tadepalligudem l thursday l january 16, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION Meta India apologises for Zuck’s remark that NDA lost LS polls Meta India on Wednesday apologised for CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s incorrect claim that the NDA government lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections Inadvertent error, says tech firm’s V-P Company avoids parliamentary summons Meta India’s Vice President Shivnath Thukral took to X on Wednesday to tender an apology on behalf of the company for the “inadvertent error”. “Mark’s observation that many incumbent parties were not re-elected in 2024 holds true for several countries, BUT not India,” Thukral said responding to Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s criticism of the remark ■ ■ BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who heads Parliament’s panel on Communications and Information Technology, said the matter is now closed. He had earlier said the panel will summon Meta India Zuckerberg triggered a row by claiming in a podcast that the NDA government lost the 2024 election due to its weak Covid response 1 billion users for meta APPs—whatsapp, facebook and instagram—in India 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 BJP to name State president by Jan-end BSN Malleswara Rao @ Vijayawada The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has initiated the process of appointing a new president for its State wing, coinciding with the auspicious days of Uttarayan, which is considered an ideal time for new beginnings. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has been entrusted with the task of submitting names for the position, after which the BJP high command will make a decision and announce the new president in the fourth week of January . Over 20 leaders are competing for the coveted post, with several already having met with senior BJP and RSS leaders. A meeting is scheduled for January 19 in Vijayawada to finalise the contenders. Key candidates include Adoni MLA Dr PV Parthasarathi, Vijayawada West MLA Sujana Chowdary, MLC PVN Madhav, and senior leader Purighalla Raghuram. However, Sujana Chowdary has emerged as the front-runner, with many leaders viewing him as a suitable choice to lead the party in the State if they themselves are not selected. The new president will be responsible for strengthening the saffron party in the State, coordinating with NDA allies, and liaising with the BJP national lead- ‘prioritise loyalists for post’ A senior leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, stressed that while MLA and MP tickets are often awarded based on political expediency, the post of president should be reserved for loyalists who have demonstrated a genuine commitment to the party ership. Decision on the new president is likely to be influenced by a combination of factors, including caste considerations, financial backing, and connections with NDA allies. Many leaders argue that, given there are no general elections for the next two years, the post should now be entrusted to a seasoned leader who can enhance the party’s strength. Some also propose that the ideal candidate should have at least six years of service to the party. Interestingly, this sixyear service criterion is already being applied to the selection of presidents at the mandal and district levels.  P4 80 shell firms Man generates `230-cr fake invoices, held E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e @ Visakhapatnam The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI)-Visakhapatnam Zonal Unit arrested an individual involved in generating fake invoices worth `230 crore, leading to a massive GST (Goods and Services Tax) input tax credit fraud and causing a loss of `35 crore to the government exchequer. The accused, identified as Mohammad Saheem V a native , of Pernambut in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, is believed to have masterminded a complex scheme, involving the creation of shell companies by using stolen identities of unsuspecting individuals and operating his network in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. According to a statement issued by the DGGI, the fraud was orchestrated by the accused to generate fraudulent input tax credit claims, which were subsequently passed on to other businesses by generating fake invoices without underlying supply of goods or services to illegally reduce GST liabilities. Saheem created more than 80 firms with stolen identities, allowed the receiving firms of these invoices to evade tax payments and divert substantial sums of money by defrauding P4 the public exchequer.  Sonia Gandhi inaugurates the new All India Congress Committee HQ at 9A, Kotla Road, in New Delhi on Wednesday | PTI Rahul’s claim of fighting Indian state draws BJP ire Pa r v e z S u lta n a n d RA J E S H KU M AR THAKUR @ New Delhi A rather sharp attack by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday against RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent remarks, drew heavy retaliatory fire from BJP’s biggies. At the inaugural event of the party’s headquarters here, Rahul criticised Bhagwat’s claim that India achieved “true independence” only after the Ram temple consecration, saying it amounts to treason. “Bhagwat has the audacity to say to the country what he thinks about the independ- ence movement and the Constitution. What he said yesterday is treason… Because he is stating that the Constitution is invalid and the fight against the British was invalid... In any other country, he would have been arrested and tried,” Rahul claimed. Rahul went on to say that the BJP and RSS have captured almost every institution in our country, adding the Congress is now fighting not just both of them but the Indian state itself. In its pushback, the BJP launched a bazooka against Rahul for claiming the Congress was fighting the Indian state. Party president J P Nadda, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, IT cell head Amit Malviya and others castigated Rahul for his ‘objectionable’ remark. “I compliment Mr Rahul Gandhi for saying clearly what nation knows that he is fighting the Indian state. It is not a secret that Mr Gandhi and his ecosystem have close links with Urban Naxal and the deep state who want to defame, demean and discredit India,” Nadda alleged. Sitharaman wondered why Rahul carried a copy of the Constitution when he was using such language. Sue mastermind of Pannun plot, Centre’s says top panel ED getsprosecute nod to High-powered committee recommends expedited legal action against Vikash Yadav Kejriwal, Sisodia M UKE S H RA N J A N @ New Delhi M UKE S H RA N J A N @ New Delhi Yadav was with the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) A high-powered committee set when the alleged plot to bump up by the government in the off Pannun went sideways. He wake of a botched operation to was later sacked. bump off Khalistani radical The ministry said the panel Gurupatwant Singh Pannun on recommended expeditious leUS soil, recommended legal ac- gal action against him. tion against ‘an individual’ “The Enquiry Committee who masterminded the plot. conducted its own investigaWhile the report did tions and also pursued not name the individual, leads provided by the the Federal Bureau of US side. It received Investigation (FBI) idenfull cooperation from tified him as Vikash US authorities and the Yadav. two sides also exIn its lookout notice, changed visits. The the FBI said Yadav was Committee further exwanted in a “murderamined a number of for-hire case; conspiracy officials from differto commit murder-forent agencies and also Yadav and his hire; and money launscrutinised relevant co-conspirator dering”. The US District arranged for an documents in this conCourt, Southern District nection,” the ministry associate to of New York, issued an deliver $15,000 said. arrest warrant against It added that the panin cash in New him on October 10, 2024. York as an el further recommendadvance The home ministry ed “functional imsaid in a statement that payment for the provements in systems murder the panel was formed in and procedures as also 2023 to probe the indiinitiation of steps that FBI’s wanted vidual’s links with the could strengthen Inperson notice drug mafia and criminal dia’s response capabilgangs after allegations ity, ensure systematic that a plot was hatched to dis- controls and coordinated action turb American security inter- in dealing with matters like est in 2023. this”. “After a long enquiry, the Yadav is accused of recruitCommittee has recommended ing Nikhil Gupta in May 2023 to legal action against an individ- hire the killer, who turned out ual, whose earlier criminal to be an undercover US agent. links and antecedents also Gupta was arrested in Prague came to notice during the en- and was subsequently extraquiry the ministry said. ,” dited to the US. Express read Godavari-Banakacherla proj: TG raises concern Reliance NU to invest `10,000 cr in Kurnool Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy directed officials to write letters to Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil and AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressing Telangana’s objections to the AP government’s proposed Godavari-Banakacherla interlinking project | P5 Vijayawada: Reliance NU Suntech Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anil Ambani’s Reliance Power Limited, has announced plans to invest `10,000 crore on setting up of a solar power project in Kurnool district on a build-own-operate basis | P4 Trade deficit narrows as gold imports decline in Dec Ex press news service @ New Delhi INDIA’s merchandise exports contracted 1% year-on-year even as imports rose 4.9% in December 2024, government data released on Wednesday showed.   The trade deficit narrowed to $21.94 in December month-onmonth compared to $32 billion in November as gold imports halved to $4.7 billion.   In November 2024, gold imports had surged 186% year-onyear to $9.9 billion. In Decem- ber 2023, the merchandise trade deficit was $18.76 billion. Services exports during the month rose by 3.25% year-onyear, while imports grew 12%. Total trade deficit (merchandise plus services) widened to $6.78 billion in December 2024 compared to $2.76 billion in the year-ago period. Merchandise exports during April-December 2024 were $321.71 billion compared to $316.65 billion during April-December 2023. Merchandise imports during the period were $532.48 billion compared to $506.39 billion a year ago. Merchandise trade deficit during the nine-month period of the current financial year widened to $210.77 billion from $189.74 billion a year ago. Total exports during AprilDecember 2024 is estimated at $602.64 billion, registering 6.03% growth. Total imports during the nine-month period is estimated at $682.15 billion, showing a growth of 6.91%. Deepali Agrawal, deputy managing director, India Exim Bank, said the trade data for December 2024 highlights India’s sustained growth momentum in non-oil, non-gems and jewellery exports, underpinned by robust contributions from both labour-intensive and technology-intensive manufacturing sectors. She said textiles, agriculture, engineering goods, and electronics have demonstrated strong and consistent growth, underscoring the diversified and resilient nature of India’s export base. Exports grow by 6.03% Total exports during AprilDecember 2024 is estimated at $602.64 billion, registering 6.03% growth blood sport unabated Bets on rooster fights exceed `2,000 cr E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e @ Vijayawada Prasant Madugula Contrary to the High Court’s directive instructing police personnel to ensure that rooster fights are not held in the State under the guise of tradition and customs, the blood sport was widely observed during the three-day festivities.   According to estimates, the total bets this year exceeded `2,000 crore. Numerous people, including youngsters and women, thronged the arenas to witness cockfights in Edupugallu, Ramavarappadu, Ibrahimpatnam, Mangalagiri, Gannavaram, Nunna, Thiruvuru, Chinchinada, Pulapalli, and other villages in Krishna and NTR districts. During the Sankranti festival, cockfights are a major spectacle in Andhra Pradesh, particularly in the Godavari districts, where locals consider this blood sport a cherished tradition. A large number of people from other States visit the Godavari districts specifically to witness rooster fights. Sources reveal that over 1,000 cockfighting rings were set up in and around Bhimavaram and Narsapuram in West Godavari district, Kaikaluru in Eluru district, and various parts of the erstwhile Krishna disP4 trict.  Weeks before the Delhi Assembly elections, the Centre gave its approval to the Enforcement Directorate to initiate prosecution against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in the money laundering case linked to the Delhi liquor policy scam. Officials said the Union home ministry gave prosecution sanction against Kejriwal and Sisodia earlier this month. It comes at a time when the two leaders are campaigning for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections scheduled to be held on February 5. The development is significant as a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Delhi had delayed the framing of charges against Kejriwal after he challenged the trial court’s decision to take cognizance of the chargesheet filed by the ED. Kejriwal had argued there is no specific sanction to prosecute him under provisions of the PMLA. The Supreme Court had in November mandated that the ED must obtain prior sanction for prosecution under Section 197(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (now Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita) in money laundering cases, similar to the requirement for the Central Bureau of Investigation. `1 cr bet It has been learnt that a cockfight between a business owner and renowned breeder attracted the highest single bet of `1 crore WhatsApp governance launch on Jan 18 Tirupati: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said WhatsApp Governance will be launched in the State on January 18 to enable people to access 150 essential services, including Aadhaar, caste and birth certificates and other important documents | P4