KOCHI l wednesday l april 16, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l LATE city EDITION Expect above-normal rainfall this Southwest monsoon: IMD Tamil nadu may see below-normal rains India will experience above-normal cumulative rainfall in the upcoming southwest monsoon, the India Meteorological Department said on Tuesday EL nino conditions unlikely to develop The cumulative rainfall is estimated at 105% of the long-period average of 87 cm, IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said. However, large parts of Tamil Nadu and the northeastern region are likely to get below-normal rainfall, while the rain-deficient parts of Marathwada and adjoining Telangana are expected to witness above-normal showers ■ ■ Mohapatra said El Nino conditions, which results in weaker monsoon in the Indian subcontinent, are unlikely to develop this time As per the IMD, the sea surface temperatures in western and eastern sides of the Indian Ocean are roughly the same, and the snow cover in Northern Hemisphere is low—both of which point to normal monsoon 26% chance of excess precipitation, IMD director general Mohapatra said 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 Retail inflation at 67-mth low Declines to lower-than-expected 3.34% due to fooD price correction Raises hopes of further repo rate cut by 50 bps in this calendar year 8 7.79 Retail Inflation (%) 7 6 5 4 Sports to fetch more grace marks from this yr E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ T’Puram Performance in competitive sports will fetch grace marks for more students in the SSLC and Plus-II examinations from this year. According to a circular issued by the general education department on Tuesday, the criteria for being eligible for grace marks in sports has been widened. Students who secure up to eighth place in state school sports meet will now be eligible for grace marks. Earlier, grace marks were awarded to winners up to the fourth place only . Besides sports, students who have been awarded certificates for their three-yearlong participation the School Social Service Scheme and NSS volunteers who have participated in various national level camps will also be eligible for grace marks from this year. As per the new guidelines, the fourth place winner in state level sports meet will get 10 marks in place of seven marks awarded earlier. The grace marks for the other positions are: fifth (8 marks), sixth (6), seventh (4) and eighth (2). While the grace marks for winners of sports events conducted by various associations or federations approved by the state sports council will remain the same, it will be confined to the first four places only . For national level sports meets, the grace marks for first prize winners remain unchanged at 50. However, the grace marks for second and third prize winners, and also for participants have been en● More on P4 hanced.  Feb-25 Nov-24 Aug-24 Feb-24 Nov-23 Aug-23 Feb-23 May-23 Nov-22 Aug-22 May-22 Nov-21 Feb-22 Aug-21 Feb-21 May-21 Nov-20 Aug-20 May-20 Nov-19 Feb-20 Aug-19 3 May-24 3.34 3.28 Grace marks Position Old New First 20 20 Second 17 17 Third 14 14 Fourth 7 10 Fifth NA 8 Sixth NA 6 Seventh NA 4 Eighth NA 2 Retail inflation in March fell to lower-than-expected 3.34%, the lowest since August 2019, vindicating the Reserve Bank of India’s decision to effect a 25-basis points repo rate cut in the April monetary policy . The sharp decline in consumer inflation during the month also raised hopes of at least another 50-basis points interest rate cut in the calendar year. The March inflation nu m b e r p e g g e d at 3.34% was lower than February’s 3.61%, and 4.85% in the same month last year. The sharp fall in overall retail inflation was driven largely by a huge correction in food price inflation. Food inflation crashed to 2.7% in March compared to 8.5% in the same month last year. A large part of the drop in food inflation was, therefore, due to high base effect. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementa- tion, which tracks the consumer price inflation, attributed the significant decline in headline inflation and food inflation during the month of March to the drop in inflation of vegetables, eggs, pulses & products, meat & fish, cereals & products and milk & products. According to D K Joshi, chief economist, Crisil Ltd, the Indian Meteorological Department’s forecast of an above-normal monsoon for the year — and Skymet’s of a normal one — adds to the happy tidings on the food inflation front. However, weather disruptions such as heat waves, could play spoilsport. Joshi said a sharperthan-expected fall in crude oil prices will help keep non-food inflation comfortable as well. The RBI has pegged the FY26 inflation at 4%. If inflation remains at these levels, the chances of more rate cuts brighten. It has already reduced the repo rate by 50 bps; experts believe further 50 bps cut is possible. Centre will ensure justice to people of Munambam: Rijiju E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Kochi The BJP and the Union government will stand with the people of Munambam to protect their land rights, said Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju. “The Centre will follow up the case and ensure that justice is served to the people of Munambam,” the minister said during his visit to the coastal village to attend a thanksgiving function organised by NDA on Tuesday . He also interacted with the residents who have been protesting against the claim of the Waqf Board on their land. Earlier, interacting with reporters in Kochi, the minister said the Centre is in the process of formulating the Waqf legislation. “The ministry will urge the state government to direct the district collector to revisit the entire status of Munambam land. The state should initiate all steps to ensure justice to the people of Munambam. The ministry will give all documents and advisory support for the process,” he said. “Before the amendment to the Waqf Act, the people of Munambam did not have any legal option but to approach the tribunal. Now, the provisions of the law are in favour of the people. The Waqf Board and the Waqf Tribunal will be reconstituted. As per the amendment, there will be non-Muslims also in the Waqf Board as claims have been made on the land owned by members of other communities. Both sitting and retired judges can be members of the tribunal. There was an observation by the High Court Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju being welcomed by Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil when the former visited the Archdiocese of Verapoly on Tuesday. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Union Minister George Kurian accompanied Rijiju | T P Sooraj Before the amendment (to the Waqf Act), the people of Munambam did not have any legal option but to approach the tribunal. Now, the provisions of law are in favour of the people Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister Stir will continue till goal is achieved: Vicar Fr Antony Tharayil, vicar of Kadappuram Velankanni Matha church where Munambam residents are protesting, said Union Minister Kiren Rijiju promised that the Centre has drawn up plans to help the residents’ cause. The vicar said the agitation will continue until the residents’ goal is achieved. P4 regarding the Waqf claim on Munambam land. The residents can challenge it in the Supreme Court,” Rijiju said. The minister said the Waqf Board’s claim will not stand as the provisions have been violated. “When you create a waqf, it is for the purpose of religious or charitable cause. The land (in Munambam) was given for educational purpose. If it is not used for the purpose for which it was given, it ceases to be waqf property. These are important factors,” he said. “I believe that both the LDF and the UDF have not assisted the Munambam people in their fight for rights,” said Rijiju. “There is a campaign to set a narrative that the Centre is working against Muslims. We are here to provide justice to the needy It is not only Chris. tians but also crores of poor Muslims, women and destitute who have been deprived of the benefits they should have got from waqf properties,” he ● More on P4 said.  ED chargesheets Sonia, Rahul in $400 Nat’l Herald case million S h e k h a r S i n g h @ New Delhi The Enforcement Director at e ( E D ) h a s f i l e d a chargesheet against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in a Delhi court in the National Herald money laundering case. Also named in the chargesheet are Sam Pitroda, the party’s Overseas Department Chief, veteran journalist Suman Dubey, and several others. The case revolves around financial transactions linked to the now-defunct National Herald newspaper and its parent company As, sociated Journals Limited. Justice Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Court examined the chargesheet filed on April 9. He said the court will consider on April 25 whether to take cognisance of the complaint. The court said a fresh prosecution complaint under sections 44 and 45 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002 for commission of offence of money laundering as defined under Section 3 read with Section 70 and punishable under Section 4 of PMLA, 2002 filed by the ED, has been received by way of assignment. “Let the complaint be checked and registered. The ED is directed to file a soft copy of the complaint and documents in readable/OCR Johnson & Johnson said it expects $400 million in tariffrelated costs Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi | PTI file Majority shareholders in Young Indian Sonia and Rahul are majority shareholders of Young Indian with 38% shares held by each one of them. They were questioned by the ED in this case a few years back. Young Indian owns AJL, which is the publisher of the National Herald platform. format by the next date,” the court said. For its part, the Congress slammed the Centre over the chargesheets against Sonia and Rahul, saying it was playing vendetta politics. “Filing charg esheets against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and some others is nothing but politics of vendetta and intimidation by the prime minister and the home minister gone completely berserk,” Congress general secretary incharge communications Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X. Vadra quizzed for 8 hours in money laundering case M u k e s h R a n j a n @ New Delhi The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday questioned businessman Robert Vadra, the husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, for over eight hours in connection with its probe into money laundering linked to a Gurugram land deal. His statements were recorded under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, sources said. Vadra walked from his residence at Sujan Singh Park in central Delhi to the ED headquarters on APJ Abdul Kalam Road, a stretch of about 2 km. Before entering the agency’s premises, he said, “This is nothing but political vendetta. Whenever I speak for minorities, they try to stop me, crush us... they tried to stop Rahul (Gandhi) in Parliament too. This is misuse of agencies and this is political vendetta.” He said he will not be intimidated and will continue to cooperate with the agency . The probe pertains to a land deal in February 2008 where a company linked to Vadra—Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd— purchased a piece of 3.5 acre land in Shikohpur village in Gurugram from Onkareshwar Properties for a price of `7.5 crore. It is alleged that the mutation of this land was done within hours. China orders its airlines not to take any further deliveries of Boeing US commerce dept probing how import of computer chips and products that contain them affect national security Trump hints at easing of 25% auto tariff EXPRESS READ K K Ragesh is CPM Kannur district secy Kannur: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s private secretary K K Ragesh, who is considered to be his close confidant, has been elected as the new district secretary of the CPM. Ragesh was selected at a meeting of the CPM district committee attended by CM Pinarayi Vijayan and state secretary M V Govindan, on Tuesday. P5 Pooram fireworks to be held as scheduled Thrissur: The fireworks display for this year’s Thrissur Pooram will be held as scheduled, following a favourable legal opinion from the Advocate General, Revenue Minister K Rajan said on Tuesday. “The fireworks display will go ahead without hurdles. Safety protocols will be strictly followed,” Rajan said. P4 Six in race for state police chief post T’Puram: All six senior-most IPS officers in the state, who were included in the list of probables to replace outgoing DGP Shaik Darvesh Saheb as the next police chief, have expressed their willingness to be in the fray for the post. Consents were given by DGPs Nitin Agrawal, Ravada A Chandrasekhar and Yogesh Gupta, and ADGPs Manoj Abraham, S Suresh, and M R Ajith Kumar. P4 Pinarayi second longest-serving CM T’Puram: Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday became the second longest-serving chief minister of Kerala. He has surpassed the record of former CM K Karunakaran. Late CPM leader E K Nayanar holds the record of the longest serving CM of state. P4 16 pages, including 4 pages of KOCHI Express Hospital must immediately lose licence if newborn is trafficked, says SC S u c h i t r a K a lya n M o h a nt y @ New Delhi State-level sports meet D i pa k M o nd a l @ New Delhi Heat on gandhi family The Supreme Court on Tuesday laid down strict guidelines for all states to prevent child trafficking and the offences arising out of it, warning that any laxity in implementing them could be treated as contempt of court. A two-judge bench comprising justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan ordered lower courts to complete trials in such cases within six months. It added that if any newborn infant is trafficked from any hospital, its licence should be suspended immediately over and above other actions in accordance with law. When any woman comes to deliver her baby in a hospital, it is the responsibility of its administration to protect the newborn in all respects, the bench said. The court issued the directions after hearing petitions against anticipatory bail granted by the Allahabad High Court to 13 accused in trafficking cases in Uttar Pradesh. It cancelled the bails, saying the “cry of the collective for justice, its desire for peace and har mony” couldn’t be trivialised. The bench advised parents to remain extremely vigilant and careful with their children. The pain and agony a parent may have to face when a child dies is different from that when they lose their children to such Whiplash for remark against rape victim Taking strong exception to a recent Allahabad HC remark against a rape victim that she had “invited trouble”, the SC cautioned judges against making such inappropriate observations | P7 gangs engaged in trafficking, the court observed. The court directed all state governments to go study a 2023 report by the Bharatiya Institute of Research and Development on human trafficking and implement it at the earliest. The court slammed both the Allahabad High Court and the UP government for the manner in which they dealt with the matter. “The HC dealt with bail applications callously. It led to many accused to abscond.” It chided the UP government for not filing any appeal against the HC verdicts. Guidelines, contempt of court warning Bail granted to accused cancelled. Cases go back to trial courts, which shall frame charges against the accused within a week thereafter If the accused are absconding, trial courts shall issue NBWs to secure them After charges are framed, the trial court shall record evidence preferably on day-to-day basis; complete trial within six months State govt must appoint three special public prosecutors for the trials State govt must provide police protection to victims Police have two months’ time to trace all the accused persons State govt must admit trafficked children in schools At the end of the trial, the trial court shall pass appropriate orders on compensation to the victims All HCs shall direct trial courts handling child trafficking cases to complete trials within six months and file compliance report Non-compliance of directions or any laxity can attract contempt