COIMBATORE l sunday l march 19, 2023 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l LATE CITY EDITION Pak court lets Imran go without indictment in Toshakhana case Islamabad’s additional district and sessions judge allows ex-Pak PM to mark his attendance from his vehicle and leave the court premises Imran’s car surrounded by supporters as he leaves for Islamabad | AP Clashes outside the judicial complex Police storm into Imran’s Lahore home Clashes erupted between security forces and Khan’s supporters outside the judicial complex in Islamabad ahead of his appearance before the court. Khan reached the court premises but his efforts to reach the courtroom were thwarted due to the deteriorating law and order situation. Following this the judge, who waited for hours for Khan, let him go without indictment ■ Parallelly, over 10,000 armed Punjab police personnel stormed Khan’s residence in Lahore on Saturday and arrested his party workers ■ The police personnel used a power shovel to remove the barricades and tents at the entrance of the residence and conducted a search at the house after demolishing its main gate and walls | P9 61 People were arrested from Imran’s house after police stormed it 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 Major crackdown Gas to fuel TN’s `35K cr investment dream on Khalistani leader Amritpal C S h i v a k u m a r @ Chennai 78 supporters arrested, preacher on the run; Punjab govt suspends internet services ed on the spot but Amritpal managed to escape by shifting IN a major crackdown against to another vehicle. radical Khalistani leader and Police officials said AmritWaris Punjab De chief Amrit- pal’s associates are involved in pal Singh, the Punjab police on four criminal cases relating to Saturday arrested 78 of his sup- spreading disharmony among porters but the radical preach- classes, attempt to murder, ater gave them the slip when his tack on policemen and preventcavalcade was intercepted near ing public servants from doing Jalanadhar. The state their duty . government has susSupporters of Amritpended internet servicpal shared some uncones till Sunday noon to firmed videos on social prevent rumours. media claiming that poThe police registered licemen were chasing a case against Amritpal them. A video also and his supporters on showed Amritpal sitting February 24 for attack- Amritpal Singh in a vehicle with one of ing the Ajnala police his aides shouting the station near Amritsar a day policemen were after them. earlier. His supporters branAmritpal gained notoriety dishing swords and guns when a man approached police clashed with police in which last month complaining he had six policemen were injured. been kidnapped and beaten up Sources said the Dubai-re- by the preacher’s supporters. turned preacher was on his Officials said the Union way to Muktsar Sahib when he Home Ministry is “closely monwas stopped at the Shahkot- itoring” the situation in the Malsian Road in Jalandhar dis- state following renewed activitrict. Seven people were arrest- ties of Khalistani elements. H a r p r e e t B a j w a @ Chandigarh Nature Worship WITH THIS ISSUE PLUS 12 PAGES swipe at rahul Some hurt by success of democracy, says PM the India Today conclave. He said the world’s intellectuals are optimistically saying Responding for the first ‘This is India’s moment.’ Yet, time to Congress leader Rahul some people are adamant in Gandhi’s recent ‘democracy showing the country in bad under siege’ barb in London, light and hurting the moral of Prime Minister Narenpeople and the country . dra Modi on Saturday Attacking the Opposisaid the success of Intion, the PM said earlier dia’s democracy and its scams and corruption institutions is hurting made newspaper headsome people, which is lines. But now, action why they are bent on atagainst the corrupt are tacking it. hitting headlines. He Taking an apparent said when action against dig at the Opposition, the corrupt happens, the PM quipped: “When some people join hands The world something auspicious is realises India’s to hit the streets. ideas and happening, there is a Highlighting the govtradition to apply kaala capabilities are e r n m e n t ’s a ch i eve tika (black dot). So when for the global ments, Modi said dronegood, so it’s so many auspicious driven surveys of 2.34 saying this is things are happening, lakh villages have been India’s some people have taken completed and the PM moment the responsibility to apSwamitav cards have ply this kaala tika.” been given to as amnay India, he said, has shown the as 1.22 crore people. “Today Inwhole world that democracy dia is number one in smart can deliver. “I am confident phone data consumption, is the that despite all such attacks, In- second biggest mobile manudia will continue shining and facturing nation and has the move forward to meet its objec- third biggest startup ecosystives.” Modi was addressing tem,” Modi added. Rajesh Kumar Thakur @ New Delhi TAMIL Nadu aims to attract investments worth `35,000 crore and generate 20,000 jobs while creating a greener state. How? By transitioning TN into a gas-based economy. The TN City Gas Distribution (CGD) policy, unveiled by Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday, lays the roadmap for this with a focus on expanding the gas network in the state to cover all districts. This will result in the development of nearly 2.28 crore CM unveils Ethanol Blending Policy for state Chief Minister MK Stalin announced the state’s Ethanol Blending Policy 2023. The policy is aimed at promoting the state as a green economy and investment hub for cost-effective, alternative green fuel. It aims to attract investments worth `5,000 crore in molasses and grain-based ethanol production | P5 Piped Natural Gas (Domestic) connections and around 2,785 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations in the coming years. Conversion of state-run buses to natural gas options is also a key focus area in order to reduce emissions and depend- Key suspect in fake vid on TN attacks gives up Chennai: At a party meeting held here on Friday, K Annamalai reportedly said he would resign as the president of the State unit if BJP had to continue its alliance with AIADMK. He is likely to meet leaders in New Delhi soon | P4 preeti solid Preeti (54kg, blue) throws a punch at Romania’s Lacramioara Perijoc during the Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi on Saturday. She beat the last edition silver medallist through 4-3 split decision | P11 | Shekhar Yadav AIADMK gen secy poll: EPS files nomination Chennai: AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday took the final step to become the party’s sole leader as he filed his nomination papers for the post of general secretary | P4 NGT slaps `100 crore penalty on Kochi Corpn Kochi: The National Green Tribunal has slapped `100 crore environmental compensation on Kochi Corporation for its failure in waste management resulting in a major fire at the Brahmapuram waste dumpyard | P5 Tusker touches Tangedco power line in TN, dies of electrocution J e v i n S e lw y n H e n ry @ Dharmapuri TEN days after three elephants died of electrocution in Marandahalli in Palacode range, a tusker aged over 30 years died after being electrocuted on Saturday when it came in contact with a Tangeco (Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation) line close to Kelavalli near Kamabainallur. The elephant was attempting to climb over a lake bund when it came in contact with the power line, Palacode Forest Ranger Natraj told TNIE. According to Natraj, the tusker was moving from Pikli t h r o u g h Ve l l i c h a n d a i , Krishnapuram, and Thippampatti and reached Kamabainallur on Saturday . “We were monitoring the animal and driving it away from villages and roads in the area. On Saturday we were monitor, ing its movement as it travelled through Krishnapuram and Mottupatti. Finally, it reached Kambainallur near Kelavalli and attempted to climb over the lake bund when the mishap occurred,” he said. Tangedco officials maintained the power line was neither low or sagging.  P5 ‘Line not sagging’ Tangedco officials said the power line was not sagging: The jumbo’s height and elevation of terrain caused it to touch the line different strokes Muslim League communal but not extremist: RSS E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e @ Kochi The Muslim League is a communal party but it is a democratic organisation and doesn’t support extremism, according to RSS Prant Sanghchalak (state president) K K Balaram and Prant Karyavah (state secretary) P N Eswaran. Interacting with mediapersons here on Saturday the lead, ers said the RSS is ready to hold healthy debates with all organisations other than extremist and anti-national forces. On the purported meeting between the Jamaat-e-Islami and the RSS last month in Delhi, Easwaran said: “There was no discussion with Jamaat-e-Islami. A delegation of Islamic scholars had met RSS leaders in New Delhi and there was a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami in the delegation.” He said the Sangh recently held discussions with a few Muslim leaders in Malappuram including a Muslim League MLA. “The visit to the MLA’s office was part of our Jan Sampark programme,” he added. Easwaran said the RSS has different approaches towards Jamaat-e-Islami and the Muslim League. “We are open towards IUML because we don’t believe that they have extremist views. The League leaders K K Balaram (left) and P N Eswaran with whom we interacted said they don’t support extremism. If the Jamaat-e-Islami changes its policy we are ready for talks , with them also. We are always open for discussions and Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat had attended three events conducted by Muslim organisa- Pat n a fo r i n t e r ro g at i o n . Earlier, the Patna High Court The most wanted suspect in had rejected his bail petition. the fake videos that alleged atFollowing the court order to tacks on guest workers in Tamil attach his property, a police Nadu, surrendered at a police team went to his village on Satstation in Bihar’s West Cham- urday and executed it. paran district in a different A Tamil Nadu police team is case on Saturday . already in Patna to The police described question Kashyap. The Yo u T u b e r M a n i s h team is set to move a loKashyap as the kingpin cal court seeking his poof the hate videos, as he lice remand. had allegedly produced The EOU had regisand circulated them. tered its first FIR in the Kashyap was on the fake video case and run ever since the conbooked four persons, introversy snowballed but Manish Kashyap cluding Kashyap on surfaced after a Bettiah March 6. One of them, court ordered attachAman Kumar from Jament of his property in a an- m u i , h a s a l r e a d y b e e n other case. At least seven crimi- arrested. nal cases are pending against Additional Director General him in West Champaran dis- of Police J S Gangwar had retrict alone. cently said 30 fake videos of miParallelly, the Economic Of- grants getting beaten up and fences Unit (EOU) seized four killed in TN were widely shared bank accounts that belonged to on social media, creating panic him and his YouTube company among labourers. . They had had a total of `42 The Tamil Nadu Police have lakh in deposits. also registered 13 cases in this Kashyap has been taken to connection. R a m a s h a n k a r @ Patna express read Annamalai to quit if alliance continues? ence of fossil fuels. The policy envisages the creation of a state-level committee under the chairmanship of the chief secretary to facilitate the creation of CGD infrastructure and value-added services. The guidelines provided by the committee will aim to encourage the usage of PNG and CNG through the conversion of intra-city state transport corporation buses to CNG and longdistance inter-city transport systems to CNG/Liquified Natural Gas. The new policy could result in modifications to the Building Plan Rules to provide gas pipeline infrastructure in residential and commercial buildings at the architectural design stage and facilitate readiness of the buildings for “Gas-In” at the end of construction. P5 tions last year,” he added. Balaram said the RSS has been able to remove scepticism among Christians, which helped in having healthy debates with them. “We have a robust system for discussions with Christian communities at the state and district levels. The Christian community itself has come forward for talks and we interacted with many bishops recently he said. ,” On the BJP’s chances, they said vote bank politics have posed hurdles in improving its support base. Kerala is in the grip of coalition politics. Even neutral voters are forced to support either of the two fronts. 8,000 shakhas in Kerala The number of shakhas in Kerala will be ramped up to 8,000 from 5,359, the two leaders said. A special scheme for will be launched in villages where RSS has over 100 members