TUESDAY SC PULLS UP U’KHAND GOVT OVER FOREST LAND GRAB BY PVT ENTITIES 23 An SC bench has started a suo motu case observing the state remained a mute spectator as forest land was being grabbed DECEMBER, 2025 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard RUSSIAN GENERAL KILLED IN CAR BOMB ATTACK Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov, head of Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff, was killed in a car bomb attack on Monday. PAGE 9 2,866 ACRES OF FOREST LAND UNDER LENS A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI  J8.00  PAGES 12 US expands online review of H-1B, H4 applicants EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi THE United States has extended online presence reviews to all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants worldwide, a move aimed at curbing work visa programme abuse but causing disruptions. “Beginning December 15, the Department of State expanded online presence reviews to ALL HIGH COURT Sonia, Rahul told to reply on ED plea in Herald case H-1B and H-4 applicants as part of standard visa screening,” the US Embassy in New Delhi said Monday. “This vetting is being conducted globally for ALL applicants of ALL nationalities… while still permitting VISA companies to hire the best of the best temporary foreign workers.” H-4 visas cover spouses and unmarried children under 21 of H-1B holders. The State De- This vetting is being conducted globally for ALL applicants of ALL nationalities… while still permitting companies to hire the best of the best temporary foreign workers —US Embassy in New Delhi partment warned of delays, encouraging applicants to “apply as early as they can”. The expanded vetting has already disrupted travel plans for Indian H-1B holders who returned home to renew visas. Dozens of visa interviews scheduled between December 15-26 were abruptly cancelled or postponed, with many rescheduled for as late as March, The Washington Post reported. The State Department said delays followed expanded social media screening “to ensure that no applicants… pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety .” Immigration lawyers de- scribed the impact as severe. “This is the biggest mess we have seen. I’m not sure there is a plan,” Indian immigration lawyer Veena Vijay Ananth told The Washington Post. Emily Neumann, a partner at Houston-based Reddy Neumann Brown PC, said she had “at least 100 clients stranded in India”. Indians, who comprise 71% of H-1B visa holders according to April 2025 data, are disproportionately affected. EXPLICIT DEATH THREATS TO JOURNOS Press freedom has emerged as another flashpoint. Editors warned that threats against journalists have escalated after attacks on media offices last week. “Journalists are receiving explicit death threats,” The Daily Star editor Mahfuz Anam said at a protest organised in Dhaka by the Editors’ Council on Monday Bangladesh’s Editors’ Council protests the mob attack on Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in Dhaka, on Monday | AFP E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ New Delhi THE Delhi High Court sought response from Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on Monday in the National Herald case. The order came on a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which challenged a lower court order refusing to take cognisance of the agency charge sheet filed against the Gandhis and others. A b e n c h o f Ju s t i c e Ravinder Dudeja issued notice to the Gandhis and other respondents, directing them to file their response by March 12, when the court will next hear the matter. During a brief hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that the trial court erred in choosing to not take cognisance in the matter. “The trial court had already taken cognisance of [Subramanian] Swamy’s complaint, based on which the ED lodged its case. This matter needs to be heard… The entire PMLA is turned on its head,” Mehta argued. A city court on December 16 had refused to take cognisance of the chargesheet, saying the prosecution complaint (the ED’s equivalent to a chargesheet) filed under the PMLA was not maintainable since the case was not lodged on the basis of an FIR filed by any investigative agency The court had ruled . that the ED could initiate a money-laundering case only based on an FIR lodged by an investigating agency, also noting that the Delhi Police had registered an FIR in relation to the matter and the ED was free to pursue the matter in that case. B’desh halts visa to Indians Motaleb Sikdar, leader of the National Citizen Party, shot at, further stoking pre-poll tension J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi THE Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi on Monday suspended all visa and consular services for Indians, as political violence and protests continued to roil the country less than two months ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12. Its Assistant High Commission in Agartala had suspended visa services on Sunday after protests by the Tipra Motha Party and others outside the mission. Visa services run by a private operator on Bangladesh’s behalf in Siliguri, West Bengal, were also halted following protests. No timeline was given for the resumption of services, amid heightened diplomatic and security sensitivities. litical activist was attacked on The suspension comes two Monday Motaleb Sikdar, Khul. days after a group of around 20- na divisional chief of the Na25 protesters demonstrated out- tional Citizen Party (NCP), was side the Bangladesh mission in shot in the head in Khulna and Delhi, condemning the killing is undergoing treatment in hosof Dipu Chandra Das, a pital. The attack has ingarment worker in Mytensified fears of tarmensingh, and demandgeted violence and ing protection for mipolitical unrest. norities in Bangladesh. Hadi, 32, was the External Affairs Minfounder of Inqilab istry spokesperson RanMoncho, a platfor m dhir Jaiswal had on Sunthat emerged from last day said that “there was Motaleb Sikdar year’s mass protests no attempt to breach the against then PM Sheikh fence or create a security situ- Hasina, which culminated in ation at any time,” adding the her ouster. He had announced police dispersed the group plans to contest the February within minutes. 12 elections and was campaignDays after the killing of ing in Dhaka when he was shot prominent youth leader Sharif earlier this month. Osman Bin Hadi, another poHis death triggered wide- CRICKETERS Following the World Cup win, BCCI has increased the domestic match fee for women cricketers. It will be a big boost to women players who strive to stay in the game without any WPL or India contracts. MORE ON P11 TARIFF-FREE ACCESS Among the fastest of deals, NZ joins growing FTA list D I PA K M O N D A L @ New Delhi IN one of the fastest trade negotiations in recent times, India New Zealand on Monday concluded a free trade agreement (FTA) in just nine months, offering duty-free access for Indian goods to the island nation’s markets. India has sealed seven free trade pacts since 2014. The FTA with New Zealand is the third in the year so far. India has been looking to explore new markets ever since US President Trump imposed 50% tariff on goods. India’s talks with the US for a bilateral trade pact remain inconclusive. On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon after which the two leaders jointly announced the conclusion of what they described as the “historic, ambitious and mutually beneficial” pact. Earlier, New Zealand imposed peak tariffs of up to 10% on key Indian exports such as textiles and apparel, leather, ceramics, carpets, automobiles and auto components. Now, 100% of India’s current exports will get tariff-free access to the New Zealand market. In return, India has offered market access in about 70% of EXPRESS READ Jaishankar visits Lanka as PM’s special envoy Foreign Minister S Jaishankar landed in Colombo on Monday to hold talks with Sri Lanka’s top leadership as the island nation begins reconstruction efforts following Cyclone Ditwah, which killed over 640 people. The external affairs minister is visiting Sri Lanka as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special envoy. LIKELY TO ROPE IN AGGREGATORS MASSIVE PAY HIKE FOR WOMEN spread protests across Bangladesh, with supporters alleging that the assailants fled to India and demanding their arrest. Police, however, said there is no clarity on the suspects’ whereabouts. Inqilab Moncho issued an ultimatum, threatening to launch a movement to oust the interim administration if justice is not delivered in Hadi’s murder. “The deadline has passed without any visible steps from the authorities,” said Abdullah Al Jaber, a leader of the platform. Bangladesh’s interim leadership convened a high-level meeting to review law and order. Meanwhile, Indian student bodies urged New Delhi to ensure the safety of Indian nationals in Bangladesh. The case concerns 2,866 acres of forest land, a part of which was leased to Pashu Lok Seva Samiti. The society subsequently allotted land parcels to its members. A dispute later arose, and it went into liquidation in 1984, surrendering 594 acres to government. But, some individuals, including the petitioner, claimed to have taken possession of the land in 2001 | P8 DELHI MULLS POOLING OF E-BUSES FOR NCR TOWNS 150% UP TO A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi INCREASE A senior woman cricketer will now receive 50,000 for one-dayers and multi-day ties. Reserves will get 25,000. For T20s, the pay has increased from 20,000 to 25,000. Previously, senior domestic women cricketers used to get 20,000 (playing XI) and for reserves it was 10,000 JR CRICKETERS ALSO GET BOOST Meanwhile, junior women cricketers (U15, U19 and U23) will receive a match day fee of 25,000 while reserves will get `12,500. For T20s, they playing members will get 12,500 and reserves will receive 6,250. Earlier, the fee was 10,000 for playing XI and `5000 for reserves AMID rise in pollution level in the city, the Delhi government has decided to explore pooling of electric bus services across the National Capital Region (NCR) for seamless commuting across the capital and adjacent towns. Importantly the government is like, ly to seek the participation of private players in this plan. This decision was made after CM Rekha Gupta reviewed pollution control measures at the Secretariat on Monday . The government will soon initiate discussions with companies such as Ola and Uber to push this scheme. The proposal aims to explore the operation of pooled and shared electric or nonpolluting buses in the NCR. Officials feel that such initiatives will reduce people’s dependence on private vehicles and strengthen environmentfriendly public transport. The chief minister stated that achieving zero emissions in the capital remains a key priority of the government. Estimates suggest that Delhi has over 600 bus routes, out of which the Delhi Transport Corporation operates buses in 259 and cluster buses operate on 209 routes, while both formats are used in 138 routes. If the government’s pooling scheme becomes operational, the total number of routes is likely to rise significantly P3 . CENTURY-OLD CONNECTION In a little-known Kerala shrine rests the relics of the real-life ‘Santa’ R E N J I T H L E E N @ Kochi AS the Yuletide spirit fills the air, posters, cutouts, and dolls of Santa Claus appear everywhere, heralding the season of love and sharing. However, not many may know that Santa, the most popular symbol of Christmas, is inspired from and modelled after St Nicholas, a fourth-century bishop from Myra in ancient Turkey, who was known for his generosity and secret gift-giving. Some may even find it hard to believe that the real-life Santa has a Kerala connection. For more than a century, Pampakuda, a sleepy village located 35 km away from Ernakulam, has been home to a relic of St Nicholas. Barring residents, not many are aware that the modest wayside shrine at Pampakuda in front of St John’s Ephesus Orthodox Church is home to six priceless relics, one of which is a fragment of the remains of St Nicholas. “St Geevarghese Mar Gregorios, aka Parumala Thirumeni, brought the relics to Pampakuda after visiting the Holy Land in 1895. He wished to gift them to his tutor, Konat Geevarghese Malpan. Upon learning that his beloved guru had passed away while he was overseas, St Gre- gorios gifted the relics to Fr. Konat Mathen, who was the Malpan (teacher) at the time. My grandfather, Konat Mathen Malpan, was instrumental in enshrining the relics near the wayside cross. Later, a The shrine housing the relic of St Nicholas at Pampakuda; (inset) the reliquary containing the relic | EXPRESS proper shrine was built, and the reliquaries were enshrined there,” said the priest whose family had several illustrious Syriac scholars. Fr Konat explained that the relics were gifted to St Gregorios by the Metropolitan of Jerusalem. Today, the bulk of the relics of St Nicholas rests in Bari in Italy, though fragments of his bones are kept in churches throughout Europe. Dedicated pathway for Indian students The FTA offers a dedicated pathway for Indian students in NZ, removing numerical caps and guaranteeing a minimum 20 hours of work per week during study tariff lines, covering 95% of the bilateral trade value, while keeping 29.97% of tariff lines under an exclusion list covering sensitive sectors such as dairy and agriculture. “With zero-duty market access for Indian products, Indian exporters will become more competitive and enjoy a levelplaying field in New Zealand,” the commerce ministry said. With 100% duty-free access, India’s labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, footwear, marine products, gems and jewellery, handicrafts, engineering goods, and automobiles could see a sharp rise in exports. P10 Former Punjab IG loses `8.10 cr in online fraud, attempts suicide H A R P R E E T BA J WA @ Chandigarh AFTER allegedly losing `8.10 crore to cyber fraudsters, Amar Singh Chahal, a former Punjab IGP, reportedly attempted suicide in Patiala. Sources said that Chahal was rushed to hospital with a serious chest injury He is undergo. ing treatment after he tried to shoot himself. His condition is stated to be critical. In a hand-written note recovered from the scene, he called himself a victim of a cyber financial fraud. He detailed the circumstances that led to him taking this extreme step. Addressed to PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the note read that he was defrauded by what he described as a “highly sophisticated gang of scammers”. He said that he had recently joined a WhatsApp group operating under the name of an “IPS group”, where members promised exceptionally high returns on investments. In a separate 12-page note sent to his friends and addressed to Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav, he wrote, “At the outset, I regret that I did not use due caution. I saw this group active on WhatsApp and Telegram. It was claiming to represent a group authorised by the Government of India and SEBI to educate and help retail investors earn good money .’’ Incidentally Chahal is an ac, cused in the 2015 police firing cases in Faridkot district on people who were protesting the alleged desecration of a scripture. He was named in a 2023 SIT charge sheet in the case.