on the latest trends in decor, gardening and homeware CITY EXPRESS @ P3