UBS offers to buy Credit Suisse for $1 bn The Swiss government is planning to change the country’s laws to bypass a shareholder vote on the transaction, the Financial Times reported. Swiss authorities are scrambling to rescue the 167-yearold bank, which is among the world’s largest wealth managers, before financial markets reopen on Monday. Reports said UBS offered 0.25 Swiss francs ($0.27) per Credit Suisse share. bengaluru l monday l march 20, 2023 l `9.00 l PAGES 18 l late city EDITION 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 J&K gets 1st FDI project after scrapping A-370 FAYA Z WA N I @ Srinagar OVER three years after Article 370 was read down, Jammu and Kashmir has got its first foreign direct investment project from Dubaibased Emaar Group, which developed the world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa. On Sunday, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the Mall of Srinagar, a mega mall to be spread over 10 lakh square feet at Sempora, Srinagar. Launched by Emaar and Magna Waves Buildtech, the mall is set to become operational by 2026. It will be the biggest mall in J&K having over 500 shops. The mega mall, which is expected to provide jobs to over 13,000 youth, will include six multiplexes, a five-star hotel, and a multi-use commercial and residential complex. Emaar will also build IT towers in Srinagar and Jammu. “These three projects will be developed at a cost of Congress raps request for information on his claim during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar P r ee t h a N a i r a n d U J WA L J A L A L I @ New Delhi J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha performs rituals during the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the ‘Mall of Srinagar’, in Srinagar on Sunday | ANI `500 crore,” said Sinha. He added that the J&K government is working to provide a better business ecosystem to investors. Amit Jain, CEO of Emaar Properties, said the mall is one of the group’s milestone projects, which will have a positive impact on J&K’s overall economy . “This will create regular employment. Besides, goods will come and logistics will increase. Jobs at airports will increase. The transportation will increase. The food industries will come and invest here,” added Jain. e x p r e ss r e a d Salman Khan gets threat mail from jailed don Mumbai: Actor Salman Khan received a threat mail on Saturday from jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his associate Goldy Brar. Following this, the Bandra police registered an FIR against the duo as well as against one Mohit Garg. Terrorism case lodged against Imran Khan Islamabad: The police on Sunday registered a terrorism case against Imran Khan and over a dozen of his party leaders for vandalism, attacking securitymen and creating unrest ahead of a court hearing in a graft case involving the ousted premier | P11 5 excise staff suspended over missing liquor boxes E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Belagavi Five excise department personnel, including three of the officer rank, were suspended in Belagavi on Saturday after a departmental inquiry found that they had allegedly spirited away liquor boxes that were seized during an operation earlier this month. As the Assembly elections are nearing, the excise and police departments have stepped up vigil along the borders connecting Goa and Maharashtra to prevent illegal transportation of money and liquor. On March 7 evening, the flying squad of the excise depart- 13-year-old girl hangs self after alleged ragging E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Madikeri A 13-year-old girl, who was allegedly ragged by her seniors at school, committed suicide at Shivaralli village of Kodlipet in Somwarpet taluk on Saturday night. Vaishnavi (13), a Class 7 student of a private school, was said to be depressed after being harassed by her seniors and she had complained to her parents about it last week, sources said. However, the school was not informed about this, they added. Vaishnavi, daughter of Jithendra and Akshata, was found hanging at her house on Saturday night. The Shanivarsanthe police have registered a case. Sexual assault remark: Rahul seeks time after cops knock at his door ment confiscated a van carrying 753 boxes of foreign liquor worth Rs 47 lakh near Modekoppa village in Khanapur taluk. The seized liquor and vehicle were brought to the excise office at Khanapur. But the very next day, 301 boxes went missing. This forced senior excise officials to order an inquiry which , revealed that department officers and staff were allegedly involved in the theft. The department has now ordered the suspension of Excise Inspectors Davalsaba Sindogi and Sadashiv Korti, as well as Excise Deputy Inspector Pushpa Gadadi. An FIR has also been registered against them. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday sent a four-page letter to the Delhi Police hours after a police team visited his residence to question him on his claims during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in J&K on January 30 that “women are still being sexually assaulted”. In his letter, Rahul sought 8-10 days to furnish a detailed reply. On March 16, the Delhi Police had served a notice on him seeking information on the alleged victims. In his 10-point reply, Rahul wondered about the Delhi Police’s urgency to visit him thrice in a week, though the Yatra concluded on January 30. He asked whether the notice was in anyway connected with the questions he has been raising inside and outside Parliament on the Adani issue. Senior police personnel (L) emerging from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s residence in New Delhi on Sunday; and Rahul driving away later | Parveen Negi Speaking to reporters outside Rahul’s house, Special CP (Law and Order) Sagar Preet Hooda said, “If there is any victim, who could also be a resident of Delhi, we want to provide help as early as possible. Even if the victim is from outside Delhi, we could immediately initiate legal action.” Soon after the police team Speeding car hits CEO on morning jog, kills her E x p r e ss N e ws Se r v i c e @ Mumbai THE CEO of a tech company, who was jogging near Worli sea-face promenade in south Mumbai on Sunday morning, was killed on the spot after she was hit by a speeding car. The deceased, Rajlaxmi Krishnan, 42, was an avid runner, a fitness freak and part of a Shivaji Park’s joggers group. She was a resident of Dadar. According to police, the incident took place around 6.30 am. The woman was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was declared dead. “We have identified the accused, Sumer Merchant, 23, who is a junior employee with a company that provides talent for Bollywood films,” said DCP (Zone III) Akbar Pathan. “He was returning after dropping a friend. He hit his car (a Tata Nexon) on a divider, following which it swerved at high speed and hit Krishnan. She was thrown away in the impact,” Pathan added. The driver of the car also sustained injuries. An officer said that based on eyewitness accounts, the car was driven at high speed. Soon after the incident, local residents overpowered Merchant and handed him over to Worli police station, where an FIR was registered. Blood samples of the accused have been sent for testing. “We want to check if he was under the influence of alcohol when the incident took place,” the police official said. spirit of democracy Older than the state, 17,000 centenarians in electoral rolls A s h w i n i M S r i pa d @ Bengaluru They are among very few voters who have seen all the elections in Karnataka, even during the time of Mysuru State. Over 17,000 registered voters in the electoral rolls for this year’s state Assembly elections are over 100 years old. According to the office of chief electoral officer in Karnataka, this is the highest-ever number of centenarian voters in the state so far. In total, the state has 5.21 crore registered voters and of them, 2.59 crore are women. The first-time voters are 9.17 lakh and third gender voters, 4,699. Apart from these, there are 16,973 centenarians, of whom 9,985 are women. Many of these centenarians may step out to vote, but many of them may not be able to get out of their homes due to age-related issues. They are part of 12.15 lakh registered voters who are over 80 years old. To help such elderly citizens, the Election Commission this time has introduced the option of postal ballot, where they can vote from home. Bengaluru district (including Bengaluru Rural and BBMP limits) has 4,081 centenarian voters. It is followed by Mysuru (1,744) and Belagavi (1,536). The three districts make up for nearly 40 per cent of all the centenarian voters. Kodagu has the least number of such voters at 112. Gadag has 122, Yadgir 142, Vijayanagara 186 and Uttara Kannada 193. P4 landed at his doorstep, several Congress leaders launched scathing attacks on the BJP-led Centre terming the action as the “worst kind of political vendetta, harassment, and intimidation”. Calling it a diversionary tactic, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the party will continue questioning the government on the Adani issue. Senior lawyer and Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi said after serving the notice on March 16 along with a two-page questionnaire, the Delhi Police had gone back without raising any objection when Rahul sought 8-10 days to put together the details. Yet, they came back on Sunday wih a similar questionnaire, he said, adding, “it’s unprecedented and to create fear and intimidation after having waited for 45 days.” Party leader Jairam Ramesh said, “This is a deliberate attempt to divert attention. We will stick to the demand of a JPC on the Adani issue.” In his pushback, BJP president J P Nadda accused Rahul of overstepping all bounds of democracy and said he should be sent packing “lock, stock and barrel”. “Those who do not believe in democracy have no place in it,” Nadda said. Khalistan supporters bring down indian flag A few Khalistani supporters brought down the Tricolour at the Indian High Commission in London on Sunday, demanding Amritpal Singh’s release. “The senior-most diplomat in the British High Commission was summoned and this issue was raised,’’ the MEA said | P9 A man taking down the Tricolour at the Indian High Commission in UK