thursdAY 05 december, 2024 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard bangladesh ‘elections only after reforms’ Interim government Chief Adviser Md Yunus said Sheikh Hasina ‘destroyed everything’ and pledged to hold elections after ushering in judicial reforms. Page 9 Reserve bank increases UPI Lite’s per-transaction limit to `1,000 A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS l New Delhi l J8.00 l PAGES 12 Move to widen Scope of offline payments The central bank on Wednesday amended the ‘offline framework’ issued in January 2022 to facilitate smallvalue offline digital payments. Till now, the upper The Reserve Bank of India also limit for a UPI Lite transaction was `500 and the enhanced the on-device wallet’s maximum amount of money you could hold on your total limit at any point in time on-device wallet was `2,000. The RBI had announced from `2,000 at present to `5,000 its decision on raising the limits in October ‘Neglected’ son stabs parents, sister to death in Neb Sarai U J W A L J A L A L I @ New Delhi BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, and NCP chief Ajit Pawar share a light moment during a press conference, in Mumbai on Wednesday | PTI Swearing-in today; November 25 tms report said he was the likely cm pick Ajit Pawar to be dy chief minister; suspense continues over Shinde Fadnavis to be Maha CM ‘bjp-led govt will help state grow’ Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP’s central observer for the legislature party meet, said on Wednesday that BJP governments in Maharashtra and the Centre will help the state become a greater economic powerhouse in the country No room for tainted leaders, allies told According to BJP sources, Fadnavis wants to have leaders with clean image in his cabinet so that his government can deliver on the poll promises. Alliance partners Shiv Sena and the NCP have reportedly been told not to recommend ‘tainted and painted’ MLAs as ministers | P8 S U D H I R S U R YA W A N S H I @ Mumbai ENDING days of speculation, Devendra Fadnavis was on Wednesday unanimously elected the leader of Maharashtra BJP Legislative Party, paving the way for his swearing in as chief minister. This newspaper had on November 25 reported that Fadnavis was likely to be picked as Maharashtra chief minister. Fadnavis will take oath on Thursday at 5.30 pm, after Governor C P Radhakrishnan invited him to form the new government in the state. Two deputy chief ministers, including NCP leader Ajit Pawar, will also be sworn in at the ceremony at the sprawling Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on Thursday . There is no clarity on whether Shiv Sena leader and outgo- ing CM and Eknath Shinde will be a part of the new government, though Fadnavis said he has requested him to join. In the joint press conference with Fadnavis and Pawar, Shinde said he has offered his support to the new government to be led by Fadnavis, but he refused to clarify whether he will become deputy chief minister. Shinde said he needs time to think over it and he will take the decision by consulting his people. Meanwhile, Shinde is facing pressure from his party to join the government. “We are hopeful that Shinde saheb will listen to us and be part of the government,” said Shiv Sena MLA and former minister Uday Samant. Sources said Shinde has demanded the home portfolio with an added condition that there should not be any interference in his ministry Shinde . has also handed over the list of names of probable ministers from the Shiv Sena to Fadnavis, who said he would consult the BJP’s top leadership and get back on the demands. “There is pressure over Shinde by his own MLAs and former ministers to be part of the new government. The BJP is offering urban development revenue ministry instead of home ministry We are confi... dent that he will accept the deal,” said a BJP leader. This is the third time in 10 years that Fadnavis is becoming the chief minister of Maharashtra. In 2014, he made history as the state’s first Brahmin chief minister in nearly 40 years. In 2019, he managed to form government with the help of Ajit Pawar but it lasted only a few days. political row AAP MLA gets bail, rearrested under MCOCA December 4 was special for Rajesh Kumar’s family. It was Rajesh and his wife Komal’s 27th anniversary and the day was picked by their son Arjun to teach one “final lesson” to his parents and elder sister in their sleep. jury to three persons in the Neb Sarai. The caller, Arjun, told the police that he had gone out for morning walk at 5.30 am, and found his family members lying in a pool of blood after his return. Based on his statement, a team, led by DCP (South) Ankit Chauhan was formed. “Prima facie, there was no ransacking or stealing of any articles from the house. From the analysis Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on their way to Sambhal at the Ghazipur border on Wednesday | PTI Rahul stopped from visiting Sambhal P r e e t h a n ai r @ New Delhi A Congress delegation led by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was on Wednesday stopped by the Uttar Pradesh police from visiting the violence-hit Sambhal district where prohibitory orders were in place. “We want to go to Sambhal and see what happened there. We want to meet the people but I’m not being allowed my constitutional right. This is a new India where attempts are on to end Ambedkar’s Constitution,” Gandhi added. Congress leaders, including Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and general secretary K C Venugopal, were sent back to New Delhi after a two-hour standoff at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border. Holding up a copy of the Constitution in his hand at the Gazipur border, Rahul termed the UP police action as undemocratic. Rahul said that though he BJP slams LoP The BJP on Wednesday flayed Rahul Gandhi for trying to visit Sambhal without giving prior intimation to authorities was ready to go alone to Sambhal in a police vehicle, the cops did not heed his request. “I said that I am ready to go alone, I am ready to go with the police, but they did not accept that either. Now they are saying that if we come back in a few days, they will let us go.” Violence erupted in Sambhal o n N ove m b e r 2 4 ove r a court-ordered survey of a mosque, killing five people and injuring several others. “He is different from other people. He can’t be stopped. He has the constitutional right to go and meet victims, he should be allowed,” Vadra said. P4 of CCTV footage, no suspicious entry/exit was found near the crime spot,” Jain said. When the cops questioned Arjun on the sequence of the event, they found contradiction in his statements. Initially, he tried to mislead the police but on sustained interrogation he broke down and confessed to the crime. Arjun said his father used to scold him daily and had grudge against family members for not being supportive, the police said. “He (Arjun) was furious after he came to know that his father would give property to her sister. He then decided to kill them. On December 4, he took a dagger, already kept at the house, and killed his parents and sister when they were sleeping,” Jain said. P4 assembly poll Parvesh Verma BJP candidate against Kejriwal in New Delhi Pa r v e z S ulta n @ New Delhi Police in plain clothes subdue a man (in black pants) who tried to shoot Sukhbir Singh Badal | PTI The suspect being taken away by the police | PTI Sukhbir Badal narrowly escapes assassination bid other police personnel, Jasbir Singh and Parminder Shiromani Akali Dal Singh, overpowered him and (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh the bullet hit a wall.” Badal on Wednesday narrowBhullar said 175 police perly escaped an assassination sonnel in plain clothes were attempt outside the Golden deployed at the site. The fore Temple in Amritsar. was headed by an AIG-level Badal was performing the officer. Chaura was arrested duty of ‘sewadar’ at at the spot and his the main gate of the gun was seized by the shrine when a former police. He was alBabbar Khalsa Interready facing charges We demand a national terrorist, in 30 cases, including High Court Narain Singh Chauone under the Explomonitored ra, tried to shoot him probe into the sives Act. around 9.30 am, but entire incident Pronouncing to unmask the missed narrowly . ‘tankhah’ (religious conspiracy Standing a few mepunishment) for Subehind it ters away from Badal, khbir Singh Badal Chaura took out a and other leaders for Bikram Singh pistol and tried to the “mistakes” comMajithia, SAD shoot Badal, but was mitted by his governleader quickly subdued by ment in Punjab from the security personnel in 2007 to 2017, the Akal Takht plain clothes. A bullet was had on Monday directed fired, which missed Badal Badal to wash dishes and and hit a wall. clean shoes at the Golden Detailing the incident, Temple in Amritsar as a Amritsar Police Commis- ‘sewadar’. sioner Gurpreet Singh BhBadal has a Z-plus security ullar said, “One of the police cover, which means both the personnel Rashpal Singh saw Punjab Police and the CenChaura and followed him. As tral forces are part of his prohe tried to fire at Badal, two tection detail. P8 Ha r p r e e t B ajwa @ Chandigarh S h e k h a r S i n g h @ New Delhi AAP MLA Naresh Balyan was granted bail in an extortion case by a court on Wednesday, only to be soon arrested again in connection with a separate case under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The court had set Balyan’s bail at `50,000 with a like surety after rejecting the Delhi Police’s request for his 14day judicial custody . While producing Balyan in court, the police had also sought his arrest under MCOCA, a plea which was dismissed as unmaintainable by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Rouse Avenue Cour t, Paras Dalal. Balyan was first arrested on November 30 by the Crime Branch in an extortion case linked to a purported audio clip of a conversation allegedly between him and gangster Kapil Sangwan. He was granted bail but quickly found himself in trouble again and booked under MCOCA. The Crime Branch may present him before court on Thursday . The arrest has sparked a political row, with BJP accusing Balyan of colluding with gangsters and AAP calling it politically motivated. “This arrest is only to silence Arvind Kejriwal... Naresh Balyan is himself a victim who received threats to life and extortion calls from gangsters, but no action was taken,” the AAP said in a statement. three of a family — a 55-yearold man, his 47-year-old wife, and 23-year-old daughter — were stabbed to death at their residence in South Delhi’s Neb Sarai area in the early hours of Wednesday by their 20-year-old son for allegedly being neglected by his family The deceased . were identified as Rajesh (an ex-serviceman), his wife Komal, and their daughter Kavita. The accused, identified as Arjun, had himself informed the police about the murders but tried to twist the story by claiming innocence. However, as the investigation proceeded, he confessed to killing them. Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) SK Jain said that a PCR call was received at 6.53 am regarding in- marriage anniv The coveted New Delhi seat is likely to witness a high-octane contest as the BJP has decided to field former MP Parvesh Verma against Arvind Kejriwal in the Assembly polls due in February next year. Verma held a meeting with BJP chief J P Nadda on Wednesday . Kejriwal won the seat, defeating three-time CM Sheila Dikshit when he made his electoral debut in 2013. The candidature of Verma, a prominent Jat face and son of former CM Sahib Singh Verma, has been finalised by the BJP central leadership about a week ago. Party leaders said that the decision has already been conveyed to Verma, who, in turn, has started meeting people in the constituency . A section of Delhi BJP leaders said a “serious candidate” was nominated from the seat for the first time after the party lost it to Dikshit in 1998. “Known for his election management, Verma will give Kejriwal a run for his money said a ,” senior Delhi BJP functionary . Verma became an MLA from Mehrauli, where he defeated Congress veteran Yoganand Shastri, in 2013. A year later, he successfully contested the Lok Sabha election from West Delhi. In 2019, he retained the seat with a record margin of 5.78 lakh votes. He was denied Lok Sabha ticket this year. According to sources, nomination to Verma may help the BJP in about 30 assembly seats in outer Delhi, which is considered a stronghold of his father. Also, after Verma’s nomination, the BJP may give tickets to at least two more former MPs against AAP heavyweights, including CM Atishi and and Saurabh Bhardwaj. dark side of sport express read India cricketers heckled and body-shamed in Adelaide No toying with phone at work: Kerala HC to staff E x p r e ss N e ws S e r v i c e @ Chennai Perhaps, the organisers never expected such a crowd. The open nets session for India at Adelaide before the second day and night Test match against Australia turned carnivalesque. Almost. It turned into chaos. About 3,000 (some put that figure at 5,000) spectators descended at the practice wickets at Adelaide to watch their favourite stars going through their practice rituals. According to reports, the crowd started to laugh and tease players whenever they got out or were missing the ball. On the other hand, Australia team practice did not see a turnout of more than 100 people. Things started to turn ugly as some of the spectators started to request for selfies, even while batting, and if reports are to be believed, some were even doing Facebook live from the practice centre. Re- ports also indicated that players were even laughed and mocked at. The crowd also seemed to have gone personal, attacking certain player for fitness. What really irked the team was that the vociferous crowd distracted them and concentration while batting was getting difficult. “It was complete chaos. During the Australian training session, not more than 70-odd peo- ple turned up but during India’s session, 3,000 came. No one expected so many fans to turn up,” a senior Indian cricket board official told a news agency. The anonymity cricketers held may be in the last century is slowly changing with more engagement from the South Asian communities in Australia. The BCCI has banned all net sesP11 sions after this. The Kerala High Court has imposed a ban on its staffers from playing online games, browsing social media, streaming movies, or engaging in online trading during office hours — even lunch hours — which it found had started diverting their attention from work. The HC had, through circulars issued in 2009 and 2013 prohibited the use of mobile phones by officers and staff members during office hours. | P5