KOZHIKODE l Sunday l august 25, 2024 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l city edition iNFOSYS dragged TO u.s. COURT BY cOGNIZANT UNIT for alleged theft TriZetto accused the Indian IT major of stealing trade secrets and information related to healthcare insurance software Infosys rubbishes all allegations cOGNIZANT SEEKS MONETARY DAMAGES Trizetto, in the lawsuit, said Infosys illegally accessed data from its software — Facets and QNXT — and used it to develop and market a competing product. It also alleged that Infosys created software to extract data from QNXT that contained confidential information. For its part, Infosys denied the allegations and said it will defend its position in court ■ Cognizant asked the court for an unspecified amount of monetary damages and an order for Infosys to stop misusing its trade secret, Reuters reported ■ Interestingly, a few top leaders of Cognizant have come from Infosys, including current CEO Ravi Kumar S, PTI reported. Earlier this week, Infosys executive Rajesh Varrier was named Cognizant India’s CMD Aug 23 The day the case was filed in a Texas court by Cognizant 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 Pension wrinkles Demand for Ranjith’s resignation grows off in new scheme Urvashi urges AMMA to take okayed by cabinet a firm stand E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e @ T’Puram UPS will benefit 23 lakh govt employees M o n i k a Ya d a v @ New Delhi Amid ongoing protests by the non-BJP ruled states regarding the New Pension Scheme (NPS), the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday approved a Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), designed to offer guaranteed pension benefits, family pensions, and a minimum assured p e n s i o n fo r g ove r n m e n t employees. Under this new scheme, the government will ensure that employees receive a pension equivalent to 50% of their salary The government’s contribu. tion to the pension scheme has increased from 14% to 18.5%. This newspaper had earlier reported that the new pension scheme will be based on Andhra Pradesh’s guaranteed pension scheme, under which, pensioners receive 50% of their last drawn basic salary along with dearness allowance or DA. Union minister Ashwani Vaishnaw said the scheme will benefit 23 lakh Central government employees and will be implemented on April 1, 2025. It will allow employees the flexibility to choose between the National Pension System (NPS) and the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS). This choice will be final for both current and future employees. The UPS guarantees government employees a pension equal to 50% of their average basic salary from the last 12 months preceding retirement, provided they have completed Salient features 50% of the average basic pay drawn over the last 12 months prior to superannuation upon minimum 25 years of service Assured family pension @ 60% of pension of the employee immediately before her/his demise Assured minimum pension of L10,000 on retirement after minimum 10 years of service The Unified Pension Scheme ensures dignity and financial security for government employees, aligning with our commitment to their well-being and a secure future —Narendra Modi A day after Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra accused state Chalachitra Academy chairman Ranjith of sexual misdemeanour, demands are growing from various corners for his resignation. With focus shifting to Ranjith from the Hema Committee report, political parties including CPI, Left-leaning cultural leaders, film personalities and youth org a n i s a t i o n s h ave raised the demand, putting the government under tremendous pressure. Even as hectic parleys are being held, while the government buys more time to ensure a safe exit for the academy chairman, there are indications that Ranjith may soon step down. Top government sources said the ball is now in the chief minister’s court. On Saturday, the government found itself in a tight spot after Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian defended Ranjith, saying he’s a brilliant director and that a probe will be conducted if there’s a formal complaint against him. Although he later made a U-turn by posting a ‘corrected’ statement, the damage had already been done. Women’s Commission Chairperson P Sathidevi, meanwhile, took a different stance as she said a written complaint was not necessary to take action in cases of sexual harassment. “The commission is ready to investigate the allegations, even if these were made through the media,” she said, adding that she would seek a report from the gover nment in the matter. Senior CPI leader Annie Raja said, considering the seriousness of the allegations, Ranjith should be immediately removed from the post. A transparent and timely investigation should be carried out and suitable action be taken, she added. CPI’s youth organisation AIYF’s state president and Chalachithra Academy member N Arun said they expect the government’s intervention in the matter. “We are aware of the gravity of the allegation. This is a very complex situation. The issue has put the state in a bad light. We hope that the government will soon take a decision,” he said. Close on the heels of Saji Cherian defending Ranjith, both the UDF and the BJP demanded Ranjith’s resignation. Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said Ranjith should step down from the post. He also sought the resignation of Saji ● More on P2 Cherian. Siddique a ‘criminal’: Revathy Sampath a minimum of 25 years of service. In the event of the pensioner’s death, their family will receive 60% of the pension amount that was being disbursed at the time of passing. The scheme guarantees employees a minimum monthly pension of `10,000 after retirement, provided they have completed a minimum of 10 years of service. All schemes will be adjusted for inflation. A lump sum will be given at the time of superannuation, in addition to gratuity Employees . will get 1/10th of their monthly salary (plus pay and DA) for every six months of completed service. ‘Written plaint not needed for action’ T’Puram: Close on the heels of filmmaker Ranjith being embroiled in sexual allegations, AMMA general secretary Siddique too has come under a cloud of smoke. Actor Revathy Sampath, who had levelled serious allegations against Siddique in 2019, has come out alleging that he sexually assaulted her. She termed him a ‘criminal.’ P2 Kannur: The Kerala Women’s Commission has rejected Minister of Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian’s stance on the sexual harassment allegations made by a Bengali actress against director Ranjith. Commission chairperson P Sathidevi stated that a written complaint is not necessary to take action in cases of sexual harassment. P2 Namibian and South African cheetahs housed in big enclosures at Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park since last year’s monsoon following the death of three cheetahs, are set to be released into the wild again after the present rainy season is over. The release will be in phases. Out of the 25 cheetahs, including 12 adults (one male adult is already in the wild) and the 12 cubs currently housed in enclosures, the adults will first be released into the wild, possibly in October, as the monsoon mostly withdraws from large areas of MP by then. At present, a Namibian male Pawan aka Oban is in the wild. “The cheetahs will be released in the wild in phases and the male coalitions could be the first ones to be released in the forest after the monsoon is over,” Rajesh Gopal, who heads the Cheetah Project Steering Committee told this newspaper over phone on Saturday . The two male coalitions currently in the enclosures are Prabhas and Pavak and Agni and Vayu. They are likely to be the first ones to be released in the free ranging forests. “Subsequently the other adults will be , released into the wild in phases. S u l a g n a S e n g u p ta @ Kolkata Junior doctors protesting outside the RG Kar Medical College | Express The CBI on Saturday re-registered a case against Dr Sandip Ghosh, former principal of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital here over financial irregularities, after taking over the probe from a stateconstituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) on the direc- tions of the Calcutta High Court. Ghosh resigned as principal of RG Kar two days after a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor’s body was found inside the seminar hall of the college on August 9. Hours later, he was appointed as principal of the Calcutta National Medical College and The mothers and their cubs, however, will be released into the wild in or after December,” Gopal added. The decision to release the cheetahs was taken following the recent visit of Rajesh Gopal and an NTCA member to the KNP. The team was satisfied with the arrangements there, including the prey base availability. Also, the animals have been administered vaccines to safeguard them against disease and given prophylactic medicine to prevent infection. In 2023, the cheetahs were initially released into the wild but were brought back to their enclosures by August after the death of three — a female named Tbilisi (from Namibia) and two South African males due to septicemia. f aya z w a n i @ Srinagar After the National Conference and the Congress finalised pre-alliance for Jammu and Kashmir polls, PDP chief and former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday released her party manifesto and said that she would extend complete support to the alliance if it accepts her agenda, including peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue and restoration of Article 370 and 35A. “The PDP will not fight the Assembly elections just for the seats. We will extend our complete support to the alliance formed by NC and Congress if they agree to follow our party’s agenda, which includes the resolution of the Kashmir issue and restoration of Article 370,” Mehbooba told reporters. student role At 68, Indrans takes class VII equivalency exam E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e @ T’ Puram A confident-looking Indrans reached the Government HSS, Attakulangara, on Saturday with a purpose — to appear for the class VII equivalency exam being conducted by the State Literacy Mission. With a smile on his face, the 68-year-old award-winning actor stepped into the classroom and walked towards the desk where his roll number, 484309, was marked. He sat there waiting for the question paper, as his fellow candidates looked at in awe. The actor, who has portrayed many roles with ease in his career Actor Urvashi has urged the Association of Malayalam Movie Actors (AMMA) to take a firm stand on the Hema Committee report, and to support the survivors who have come forward with complaints. “The perpetrators should be identified with evidence of their wrongdoings and punished accordingly,” Urvashi told TNIE on Saturday, emphasising that any kind of harassment against women is a crime and cannot be tolerated. “The association should identify the offenders and expel them from AMMA. We should also decide not to associate with anyone who has committed wrongdoings,” Urvashi said. “I personally stand with the survivors. No woman should suffer. The association should also take a strong stand in favour of the survivors,” said Urvashi, who won the state award for best female ac● More on P2 tor this year. WITH THIS ISSUE Bitten by the Bug PLUS 12 PAGES Ex-principal of RG Kar, 6 others take lie detector test One year on, Kuno cheetahs Loaded offer by to be set free into wild PDP to support NC-Cong alliance A n u r a a g S i n g h @ Bhopal ANNA J O S E @ Kochi Actor Indrans appearing for the seventh standard equivalency exam at Attakulangara Govt HSS | Vincent Pulickal spanning more than three decades, was a bit anxious about the exam. “I’m scared. I will write and see... What can I do in the middle of the shooting? I got only a short break to study. It was my family who taught me. The equivalence classes were held at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College High School,” Indrans told reporters before entering the exam hall. However, determination was writ large on Indran’s face — who had dropped out of school after class IV — in his pursuit of education. Before attempting the questions, Indrans waved and smiled at the mediapersons gathered outside the hall. At 9.30am, he immersed himself in the question paper. Saturday’s exam comprised three language papers — English, Malayalam and Hindi. The exams concluded at 4:30pm. Indrans and other candidates will be writing their social science, science and mathematics exams on Sunday. The outcome of the equivalency exam will be known within two weeks. A pass in the seventh standard equivalency exam, will qualify them to pursue the 10th standard equivalency exam. Earlier, the mediapersons who had reached the school hounded Indrans with a volley of questions on the Justice Hema Committee report and its reper● More on P5 cussions. Hospital, drawing adverse reactions from all quarters. The high court directed the CBI to submit its progress report on the investigation within three weeks and scheduled a followup hearing on September 17. In a related development, the CBI subjected Ghosh and four other doctors to a lie detector test. The four doctors had dinner with the victim on August 8. Ghosh arrived at the CBI’s office at CGO Complex in Salt Lake in the morning for the ninth day consecutive day and , was taken for the test, the officials said. The CBI also conducted a polygraph test of Sanjoy Roy and another friend of Roy .
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