BHUBANESWAR l saturday l february 14, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION accept dagarvani tradition’s inputs to song, sc tells rahman Music composer A R Rahman and Ponniyin Selvan 2’s makers were asked to accept the genre’s contribution in Veera Raja Veera song of the film sc fiat on plea against 2025 delhi hc order ‘classical music maestros want respect’ A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a plea by Dhrupad vocalist Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar against a September 2025 Delhi High Court’s order, which said there was no evidence of the Dagar Brothers being the authors of a classical rendition of Shiv Stuti, which was used while composing the number in the film ■ ■ “The originality of the tune is undisputed,” the SC bench told Rahman’s counsel Abhishek Singhvi. “They are traditional worshippers of classical music... they want respect, recognition” Known for its meditative style, Dagarvani is a 20-generation-old lineage of Dhrupad, the oldest genre of Hindustani classical music Feb 20 is when the supreme court posted the next hearing 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 Nikhil Gupta pleads guilty in plot to murder Pannun in US BNP landslide Modi calls up Tarique Rahman, reaffirms India’s commitment to strengthen ties with Bangladesh; focus shifts to govt formation H a r p r ee t B a j w a @ Chandigarh I n dia n n at i o n a l N i k h i l Gupta, 54, accused of hiring a hitman in 2023 plot to eliminate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US, on Friday pleaded guilty on three counts at a federal court hearing in New York. He had earlier pleaded not guilty after his extradition to the US from the Czech Republic. The three charges — murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering — together carry a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. Under a plea agreement, Gurpatwant prosecutors Singh Pannun reportedly recommended a sentence of 21-24 years, effectively halving the potential maximum term. Nikhil Gupta A spokesperson for the US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan stated that Gupta pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn in the Manhattan federal court. Judge Sarah Netburn then recommended that District Judge Marrero accept the plea. Pannun, who also heads the proscribed Sikhs for Justice, holds dual US-Canadian citizenship. Lawyers for Gupta were not immediately available for comment. Gupta has been in a Brooklyn jail since June 2024. He was first arrested by the Czech Republic in 2023 at the Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague. Prosecutors had accused Gupta of hiring a hitman for $100,000 to kill Pannun. They had identified his Indian handler based in Delhi as Vikash Yadav, a rogue RAW agent. The plot failed as the purported hitman turned out to be an undercover federal agent. Party positions Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) 212 Jamaat-e-Islami 77 Others 8 Total seats: 299 * Polls countermanded in 1 seat due to death of a candidate Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairman Tarique Rahman (L) greets supporters as leaves his residence in Dhaka a day after wresting power in the general elections, on Friday | PTI described Modi’s outreach as significant. “PM Modi is the first world leader to have a telephonic converIn a major diplomatic outreach sation with BNP chief and the next following the Bangladesh Nation- prime minister of Bangladesh, Taralist Party’s sweep of Bangladesh’s ique Rahman,” Kabir said, calling general election, Prime Minister the message “a welcome gesture”. Narendra Modi on Friday spoke In Dhaka, the attention is shiftwith BNP chief Tarique ing to government formation. The BNP won a Rahman, congratulating sweeping mandate, sehim on leading the party curing 209 seats in the to a decisive victory and This victory shows reaffirming India’s com- the people’s trust in 300-member parliament and attaining an absomitment to strengthenyour (Tarique . ing bilateral ties. Rahman) leadership. lute majority The result “Delighted to speak India will continue to grants the party the austand in support of thority to amend the with Tarique Rahman. I democratic, Constitution and undercongratulated him on the remarkable victory progressive, inclusive take significant instituBangladesh. I look tional reforms. in the Bangladesh elecforward to working Results for 297 of the tions,” Modi said on X with you to 300 parliamentary seats after the call. “I conveyed strengthen ties have been declared. Acmy best wishes and supNarendra Modi, PM cording to the final tally port in his endeavour to announced by the Elecfulfil the aspirations of tion Commission of the people of BanglaThe results were desh. As two close neigh- changed through the Bangladesh, the BNP and its allies secured bours with deep-rooted administration... 212 of the 297 seats historical and cultural Those who attack declared. ties, I reaffirmed India’s people, vandalise The 11-party electoral continued commitment property, and commit to the peace, progress, arson just a day after alliance led by Banglaand prosperity of both winning polls cannot desh Jamaat-e-Islami be trusted with the won 77 seats. The newly our peoples.” Modi was the first world leader to custody of a country formed National Citizen , speak with Rahman by Nahid Islam, NCP leader Party which led a mass movement against the phone. Reacting to Modi’s phone call to Awami League and former Prime Tarique Rahman, a BNP spokes- Minister Sheikh Hasina, obtained person said Bangladesh seeks bal- just six seats. Islami Andolan Bangladesh secured one. Indeanced diplomatic ties with India. Humayun Kabir, adviser to Rah- pendent candidates captured sevContinued on: P9 man and tipped for a cabinet berth, en seats. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday launched the Shree Jagannath Darshan Yojana (SJDY) at Nabarangpur, to help elderly and economically-weaker sections undertake a pilgrimage to Puri. The scheme will cover 5,000 beneficiaries this year and aims to facilitate darshan of Lord Jagannath at Puri for one lakh devotees over the next four years. Beneficiaries will travel to Puri in AC buses, stay at Brundavati Nivas and receive Mahaprasad. Referendum Yes: 68.1% 48,074,429 J aya n t h J a c o b & B ay e z i d M i l k y @ New Delhi/Dhaka CM Mohan Charan Majhi flags off the bus carrying pilgrims to Puri for Jagannath darshan @ Bhubaneswar/Nabarangpur 151 Result awaited: 2 CM launches Jagannath Darshan scheme for elderly citizens and poorer sections E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e Halfway The scheme was launched simultaneously at five places which include Nabarangpur, Sambalpur, Bhadrak, Baripada and Berhampur. As many as 100 beneficiaries each from these five places, along with escorts, left for Puri on Friday in the first phase of implementation. Launching the scheme, the chief minister said that the government will bear the cost of the visit of these people, which will enhance their spiritual and cultural wellbeing. He observed that financial constraints and family issues often prevent economically weaker and elderly citizens from undertaking the pilgrimage. Majhi said that the scheme has been launched to ensure that such people get the opportunity to have darshan of Lord Jagannath at least once in their lifetime. Stressing that people are considered as the centre of governance, he said that fulfilling citizens’ hopes and aspirations is the government’s foremost duty . “The innovative scheme has been launched to meet the unfulfilled religious desire of the people from economically weaker sections of society. The government will take the elderly and widowed women to the shrine with respect and arrange hassle-free darshan for them,” the chief minister added. Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida said, “Everybody has desire to visit Puri and have darshan of Lord Jagannath in their lifetime. The government has fulfilled this desire of the people by launching the scheme.” The programme will be jointly implemented by the state’s tourism and transport departments. Beneficiaries from 21 districts will be provided night-halt arrangements in Puri, while devotees from eight coastal districts will undertake a day tour to the temple. NO: 31.9% 22,565,627 Total votes cast 70,640,056 Why Jamaat lost its momentum 1 Jamaat had initial advantage as it hoped to fill the vacuum of the ban on Awami League and alliance with NCP leaders who led went against Hasina 2 Tarique Rahman entered the race relatively late. But he picked up tempo as sympathy factor over the death of his mother Zia worked for him 3 The youth, many of whom had driven the July uprising, voted in significant numbers for the BNP rather than Jamaat. Yet Jamaat had its best outing at the husting A new corner office for the PM and PMO R a je s h k u m a r t h a k u r @ New Delhi PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Friday shifted to his new office, Seva Teerth, from the colonial-era South Block building near Rashtrapati Bhavan on Raisina Hill. The shift came on a day — February 13 — that marked 95 years since the formal inauguration of New Delhi as India’s modern capital in 1931. On Friday Modi reached Seva Teerth , Complex in a motorcade along with Union ministers Manohar Lal and Jitendra Singh and top PMO officials, and inaugurated the complex housing the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the National Security Council Secretariat and the Cabinet Secretariat. The PMO will shift from the South Block on Raisina Hill to Seva Teerth, bringing together the offices of the Cabinet Secretariat and the National Security Council Secretariat that were located at dif ferent places. In the presence of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh and top officials including principal secretaries P K Mishra and Shaktikanta Das, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Seva Tirth, the new Prime Minister’s Office complex, in New Delhi on Friday | PTI Colonial mindset must go, says PM Speaking on Friday after inaugurating the Seva Teerth complex, PM Narendra Modi said India must shed every trace of a colonial mindset as it advances towards becoming a Viksit Bharat. Referring to changes such as the renaming of 7 Race Course Road to Lok Kalyan Marg, he said these efforts to transform culture of power into a spirit of service the prime minister signed files approving the launch of PM RAHAT Scheme for extending life-saving protection for every citizen and doubling the number of lakhpati didis to six crore. Balasore man gets death penalty for killing wife by acid attack S u k a n ta S a h u @ Balasore In a landmark judgement, a court in Balasore district on Friday sentenced a 35-year-old man to death for brutally killing his wife in acid attack three years ago. Judge of special court under SC and ST (PoA) Act, Balasore, Abdul Samim Akhtar convicted Chandan Rana for killing his wife Banita Singh (20) and also imposed a fine of `50,000 on him. Singh belongs to Nayapatana (Santaragadia) village under Nilagiri police limits of the district. As per case records, after marrying Rana, Banita of Bhimpura village under Sahadevkhunta police limits came to know that her husband was already mar- Minor girl falls into open bore well in Puri, dies E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Puri In a shocking incident, a toddler died after falling into an open bore well located on the district headquarters hospital (DHH) premises here on Friday . The girl, about two-and-half years of age, was playing when she slipped into the bore well pit which was filled with muddy water. It was about four feet deep. The bore well was dug as part of the construction work of the DHH. Sources said, the girl had come to her uncle Gajendra Nayak’s house and was playing with some other children in the morning when the mishap took place. Locals rescued the girl and rushed her to the DHH where doctor declared her dead. The victim was daughter of Ajay Nayak, a resident of Mangal Sahi of Narendra area in the pilgrim town. Kumbharpara police registered a case of unnatural death and handed over the body to the family after the post mortem. ried and had two children with his first wife. A fight broke out between the couple following which she returned to her parents’ place at Bhimpura. On February 20, 2023, Rana went to his in-laws’ house with a bottle of acid. When his attempts to persuade Banita to return with him failed, he hurled the acid at his wife. Apart from Banita, her sister Barsha and two others suffered critical burn injuries in the acid attack. Banita was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack where she died during treatment after six days. On basis of the complaint of Banita’s father, Sahadevkhunta police registered a case and arrested Rana from Kolkata in West Bengal. CONTINUED ON: P7 “The inauguration marks a milestone ... and reflects the Prime Minister’s commitment to building a modern, efficient, accessible and citizen-centric governance ecosystem,” a note from PMO said. Today’s Matches 11am: Ireland vs Omana (Colombo), 3pm: England vs Scotland (Kolkata), 7pm: New Zealand vs Africa (Ahmedabad) e x pr e s s r e a d No verification of marks after CBSE Class-12 results from ’26 New Delhi: With an aim to enhance transparency and efficiency in board examinations, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced on Friday that post-result verification of marks for Class 12 will be discontinued from 2026 | P7