WEDNESDAY AFTER JIO-BP, NAYARA ENERGY SELLS PETROL, DIESEL AT `1 LESS THAN PSUS 31 While OMCs continue to hold prices despite a drop in international rates, private fuel retailers have started passing on the benefit to consumers MAY, 2023 Discount offer to continue till end of June epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard “To further stimulate domestic consumption and cater to local customers better, we have introduced a `1 discount in our retail outlets until the end of June 2023,” said a spokesperson for Nayara Energy, which owns 7% of India’s 86,925 petrol pumps. Earlier this month, Jiobp started selling superior grade diesel at `1 cheaper than regular grade diesel sold by stateowned outlets twitter.com/TheMornStandard INDIA EXTENDS $1 BN CREDIT LINE TO SL For 1 yr more to help the island nation procure food, medicine & other essential items PAGE 9 Fake `500 notes up 14% in FY23, says RBI report E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ Mumbai THERE may be more fake `500 notes in circulation than 2,000 denomination notes, according to the Reserve Bank of India’s latest annual report released on Tuesday . The volume of counterfeit `500 notes swelled 14% in 202223 to 91,110 pieces compared 79,669 pieces detected in 202122, the RBI report said. In contrast, the number of fake `2,000 notes — which is in the process of being withdrawn from circulation — declined from 13,604 pieces to 9,806 during the same period. “Compared to the previous year, there was an increase of 8.4% and 14.4% in the counterfeit notes detected in the denominations of `20 and `500 (new design), respectively The . counterfeit notes detected in the denominations of `10, `100, and `2,000 declined by 11.6%,” it said. Taken together, the number of fake notes in all denominations witnessed a marginal decline of 2% in FY23. The total number of fake Indian currency notes detected in the banking sector fell to 2,25,769 pieces in 2022-23 from 2,30,971 pieces in 2021-22. In value terms, the share of `500 and `2,000 notes together accounted for 87.9% of the total value of currency in circulation as on March 31, 2023. In terms of volume, `500 denomination had the highest share of 37.9% in the total banknotes in circulation as on March 31, 2023. There were 5,16,338 lakh pieces of `500 notes worth `25,81,690 crore at end-March. For `2,000 notes, the volume was 4,55,468 lakh pieces worth `3,62,220 crore. A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI Medal point to put police on the mat Wrestlers put off decision to drop medals in the Ganga NARENDRA SETHI AND UJWAL J A L A L I @ Haridwar/New Delhi INDIA’S top wrestlers on Tuesday raised the pitch of their ongoing protest up a notch — against the delay in arresting sidelined Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh — by threatening to let their hard-earned medals wash away in the Ganga but put it off by five days to give the police time to act. The five-day deadline for Singh’s arrest came after the intervention of farmer leader Naresh Tikait. Rough police action to evict them from the Jantar Mantar protest site on Sunday also weighed on their minds as they reached Haridwar with their medals on Tuesday evening. The United World Wrestling, the international wrestling body, on Tuesday condemned the treatment meted out to the protesting wrestlers and their detention following a scuffle with the police on Sunday . Earlier in the day, the grapplers had announced their intention to sit on an indefinite hunger strike at India Gate in Delhi after returning from Haridwar. However, sources in the Delhi Police told this newspaper they would not allow any demonstration at India Gate as it is a national monument. At Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar, top wrestlers like Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sangeeta Phogat and Sakshi Malik said, “When the government is not ready to take action against the Singh, who is also a BJP MP, what is the use of these medals Protesting wrestlers at Har ki Pauri in Haridwar | PTI we won for the country?” After taking a seat by the riverbank, clutching their medals, the grapplers broke down in tears as their numerous supporters formed a protective circle. Singh is facing grave charges of sexual harassment of grapplers, including that of a minor. Though he has also been booked under the POCSO Act, he is yet to be arrested. At Har Ki Pauri, Nitin Gautam, president of the Shri Ganga Sabha, advised them against dropping their medals in the Ganga. “Har ki Pauri is a sacred pilgrimage site. Wrestlers can take holy baths, do charity , but medals will not be allowed to be dropped there. Har Ki Pauri will not be allowed to become an arena of politics.” The Samyukta Kisan Morcha has given a call for a nationwide agitation on June 1 to secure the democratic right of protest for the wrestlers. P 3 & 11 Khaps back grapplers Haryana’s khaps and farmer outfits were among those that appealed to the protesting wrestlers not to immerse their medals in the Ganges These hardearned medals are our lives, our soul. We will have no reason to live after throwing them into the Ganga - Statement issued by wrestlers  J8.00  PAGES 12 A city court on Tuesday allowed Delhi Police to interrogate Mohammad Sahil Khan, accused of stabbing a 16-year-old girl over 20 times and bludgeoning her to death with a boulder, in its custody for two days. The 20-yearold was produced before Duty Metropolitan Magistrate Jyoti Nain before usual court timings due to security reasons. Meanwhile, Sahil’s interrogation has revealed that he had bought the murder weapon i.e. the knife 15 days back from a weekly market in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The murder weapon is yet to be recovered. The police suspect that he probably dumped it at some place near Rithala. The interrogation of Sahil, who was brought to Delhi from Bulandshahr from where he had been arrested on Monday, has revealed that he and the victim were in a relationship since June, 2021. They became close to each other in the last three-four months, though the victim was not too happy in the relationship, cops said. They used to have frequent fights of late, sources said. “The victim even stopped talking to him (Sahil) and wanted to end her relationship with him, but he kept approaching her,” sources said. It has also come to light that the victim reportedly had another boyfriend, named Praveen, before Sahil. In fact, she had Praveen’s name as a tattoo on her forearm. The police are trying to ascertain whether it could be the reason for frequent fights between the two. Sahil has reportedly told cops that he suspected the victim was trying to get close to Praveen, which enraged him. Sources said Praveen is currently in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, and has been asked to join the investigation in Delhi. Sahil has told cops that he, a day before the murder, was threatened by someone, named Jhabram, who asked him to stay away from her. Rosneft a key shareholder While Jio-bp has priced only diesel less than that of PSUs, Nayara is selling both diesel and petrol at rates below state-owned firms ■ IOC, BPCL and HPCL had frozen retail prices when int’l oil prices climbed in the aftermath of Russia’s war of Ukraine ■ Rosneft is Nayara’s single-largest shareholder with 49% stake ■ On Day 2 in Manipur, Shah meets Meitei and Kuki groups P R A SA N TA M A Z U M DA R @ Guwahati HOME Minister Amit Shah, who is on a four-day visit to violence-hit Manipur, on Tuesday held a series of meetings with Meitei and Kuki groups to restore peace and normalcy in the state. Soon after landing on Monday night, Shah got down to business by chairing a high-level meeting of state ministers and officials. One of the first decisions was to grant `10 lakh ex gratia to the kin on those killed in the clashes and a government job to one of the family members. Shah began his second day in Manipur by meeting a group of Meitei women leaders, followed by subsequent meetings with civil society groups, intellectuals and student unions. Later, he visited the hill district of Churachandpur and held similar meetings with leaders from the Kuki community . Ginza Vualzong, leader of Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum, said they demanded ‘total separation’ from Manipur and the imposition of President’s rule as the law and order in the state has collapsed. During the meeting, Shah sought 15 days’ time to set up committees that will work towards restoration of peace, he added. Meanwhile, the Meitei leaders demanded appropriate measures for the protection of Manipur’s territorial and administrative integrity and immediate abrogation of the Suspension of Operation agreement with Kuki insurgent groups allegedly involved in violence. Later in the evening, Shah, along with Chief Minister N Biren Singh, held a security review meeting with senior officials. He also held an allparty meeting in Imphal. On Wednesday Shah will visit Moreh and Kang, pokpi areas of Manipur. P7 PAKISTAN IMRAN KHAN TO BE TRIED IN MILITARY COURT; PM NO TO TALKS Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said ex-PM was the ‘architect’ of May 9 incidents in which military and state installations were attacked by his partymen | P9 ‘Serious allegations’: HC junks Sisodia’s bail plea JA I S O N W I L S O N @ New Delhi THE Delhi High Court on Tuesday rejected bail to Manish Sisodia, observing “serious allegations” against him in the corruption case registered by the CBI. “… excise policy was formed at the instance of the ‘South Group’ with mala fide intention to give undue advantage to them. Such an act points towards the misconduct of the applicant (Sisodia), who was admittedly a public servant and holding highest position,” Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma said in his 43-page judgment. The HC noted that Sisodia, who is lodged in jail, is an influential person who held the position of deputy CM having 18 portfolios and the witnesses are mostly public servants and that there is a possibility of the witnesses being influenced. The HC further said that it is restraining itself to make any comments and minute examination of the material on record so as to not to cause any prejudice to the applicant or the prosecution during the trial. “The gravity and the allegations do not entitle the accused to be admitted to bail,” the single-bench judge clarified. “It is clear that the excise policy has not been examined in the present proceedings nor the powers of the government regarding framing of the economic policies.” At this stage, the court has only to see the prima facie case, Justice Sharma stated. The CBI arrested Sisodia on February 26 this year. Teen stabbed to death: Accused in police custody, no trace of murder weapon yet UJ WA L JA L A L I @ New Delhi $75.30/barrel Global oil benchmark Brent crude price declined by 2.3% on Tuesday EXPRESS READ 3-mnth stint at Centre for civil services probationers Civil services probationers will have a three-month stint at the Central government before they would join their respective allocated state cadres, said Union MoS Jitendra Singh on Tuesday after felicitating the 20 all-India toppers of civil services examination 2022. 30 medical colleges lose recognition in 2 mnths WELCOME TO INDIA PM Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu welcomed Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni on Tuesday and assured him of India’s resolve to strengthen the bilateral partnership across diverse areas including capacity building | SHEKHAR YADAV At least 30 medical colleges in the country have lost recognition in the past two months allegedly for not following standards set by the National Medical Commission, officials said on Tuesday. About 100 more medical colleges in TN, Gujarat, Assam, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry and Bengal may also face similar action. MP shocker: Condoms, birth-control Coaches of Kalka-Shimla train to get makeover pills in state govt’s wedding gift kits 120-YEAR-OLD R A J E S H K U M A R T H A K U R @ New Delhi THE Indian Railways is set to give a makeover to the 120-yearold Kalka-Shimla Railway by replacing its coaches, built during the British time, with indigenously manufactured coaches. The railways said the replacement would be completed soon with a plan to attach a mini-pantry and bio-toilets fixed in each coach of the UNESCO World Heritage train that runs on narrow gauge. The Railway Coach Factory in Punjab’s Kapurthala will manufacture the new coaches. Railway sources said the heritage train still runs with a set of coaches, which were designed over a century back by the Mughalpura workshop, which is now in Lahore. ON TRACK Coaches to have 1st class AC Chair cars, AC chair normal and non-AC chair cars with a guard carriage Railway Coach Factory in Punjab’s Kapurthala will manufacture the new coaches Train now covers 96.6km in five-and-a-half hours On Tuesday, railway ministry released the photographs of the newly designed coaches to be used with the Kalka-Shimla heritage train that covers 96.6 km in about five-and-a-half hours. The railways said such a makeover would “unleash the passengers’ Himalayan wanderlust” in the lap of nature. A senior official told this newspaper that the railway granted the final approval to the proposed design last year. The coaches will have 1st class AC Chair cars, AC chair normal and non-AC chair cars with a guard carriage. The Kapurthala factory reportedly manufactured two prototypes in September 2022 and these were tested as per the norms of the Research Designs & Standards Organisation in October 2022 for assessing the coaches’ static stress analysis. “The prototype coaches were also tested at speeds higher than the sanctioned capacity to determine the stability and ride quality said an official. ,” The interiors of the heritage train will exhibit the local cultural grandeur. Other facilities which are being made available include noise-vibration proofing, anti-UV-coated window glasses, bio-toilets, power windows in upper classes, darkening vista glass in upper classes, powered doors, LED lights and other modern amenities for giving a soothing travelling experience to the passengers. E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ Bhopal WITH condoms and birth control pills being found in makeup kits gifted to newly married brides under the National Health Mission (NHM), a political controversy has erupted into the Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah/Nikah Yojana — a flagship scheme of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in Madhya Pradesh. The controversy surfaced at the mass wedding event of 296 couples in Thandla block of the tribal-dominated Jhabua district on Monday . As the couples unwrapped the make-up boxes/kits gifted to them, they found packets of condoms and birth-control pills inside. The visuals of the event have gone viral on social media. What’s the scheme? Launched in 2006, the local urban body directly credits `49,000 into the accounts of each newly wed bride while the rest `6,000 is spent to fund the food and other marriage ceremony-related expenses. The development gave fresh ammo to the opposition Congress to attack the government in the assembly poll year. “It shows the BJP government has crossed all limits of shamelessness. It’s perhaps the first time in MP that such a dirty joke has been played with brides,” said state Congress spokesperson Sangita Sharma. BJP spokesperson Neha Bagga tried to clear the air. “The kits are being distributed as part of new guidelines of the National Health Mission. Congress needs to make it clear whether it is against educating newly-wed couples about family planning.” The in-charge chief executive officer (CEO) of Thandla Nagar Palika Parishad, Bhoor Singh Rawat, said: “We don’t have to do anything with the distribution of the gifts; these are possibly gifted by the health department out of their family planning promotional efforts.” Last month in another tribaldominated district Dindori, a row was triggered by the alleged pregnancy tests of young girls enrolled in the marriage scheme.