The International Cricket Council confirmed that 2025 Champions Trophy will be played in Pakistan and a neutral venue. This was necessitated after India refused to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns 2025 CT INDIA LIKELY TO PLAY IN DUBAI Dubai would 1 There are indications thatwould play be the venue where India their Champions Trophy matches India and Pakistan 2 The ICC said thatby either country at ICC matches hosted events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue Apart from Champions Trophy, this arrangement will apply for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (hosted by India) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (hosted by India and SL) HYDERABAD  FRIDAY  DECEMBER 20, 2024  `9.00  PAGES 36  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 UNPRECEDENTED FRACAS THE ongoing political face-off took an ugly turn on Thursday after the Opposition and the ruling BJP got into a ‘pitched battle’ outside Parliament over Union home minister Amit Shah’s remarks on B R Ambedkar. Allegations flew thick and fast with both sides accusing each other of resorting to violence, which left two BJP MPs — Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput — in hospital with head injuries. While the BJP alleged that Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi pushed their MPs, the Congress said its party chief Mallikarjun Kharge lost his balance after being pushed by the BJP’s members. “Rahul Gandhi pushed an MP who fell on me, after which I fell. I was standing near the stairs when Gandhi came and pushed an MP who then fell on me,” Sarangi said. Both the MPs were admitted to Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. ACB names KTR A-1 in Formula-E race case C H I T H A L U R I R E V A N T H @ Hyderabad THE Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday named former Municipal Administration minister KT Rama Rao as Accused No. 1 (A-1) in the For mula–E race case, while for mer MAUD special chief secretary Arvind Kumar was listed as A-2 and former Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) chief engineer BLN Reddy as A-3. The case was registered a day after the ACB received a formal letter from Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari. Earlier, Governor Jishnu Dev Varma granted consent to prosecute Rama Rao and others involved. The cases were filed under Sections 13(1)(A) r/w 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and Section 409 r/w 120(B) of the IPC, alleging misu s e o f g ove r n m e n t funds. Reacting to the development, Rama Rao dismissed all allegations of corruption in the Formula E event, criticising the ACB for filing the case. He said that if a case was registered against him for the alleged undue advantage, similar action should be taken against FEO. CONTINUED ON P4 Rahul Gandhi visits BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi who got injured in the clash | PTI Unprecedented scenes unfolded after the Opposition MPs and BJP members came face to face at the Makar Dwar, Parliament’s main entrance. As announced in the morning, the Opposition INDIA bloc members marched from the Ambedkar Statue on Parliament’s premises to the Makar Dwar. But at Makar Dwar, over 100 BJP members had already assembled with placards in their hands. A commotion followed while Rahul along with some others tried to enter the Parliament House. In the melee, a few MPs fell down. Some of the Opposi- As it is a political case, we will face it politically. The separate Telangana movement was conducted in a peaceful manner. Likewise, peaceful protests will be conducted now KT Rama Rao, BRS working president WHAT THE FIR SAYS Pic: Sri Loganathan Velmurugan P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi tion MPs also climbed a wall near the gate. While Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju claimed that both MPs were seriously injured by Rahul and demanded his apology, the latter denied the charges. “I was trying to enter Parliament and the BJP MPs were stopping me, pushing me and threatening me,” Rahul said. While BJP’s Anurag Thakur and Bansuri Swaraj rushed to the Parliament Street Police Station to file a complaint against Rahul, another allegation came from BJP MP S Phangnon Konyak, who accused Gandhi of ‘misbehaving’ with her. Shortly thereafter, Congress MPs also filed a police case against the BJP MPs for manhandling their leaders. Later, Kharge and 15 Congress MPs submitted letters to Speaker Om Birla demanding action against the BJP MPs who misbehaved with Rahul and Kharge. As Harish Rao asked for the inquiry, I am ordering an SIT probe into the ORR lease tender process. This decision is based on the request from the principal Opposition party. The Cabinet will decide the terms of reference A Revanth Reddy, Chief minister ORR LEASE CASE  HMDA transferred `54.88 crore to FEO without state government approval, violating RBI’s rules  In April 2023, the BRS awarded the operation and toll collection rights for the ORR to IRB Infra Developers Ltd through global tenders  Charges filed under Section 13(1)(A) read with 13(2) of PCA and Sections 409 and 120(B) of the IPC  The 30-year contract of `7,380 cr, was granted on a ToT basis.  HMDA, under MAUD, managed the tendering process which was overseen by KTR DY CHAIR REJECTS NOTICE TO IMPEACH DHANKHAR | P7 SIT to probe ORR lease tender, announces CM B K A R T H E E K @ Hyderabad CHIEF Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday announced that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) would be constituted to investigate alleged irregularities in the lease and tendering process of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) during the BRS regime. The CM stated that the probe follows a request from former finance minister T Harish Rao, under whose watch the ORR lease was finalised. Taking part in a short discussion on “Outstanding Liabilities of the State” in the Telangana Legislative Assembly the CM said: “As Harish Rao wholeheartedly , asked for the inquiry and his supporters joined him, I am ordering an SIT probe into the ORR lease tender process. This decision is based on the request from the principal Opposition party The Cabinet will decide the . terms of reference for the SIT.” However, Harish refuted the claim, stating that he had not requested a probe but demanded cancellation of ORR tenders if any irregularities were found. HowCONTINUED ON P4 ever, Harish welcomed the probe.