kottayam l thursday l june 18, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION Cyber criminals are parasites who dupe innocent investors: CJI Cyber criminals are parasites who take money from innocent investors and dupe them, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant observed we have to be very harsh, says justice Kant “You people (cyber criminals) are parasites. We have to be very harsh. It is in the society’s interest that cyber criminals are kept behind the bars,” CJI Surya Kant said. Such strong language from the CJI comes weeks after he called the unemployed youth “cockroaches”. The court was hearing a plea filed by a cyber fraud accused seeking bail | P7 ■ `22,495 cr People across India are affected: SC ■ The CJI said victims of such crimes were always pan-India. “You cheat someone in Tamil Nadu, then you go to Jammu and Kashmir and then to the North-East,” the CJI said The court rejected the bail plea citing the gravity of allegations. The petitioner is accused of swindling over `3 crore from multiple people lost to cyber fraud in 2025, as per government data 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 Telegram moves HC amid govt pushback Modi urges max priority to seafarers’ safety in bilateral talks with Trump Stresses strategic importance of keeping Hormuz open; trade deal very close, says US President U d aya n K i s h o r e & R a k e s h K u m a r @ New Delhi The Centre on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that there are “shocking activities” happening on Telegram after the messaging platform moved the court seeking a stay on the government order temporarily restricting access to the messaging app ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-exam. Telegram argued that the government should order the blocking of specific channels or groups rather than banning the entire platform, which has around 150 million users in India. “Just because some things are bad, you cannot block the entire platform,” the counsel said, adding the company has been fully cooperative with the authorities. Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta countered Telegram’s argument, saying that simply blocking individual channels is ineffective. “If the court posts the matter tomorrow, then there is something shocking I can show. One channel starts, it is prohibited, and then another is started. And with a QR code, you can make a payment. This is continuous,” he said. Mehta told the court that the government had repeatedly warned Telegram about “shocking activities” happening on the platform. The court listed the matter for hearing on Thursday . Indo prefix axed from name of US Pacific Command J a v a r i a R a n a @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Donald Trump during a bilateral meet on the sidelines of the G7 Summit | AFP J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday placed the safety of Indian seafarers at the centre of discussions on restoring peace and stability in West Asia, saying he was confident the issue would receive the “highest priority” in implementing a new agreement between the US and Iran aimed at ending the recent conflict, during his first bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump in 16 months on the sidelines of the G7 Summit. “You are aware that across the world, Indian seafarers and hundreds of thousands are working and performing their duties across global maritime trade routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, and their safety is of utmost importance to us,” Modi said. The PM linked the protection of seafarers directly to the implementation of the agreement between the US and Iran. “You made tremendous efforts to- Uddhav Sena stares at split, issues whip Ties expanding on multiple fronts Trump said bilateral relations were expanding across multiple fronts, highlighting economic growth and investment flows between the two countries. “A lot of things are happening between the US and India. And the US is doing the best we’ve ever done.” wards reaching this understanding and this agreement,” he said. “I’m confident that the issue of seafarers will receive the highest priority during the implementation of this agreement,” Modi said in the backdrop of mounting concerns over the safety of Indian seafarers in West Asia, including the deaths of three Indian nationals in a US strike on a tanker off the Oman coast. Asked about the deaths of Indian sailors in US Navy strikes, Trump said: “It’s a rough pro- fession. This has been happening throughout time. I love all of those people,” Trump said. Modi also stressed the strategic importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open. The waterway is among the world’s most critical energy and trade chokepoints, carrying 20% of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Trump praised Modi as a “very tough negotiator.” Responding to questions on how close are two countries in finalising a trade deal, Trump said, “Very close. We have been there for a little while. He is a very tough negotiator; one of the toughest.” He then added, “He is the most beautiful looking man, he looks so nice, he is like an angel. But actually he is just tough, he is a killer… He looks so good, he gets you by surprise.” Trump said the US would support India in the event of an attack, even without a formal mutual defence treaty, while describing bilateral defence ties as strong. The Trump administration has renamed its largest unified military command from the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) back to the US Pacific Command (PACOM), reversing an eight-year-old designation that had come to symbolise India’s growing role in Washington’s strategic thinking. The US said on Tuesday that the command would revert to the name it carried from 1947, adding the change was limited to nomenclature. USPACOM’s area of responsibility, stretching from the US West Coast to India’s western border, remains unchanged, as does its stated mission of working with allies and partners to maintain a free and open regional order. The announcement came a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. The 2018 renaming had explicitly referred to the “increasing connectivity between the Indian and Pacific oceans.” It came as the first Trump administration was advancing its Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy amid growing competition with China. The change also coincided with the revival of the Quad. Questions over the future of the “IndoPacific” formulation had emerged last month during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, where Secretary of War Pete Hegseth repeatedly referred to the “Pacific” while outlining Washington’s regional approach. India was described as a “critical anchor” in South Asia, a formulation that some observers noted differed from the broader language used by previous US administrations. Messi threeller The development came amid Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut’s IN a rerun of the Trinamool allegation that some MPs were Congress crisis, leaders of Ud- being offered as much as `50 dhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena crore to switch sides. (UBT) as well as the rebel facSources said a letter signed tion met Lok Sabha Speaker by the six rebel MPs has alOm Birla separately on Wednes- ready been submitted to the day, each staking claim to Speaker and a for mal anlegitimacy . nouncement of the merger While the UBT camp urged with the Shinde-led Sena will the Speaker to prevent be made later. unlawful defections, the According to sourcAkhilesh rebel group is learnt to rejects SP es, the six MPs are Sanhave claimed the supsplit buzz jay Jadhav, Bhausaheb port of six MPs. Wakchaure, Sanjay Samajwadi As crisis deepened Deshmukh, Nagesh Party chief amid rumours of six Patil Ashtikar, OmpraMPs having switched to Akhilesh Yadav kash Rajenimbalkar, the ruling Sena led by on Wednesday and Sanjay Patil. Maharashtra Deputy said his party MPs from the UdChief Minister Eknath remains united dhav camp, who first Shinde, a three-line amid claims by met Birla on Wedneswhip has been issued to Uttar Pradesh day told reporters that , minister Om all nine Sena (UBT) they submitted a repPrakash MPs, directing them to resentation to the attend a meeting of its Rajbhar that a Speaker urging him to parliamentary party on major split in guard against any unSP is on the Thursday . lawful defection. cards and The party may initiT h e g ro u p c o m several of its ate disqualification proprised Lok Sabha MPs leaders are ceedings against those A r v i n d S aw a n t , ready to join who fail to attend the Sanjay Raut, and Anil the BJP | P8 meeting, sources said. Desai. S h ya m P V @Palakkad Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Anil Desai, Sanjay Raut and Arvind Sawant addressing a press meet in New Delhi on Wednesday | Parveen Negi Train journeys along Kerala’s busy northern rail corridor could become faster and more efficient, with the Palakkad railway division pressing ahead with major multiple infrastructure upgrades aimed at increasing the maximum permissible speed on the Shoranur-Mangaluru section from 110 kmph to 130 kmph, hopefully in two years. As part of the ongoing capacity augmentation programme, Mbappe, Haaland join party Kylian Mbappe further enhanced his own legacy by scoring a brace of goals in the second half against Senegal. He moved to 14 goals, just two behind Messi and Klose. Erling Haaland, playing his first ever World Cup match, scored a brace against Iraq. P REE T HA NAIR @ New Delhi 16 Messi equalled Miroslav Klose’s all-time goalscoring record in men’s World Cups Lionel Messi struck his first ever World Cup hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria. His wasn’t the only big performance from the big hitters on Tuesday. A look State to continue with PM SHRI, but sets terms E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @T’Puram Despite its earlier opposition towards the central scheme, the UDF, which has returned to power in Kerala, is set to continue with the PM SHRI (Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India) scheme, albeit with certain terms. Chief Minister V D Satheesan said the government is “compelled” to continue with the PM SHRI scheme as the previous LDF administration had signed an agreement with the Union government for its implementation and already availed central funds under the programme. He said the state would implement PM SHRI on certain conditions. “We will ensure complete autonomy of the state in deciding the curriculum under the scheme. Also, the authority to select schools for the implementation of the scheme will also remain with the state governKerala is already ment,” he said. part of the PM The CPM, meanwhile, came down SHRI scheme and heavily on the UDF government for the state will “retracting from its earlier promise”. safeguard its It alleged that the move to implement rights and powers PM SHRI was part of a Congress-BJP under the programme deal. Briefing reporters after a meeting without compromising of the state cabinet on Wednesday, them in any the chief minister said a cabinet sub- manner committee had been constituted to study matters related to the imple- V D Satheesan, CM mentation of PM SHRI. The sub-committee, which will prepare the communication to be forwarded to the Union government, will have General Education Minister N Shamsudheen as the convener and Higher Education Minister Roji M John, Tourism Minister P C Vishnunadh and Excise Minister M Liju as members. “Kerala is already part of the PM SHRI scheme and the state will safeguard its rights and powers under the programme without compromising them in any man● More on P4 ner,” Satheesan said.  e x p r e ss r e a d One more Shigella death in state Long-ranger tops ’em all Lionel Messi was at his imperious best as he hit a hat-trick for Argentina. The attacker went through some of his biggest hits including a goal from outside the box Today’s Group A: Czechia vs South Africa 9.30 PM, Mexico vs South Korea 6.30 AM* matches Group B: Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, 12.30 AM*, Canada vs Qatar 3.30 AM* * IST Friday LIVE on Unite8 Sports & Zee5 Veena faces 10-hour ED questioning T’Puram: A 75-year-old woman from Aliparamba in Malappuram district died of Shigella infection on Tuesday, taking the death toll to six in the state in June. Also, 12 new cases were also reported across six districts on the day. Currently, there are 91 Shigella cases in state. P5 Kochi: Veena T, daughter of former CM Pinarayi Vijayan, underwent nearly 10 hours of questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday in connection with its probe into the financial transactions between her IT firm Exalogic Solutions and CMRL. P4 Speed trial by 2027-end? WORK IN PROGRESS Shoranur-M’luru section on track to hit 130kmph with upgrades Railways intends to increase maximum permissible speed from 110 kmph to 130 kmph on the Shoranur–Mangaluru section 6 new loop lines and four holding yards to be developed at several locations as part of capacity enhancement work Upgrading of RoBs, double distance signalling works and railway track sleeper renewal works also under way A substantial portion of the speed Authorities hopeful of making ready upgrading work already completed. the division is constructing six loop lines in as many locations and four holding yards along the Shoranur-Mangaluru sec- the section for speed trial by end of 2027 tion. Railway officials said the work is intended to improve train handling capacity, facilitate crossings and overtakes, and support the broader programme to raise the maximum permissible speed on the route from the present 110 kmph to 130 kmph. “Southern Railway has been undertaking extensive track, signalling and safety upgrades on the route to enable higherspeed operations and improve punctuality A substantial por. tion of the speed upgrading work on the corridor has already been completed. More loop lines and holding yards mean the tracks can accommo- date more train services -- both passenger and goods. The loop line at Edakkad railway station is already sanctioned and five loop lines in other locations will be sanctioned very soon,” said a senior officer with the Palakkad railway division. Apart from the loop lines and holding yards, other focused areas are double distance signalling and track fencing in vulnerable locations. Also, the renewal of tracks on a total of 250 km on various stretches is ● More on P4 going on.