KANNUR l friday l January 09, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION Sonam Wangchuk’s speech aimed to quell violence, Wife tells SC Jailed activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, told the SC on Thursday that facts are being manipulated to portray him as a criminal ‘not given full grounds of detention’ leh DM sticks to charges against activist Angmo said Wangchuk was neither given the “complete grounds” of his detention, not an opportunity for a representation against his arrest. “The tenor of the speech is not in any sense threatening the security of the state or that I will continue such activities or to propagate violence, but to quell it.” Wangchuk was detained under the NSA ■ Angmo, in her plea through senior advocate Kapil Sibal, said the unfortunate events of violence in Leh on September 24 cannot be attributed to actions or statements of Wangchuk in any manner ■ The Leh District Magistrate had earlier told the court Wangchuk “indulged in activities prejudicial to the security of the state” 12 months is the maximum detention period under the stringent nsa 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 Republican Senator Lindsey Graham claims Trump ‘greenlit’ a bill that could impose up to 500% levy on India for buying Russian oil More tariff terror as Don OKs bill on Russian curbs ISA focus on its mission, says govt J ayanth J a c ob @ New Delhi India could face punitive US trade action in the form of tariffs as high as 500% after President Donald Trump reportedly agreed to let a long-pending legislation on Russian sanctions move forward, potentially setting up a Senate vote as early as next week. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on Wednesday that Trump had “greenlit” the bipartisan bill after they met at the White House. “President Trump will allow the sanctions bill to move forward,” Graham said, and added that a vote could come soon, though the bill’s fate in Congress remains uncertain. The legislation, formally titled the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, seeks to impose steep tariffs and secondary sanctions, running as high as 500%, on countries that continue to do business with Russia, particularly those importing Russian energy India and China, the world’s two . largest buyers of discounted Russian crude since the start of the Ukraine conflict, would be directly in the firing line. “This will be well-timed, as Ukraine is making concessions for peace and Putin is all talk, continuing to kill the innocent,” Graham said in a statement. The bill has been spearheaded by Graham alongside Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal and has accumulated dozens of co-sponsors in the Senate, with a companion measure introduced in the House of Representatives. Its stated aim is to choke off funding for ‘Russia’s war efforts’ by targeting energy revenues that have remained more or less steady despite earlier Wester n sanctions. Under the proposal, the US would impose tariffs of at least 500% on all Russian goods and services imported into the US. Crucially the same level , of duties would also apply to imports from countries that “knowingly” purchase Russian-origin oil, gas, Narendra Modi Donald Trump u.S. exits Int’l Solar Alliance In a setback to global climate cooperation, Trump formally withdrew the US from the International Solar Alliance, a flagship renewable energy initiative co-led by India & France uranium and petroleum products. The bill also mandates visa bans and asset freezes on senior Russian officials and foreign entities found to be supplying defence equipment to Moscow, while directing the Treasury Department to sanction Russian state-owned financial institutions. Graham had previously indicated that Trump supported the bill, but it repeatedly stalled amid resistance and demands from the White House for greater executive flexibility As. sociated Press reported that a White House official said the President now backs the proposed legislation, though it was unclear whether earlier requested revisions had been incorporated. India has increased its imports of Russian crude since the beginning of Ukraine conflict. At times, Russian oil has accounted for 35–40% of India’s total crude imports. New Delhi has defended the purchases as a matter of national interest and energy security . Trump, however, has repeatedly criticised India’s continued buying of Russian oil. In August, his administration imposed an additional 25% levy on Indian imports, taking total US tariffs on Indian goods to 50%. 1 Following the US exit from 66 international organisations, including the Indiabacked International Solar Alliance (ISA), the government said the alliance remains focused on its objective of supporting member countries to scale up solar energy 2 Govt sources said the ISA will continue to work with member countries, particularly least developed countries and small island developing states, on the development and deployment of solar energy. Its work includes mobilising finance, building capacity, and reducing risk perceptions 3 “ISA today represents 125 member/ signatory countries. ISA remains focused on its objective of supporting member countries in collectively addressing key common challenges to scaling up of solar energy, in line with their needs, to achieve universal energy access,” said sources Didi crashes ED’s raid party, seizes documents S U B H E N D U M A I T I @Kolkata THE Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s raids at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its director Pratik Jain in Kolkata on Thursday in connection with a money laundering probe turned into high drama as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stormed in and took away some documents. Mamata, who entered Jain’s house at Loudon Street with police escort while the ED searches were still going on, came out with a green folder, which she claimed contained details of TMC candidates for the upcom- In a rare development, the Union government has ordered compulsory retirement of P Radhakrishnan, Deputy Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and a former investigation officer in the diplomatic baggage gold smuggling case. The order was issued citing allegations of bribery leakage of sensitive op, On passing the baton “We are creating the future of the country. Whatever we do today is meaningless if the baton is not passed to the right hands,” Justice Amanullah observed press Intake Renewed call for bifurcation of Malappuram ignites sensitive debate | P5 IUML cozying up to Kanthapuram group | P4 HC awards K10L in compensation to NRI falsely held in chain snatching case | P4 erational details, and dereliction of duty . The action follows an internal inquiry by the Union Finance Ministry, which reportedly found merit in intelligence reports suggesting that Radhakrishnan had compromised investigations. The government invoked Fundamental Rule 56(j) along with the relevant Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules to is● More on P4 sue the order.  M adha v G adgil ( 2 4 M a y 1 9 4 2 – 7 J an 2 0 2 6 ) People’s scientist who gave Nature a voice Dr Vinitaa H Apte Founder & Director, TERRE policy centre M adhav Gadgil, the ecologist many called the people’s scientist, passed away in Pune on the night of January 7, after a brief illness. He was 83. With him goes a rare kind of public intellectual — one who believed that science must walk hand in hand with society That na. ture is best protected when people are trusted as its custodians. Gadgil lived by the ethic he quietly embodied: simple living and high thinking. A Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee, and a recipient of the United Nations’ Champion of the Earth Award, he was globally respected, teaching and lecturing in 16 countries. Yet his work remained deeply rooted in India’s landscapes — its forests, hills and villages — and in the lives of those who depend on them. He founded the Indian Institute of Ecology and was instrumental in shaping India’s environmental consciousness. The Silent Valley movement, widely regarded as the country’s first major environmental movement, bears his imprint. Later, as chairman of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, he led the preparation of a report that continues to challenge policy-makers and citizens alike. It asked difficult questions about development, biodiversity and justice — and refused easy answers. What set Gadgil apart was his extraordinary accessibility He spoke in . ing Assembly polls. “They were confiscating my party’s documents and hard disks, which have details about our par ty candidates. I have brought those back,” she said. I-PAC, which offers political consultancy to the TMC, also SC slams cabinet secy for not filing affidavit on private univ regulation Centre orders forced retirement of ED officer who probed gold smuggling case E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Kochi West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee comes out of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain’s house with a green folder in hand, which she said contained her party’s documents | pti simple, lucid Marathi, translating complex ecological science into ideas communities could claim as their own. Knowledge, he believed, must never remain locked in institutions. His research foregrounded marginalised voices and championed community-led conservation across forests, wetlands and fragile ecosystems. One of his most enduring contributions was the establishment of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in 1986, now India’s largest protected area. It reflected his conviction that conservation thrives when people are partners, not obstacles. To students, whom he mentored generously he of, fered the same message: begin with what surrounds you. Observe closely and care deeply . Gadgil is survived by a son and a daughter. His wife, Sulochana Gadgil, a distinguished meteorologist, passed away in July 2025. His final rites were held at Pune’s Vaikuntha crematorium on January 8. A prophet of nature who never gave up on his beliefs | P5 S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi The Supreme Court on Thursday slammed the Cabinet Secretary to the Union of India for flouting its directions to file an affidavit in connection with the regulation of private universities in the country . “We are really surprised as to how the Cabinet Secretary was under the misconception that despite a categorical order of the court that the affidavit has to be affirmed by him, he has not filed it and has instead been filed by the Secretary of the Higher Education Department,” a bench of justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and N V Anjaria said. They had in November 2025 directed a nationwide audit of private universities after it found that Amity University had harassed a student for changing her name. The court said it is getting loads of letters and petitions, some of them with evidence, from across India on the matter. manages the party’s IT and media operations. She alleged ED officials walked away with TMC’s internal strategy documents. She then proceeded to the I-PAC office in Salt Lake and her security personnel were seen taking away several files. The ED said the raids were not against any political party , adding searches were conducted at 10 locations in Delhi and West Bengal in connection with a multi-crore coal scam. Later in the day, the ED moved the Calcutta High Court against Mamata alleging interference in its investigation. The HC is expected to take up the matter on Friday . EXPRESS READ People are our Kanugolu: Pinarayi T’Puram: Ridiculing Congress’ electoral strategist Sunil Kanugolu’s prediction of a comfortable win for the UDF in the assembly election, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said LDF’s Kanugolu are the people themselves. “People formulate their opinion not on the basis of propaganda, but on their experience. The LDF has its own reason for confidence to face the election,” the chief minister said. P4