madurai l tuesday l February 16, 2021 l `7.00 l PAGES 14 l late city EDITION Wholesale Price Index for jan touches 2.03% An uptick in demand for manufactured items after resumption in economic activities in September last pushing prices up, say data manufactured items inflation at 5.13% Analysts expect big WPI jump in fy21 Inflation in manufactured items, accounting for 65% weight in WPI, stood at 5.13% compared to 4.24% in Dec. This grouping comprises 22 bands, of which 18 like furniture, motor vehicles, machinery saw prices rising. Data show prices of food items dropped in Jan at (-) 2.8% while prices of nonfood articles rose by 4.16%. Together, they account for 20% weight in WPI ■ ■ Fuel and power index (15% weight) contracted 4.78% in January Analysts say a deeper disinflation in primary food articles helped cushion the impact of the sharp rise in core inflation, but warned headline WPI inflation will record large upticks over the course of the next few months and hover around 5-5.5 per cent in FY2021 4.06% Jan’s retail inflation based on the cpi. A drop of 0.53% over december CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ WARANGAL ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI BCCI Toolkit heat on two more activists Police claim Nikita & Disha edited doc created by Shantanu; were in contact with Khalistani outfit G ayat h r i M a n i a n d S u d h i r S u r ya w a n s h i @ New Delhi/Mumbai all-round applause for ashwin Bad start On a pitch that came under criticism after England were bowled out for 134 in the first innings, India wanted to make a statement by batting long enough on Day 3. However, they ended up losing five wickets inside the first session Even as the arrest of Bengaluru student-activist Disha Ravi in connection with Greta Thunberg toolkit case has sparked an outrage, Delhi Police are searching for two other persons, Mumbaibased lawyer Nikita Jacob and environment activist Shantanu Mulak, against whom non-bailable warrants have been obtained. The two moved Bombay High Court for transit anticipatory bail on Monday, a day after a Delhi court re- manded Disha in five-day police custody Jacob and Mulak, who is . based in Delhi but hails from Maharashtra, have been identified by the Delhi Police as creators of the ‘toolkit’ document, along with Disha. According to the police, both Jacob and Mulak are absconding. However, in her plea filed in the Bombay High Court, Jacob expressed apprehension that she may be arrested “due to political vendetta and a media trial” and sought transit anticipatory bail for four weeks. She also sought in- terim protection from any coercive steps by the police. Mulak filed a plea seeking similar relief in the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court. According to Delhi’s Joint Commissioner of Police (Cyber Cell) Prem Nath, initial investigation revealed that Mulak’s e-mail account was the owner of the toolkit that was uploaded and later deleted by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, while the others were its editors. All three — Disha, Mulak and Jacob — have been booked for se- dition, creating disharmony and ill-will against the Government of India. Briefing the media, the JCP said a Canada-based woman named Puneet connects all the accused with “pro-Khalistan” Poetic Justice Foundation’ (PJF). The police said that on January 11, Jacob and Mulak attended a Zoom meeting organised by PJF in which the modalities of the protests were worked out. The toolkit was created based on that discussion. Disha later shared the toolkit with Greta Thunberg over Telegram messenger. P8,10 SC gives Kappan 5-day interim bail The Supreme Court on Monday laid down a set of conditions while granting a 5-day interim bail to journalist Siddique Kappan to meet his ailing mother (90). A bench headed by the CJI ordered him not to give any interview to any media platform. He was told only to meet his relatives and doctors. The conditions were set after the solicitor general argued he might use the bail period to garner support. Kappan was arrested in October last while going to Hathras to report on the alleged gang-rape and death of a Dalit woman. ENS Kohli-ty knock With Jack Leach and Moeen Ali finding enough purchase off the pitch, batting was by no means easy. Batsmen found it hard to negotiate the turn and bounce. But Virat Kohli displayed quality by playing late and stretching forward in order to defend Ashwin’s day out The moment he walked in to bat, Ashwin meant business. He swept the spinners, used his feet against them and scored briskly. After scoring fifty, he quietly went about building the innings in the company of the tail. He scored 106 off 148 balls Government of Tamil Nadu ÿku§ÂÁ¶ º√V|D >twÔD ÿ>Va_ k·Ï >twÔD s ta r i n g at t h e i n e v i ta b l e England need a miracle in the remaining two days to get something out of the contest. Chasing 482 for victory, the visitors were reeling at 53/3 in the second innings, needing 429 more runs for an improbable win | P14 Now, Malladi abandons Congress ship in Pondy Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru. D e b j a n i D u t ta @ Puducherry THERE seems to be far too many leaks in the ship that is the Congress government, threatening to sink it right before it reaches the destination: Elections. After former minister A Namassivayam and legislator Theepainthan, now Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao has tendered in his resignation from the Territorial Assembly. He posted his resignation letter, wafer-thin addressed to the Speaker, on majority his Twitter handle on Monday . Malladi Krishna However, Secretary of PuRao’s resignation ducherry Legislative Assemhas put the Congress bly R Mounisamy said the government, led by Speaker’s office had not reV Narayanasamy, in ceived the letter from him till deep trouble, with Monday evening. Though Rao its strength could not be reached , sources declining to 15 close to him said that he has members in a House sent the letter through post, an of 29, while the accepted mode. Rao’s decision Opposition has 14 to quit politics in the UT is no members surprise as he has already announced his decision against contesting the Yanam seat, from where he has been continuously elected since 1996. Recently, he was honoured by the Assembly for completing 25 years as an MLA, and by the government with the best MLA award, after which he tendered in his resignation from the post of Health Minister last month. That resignation has not yet been accepted by the government. Rao, meanwhile, also surrendered his office, Puducherry residence, and his official car at the same time. However, the sudden decision to quit his MLA post has come as a surprise. Continued on: P4 In the presence of Hon’ble Minister for Industries Hon’ble Minister for Rural Industries Thiru. M.C. SAMPATH Thiru. P. BENJAMIN EVENT HIGHLIGHTS    Release of Tamil Nadu Industrial Policy 2021 & Tamil Nadu MSME Policy 2021 Signing of 28 MoUs for a Total Investment of Rs.28,053 crore with 68,775 Jobs Inauguration of 13 Completed Projects at a cost of Rs. 3489 crore LAYING OF FOUNDATION STONE FOR 10 NEW INDUSTRIAL PARKS & ESTATES 1. Manapparai (Tiruchirappalli District) 6. Alathur Phase-II (Chengalpet District) 2. Manallur (Tiruvallur District) 7. Rasampalayam (Namakkal District) 3. Oragadam Phase-II (Kancheepuram District) 8. Periyakolapadi (Tiruvannamalai District) 4. Thadangam (Dharmapuri District) 9. Periyaseeragapadi (Salem District) 5. Alangudi (Pudukkottai District) AIADMK invites applications for party tickets for polls in TN, Pondy, Kerala 10. Umayalpuram (Salem District) BUSINESS TODAY AWARDS - TAMIL NADU 2021 Chennai: Even before finalising the alliance or commencing seat-sharing talks, the AIADMK on Monday invited applications from members who wish to contest elections in TN, Puducherry and Kerala. Party ticket aspirants can collect applications from party headquarters between February 24 and March 5, said an official statement. Application for TN ticket will be charged `15,000, Puducherry `5,000 and Kerala `2,000. WINNERS 1. M/s. CPCL DIPR/291/DISPLAY/2021 Chennai: The Madras High Court on Monday wondered whether the Central government was indirectly trying to impose its reservation rule to colleges and universities in the State, for whose courses it provides a scholarship. The court also, suo motu impleaded the University Grants Commission (UGC) and ordered the Central government to file a detailed report on the reservation rule by Tuesday PALANISWAMI will preside over the MoU Signing, Foundation Stone Laying and Inauguration of Projects express read Is Centre imposing its quota policy in educational institutions in TN? asks HC Edappadi K. 6. M/s. Cheyyar SEZ Developers 2. M/s. MRF 7. M/s. Farida Group 3. M/s. Hyundai Motors Ltd 8. M/s. Mahindra World City 4. M/s. ITC Ltd 9. M/s. Salcomp Manufacturing Ltd 5. M/s. Foxconn Group Date: 16th February 2021 | Time: 12:00 Noon Venue : Hotel Leela Palace, M.R.C. Nagar, Chennai #1 STATE GOOD GOVERNANCE INDEX #1 STATE INDIA TODAY - MDRA Best Overall Performance #1 STATE CARE RATINGS FOR INVESTMENTS No. of Projects: 46 INVESTMENT: `33,465 Cr EMPLOYMENT: 2,19,714