hyderabad l friday l july 03, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 36 l LATE City EDITION SC quashes verdict based on AI-generated ‘precedents’ fabricated case name, faulty citations The matter arose from an insolvency dispute involving Pooja Singh and J&K Bank and Essel Infraprojects Ltd. The appellant challenged an NCLT Mumbai order that had admitted a Section 7 insolvency application. The Supreme Court found that several “precedents” cited by NCLT did not exist. These included fabricated case names and wrong attributions Supreme Court set aside a verdict of the National Company Law Tribunal on Thursday, stating that courts must show zero tolerance to AI slop ai is methyl isocyanate of law, says sc ■ ■ The bench comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said, “The production of fake, non-existent, and hallucinated material as precedents is like release of methyl Isocyanate in law and justice...” The bench clarified that its judgment shall have no bearing on the rightful use of AI, but would only apply to fake AI-led case histories Two Tribunals, NCLT and NCLAT, relied on AI-generated fake citations 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 After fire mishaps, RTC halts e-buses 1st def co-development A S e s h a c h a r y u l u @ Nalgonda Following a series of fire accidents involving electric buses, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) has suspended the operation of all 500 buses manufactured by JBM, citing heightened concerns over passenger safety . The buses from around 10 major depots have been confined to their sheds while TGSRTC has asked JBM to investigate the fire incidents, address safety concerns, establish a command and control centre at Bus Bhavan in Hy- No direct OMC fuel exports to Russia: Minister R a k e s h K u m a r @ New Delhi PETROLEUM Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday denied reports that Indian refiners are exporting gasoline to Russia, saying none of India’s public or private refiners are currently shipping fuel to the country. The minister, while speaking to the media, said that any Indian-origin fuel reaching Russia could have been traded through intermediaries rather than sold directly by Indian companies. The clarification came after media reports claimed Russia had imported seaborne gasoline from India to meet domestic demand after Ukrainian attacks disrupted its refining facilities. According to reports, at least 60,000 metric tonnes of gasoline have already been dispatched from India, while another report said two tankers carrying 30,000-40,000 tonnes each had been sent.“None of the Indian refiners, including private refiners, are exporting gasoline to Russia. It may be some intermediary… Crude oil and refined products are often traded multiple times through intermediaries before reaching the final destination. Therefore, the original source of a shipment may differ from the immediate seller,” Puri said. The minister, while speaking on exports of petrol, diesel and aviation turbine fuel (ATF), said India is one of the world’s largest refining and petroleumexporting hubs, supplying refined products to more than 140 countries. derabad, and certify the buses as “Vehicle Fit for Operation” before they are allowed back on the roads. However, for thousands of office-goers, students and daily commuters, the suspension has meant crowded bus stations and a daily scramble for alternative transport. K Srinivas, a regular commuter from Nalgonda, told TNIE, “Everyone welcomed the electric buses when they were introduced, but the recent bus fire on the Karimnagar route has made people scared to travel in them. With the buses withdrawn, many of us are struggling to reach our workplaces on time. RTC officials should give passenger safety as much importance as procurement.” M Lavanya, a commuter from Suryapet, recalled seeing electric buses frequently break Everyone welcomed the electric buses when they were introduced, but the recent bus fire on the Karimnagar route has made people scared to travel in them – K Srinivas, a commuter from Nalgonda Belgium complete comeback It seemed for all money that Senegal would be heading into the last 16. They were leading 2-0 but Belgium got one back and forced an equaliser before winning it via a contentious penalty in injury time to win the game 3-2 US advance to last 16 The main co-hosts advanced after beating Bosnia & Herzegovina 2-0. But Folarin Balogun, who scored along with Malik Tillman, picked up a red card after what looked like a stamp on the ankle of a covering defender Belgium to face co-hosts US Why contentious? The on-field ref had waved for play to continue after Youri Tielemans went down. But he was asked to consult the monitor by VAR. The on-field referee gave the penalty. However, it wasn’t a clear and obvious error Argentina start knockout journey Holders Argentina face Cape Verde in one of the last three games of the first knockout stage. The three-time champions are prohibitive favourites but Cape Verde have been resillient so far Today’s matches: Australia vs Egypt 11.30 PM, Argentina vs Cape Verde (3.30 AM)*, Colombia vs Ghana (7.00 AM)* (*IST Saturday) Express News Service @ Hyderabad The state Cabinet, after a lengthy discussion, approved Telangana joining the VB-G RAM G scheme while emphasising that the state would take legal recourse to protect its rights under the scheme, including approaching the Supreme Court and opposing it in Parliament. The Cabinet, which met here on Thursday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, maintained that the scheme was introduced without consulting the states, against the federal spirit. However, noting that all other states were implement- ing it, the Cabinet felt there was no alternative and decided to issue a notification to bring the new law into force in the state from July 1, 2026. The Cabinet also cleared the extension of the midday meal scheme to teachers, lecturers and non-teaching staff, in addition to students. Briefing reporters, ministers Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, Dansari Anasuya and Adluri Laxman said the Cabinet opposed the unilateral renaming and restructuring of MGNREGS as Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar & Aajeevika Mission (Gramin). Srinivasa Reddy said the state had adopted an Assembly Express News Service What was found The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday conducted searches at the residence of deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Sankireddy Bheem Reddy current, ly posted with the police computer services (PCS) wing in Hyderabad, for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income through corrupt practices during his service. As part of the investigation, officials carried out DSP Bhima Reddy simultaneous searches from Thursday morning at 16 locations linked to the officer, including properties belonging to his relatives, friends, alleged benamidars and other associates. The searches unearthed documents relating to an extensive portfolio of immovable assets spread across Telangana and Karnataka worth around `200 crore in the market.  continued on page 2 n  Searches: 16 locations across Telangana and Karnataka n  Residential properties: Villa at Vessella Meadows, G+2 house with penthouse, four flats, share in a G+5 commercial complex, 3,000 sq ft commercial space n  holdings: Open plots Land at Pragathi Resorts, Nagole, Patancheru and Mominpet; agricultural land at Zaheerabad, Mominpet, Muchintala, Devanahalli and another 44 acres in Karnataka n  Investment: `75 lakh in Sri Raghavendra Rock Sand Minerals n  seized: `3.6 lakh from Cash DSP’s residence; `40 lakh from an alleged benamidar’s residence n  Valuables: Around 2 kg of gold ornaments and 20 kg of silver articles n  deposits: Nearly `19.91 Bank lakh n  Other seizure: 23 foreign liquor bottles n  Estimated market value: Over `200 crore @ Hyderabad JUST when the NEET-UG controversy appeared to be dying down after the successful completion of the June 21 re-exam, it has come to light that the Physics question paper had two blunders in it. One question had no correct answer and the NTA will be dropping it, resulting in four bonus marks to all students. Another question had two answers, both of which will be treated as correct. Harpreet Singh, a reputed physics teacher, shared the queries with this paper. “Question No.40 on Vernier Callipers has four answer options. All are wrong. The correct answer is 1.6 cm,” he said. The other blunder is the query on electromagnetic waves. “While ideally there should be only one answer for a question, both the answers 3 and 4 are correct for this question numbered 22,” Singh said. project deal with Japan Agreement to upgrade the Comprehensive Economic Partnership J aya n t h J a c o b a n d P u s h p i ta D e y @ New Delhi India and Japan on Thursday elevated their global strategic partnership with a twin push on defence manufacturing and economic integration, signing their first-ever defence co-development project while agreeing to upgrade the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), as Prime Minister Narendra Modi described “unbreakable mutual trust” as the bedrock of bilateral ties. The two sides also unveiled a roadmap on economic security , supply chain resilience, clean energy and biotech following the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit between Prime Minister Modi and his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi. “Today, we have signed an agreement on the first co-development project between India and Japan in the defence sector. This project for a naval radio antenna will open a new chapter in our defence technology partnership,” Modi said. The pact relates to the Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN) project, a next-generation naval communications system designed to provide secure and reliable communications for warships. The joint statement said both PMs welcomed the conclusion Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Japan counterpart Sanae Takaichi | PTI Kitakyushu inspires TG Drawing inspiration from Japan’s Kitakyushu Eco Town model, the Telangana government has handed over 86 acres to GHMC for a first-of-its-kind Eco Town in Rangareddy under a friendship and cooperation agreement with the City of Kitakyushu in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture | p4 in principle of the remaining technical issues on UNICORN and agreed to explore additional defence equipment and technology collaborations. Modi welcomed Japan’s review of its Cabinet nod to join VB-G RAM G; TG to challenge Act in SC One question ACB raids DSP’s premises, to be dropped finds assets worth `200 cr from re-NEET examination S l a l i t h a @ New Delhi down because of technical problems, leaving drivers struggling to manage the situation and passengers forced to get off midway to find alternative transport. “The authorities should provide training to drivers and fix all the technical issues before putting these buses back on the roads. Until these issues are resolved, the corporation should operate safe alternative buses,” she said. Passengers stressed that the authorities must fix the technical flaws, adequately train staff, and restore services only after ensuring commuter safety  . continued on page 2 resolution opposing the nomenclature and sent it to the Centre. A Cabinet sub-committee, constituted to study the response of other states, submitted its report on Thursday . “The Cabinet discussed the report and decided to join the VB-G RAM G scheme as there is no other option,” he said, adding that the government would pursue legal remedies to safeguard the state’s interests. Earlier in the day, Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the VB-G RAM G scheme in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. He said the Centre would contribute more than `95,000 crore in the first year and, with the states’ 40% share, the total annual outlay would be around `1.51 lakh crore. Key decisions Midday meals: Around 1.5 lakh teachers, lecturers and nonteaching staff will also be served meals and refreshments. The scheme was extended to students of schools and junior colleges earlier TIMS hospitals: Early completion of TIMS hospitals at Sanathnagar, Alwal, LB Nagar and Warangal, with 6,278 vacant posts to be filled (1,494 regular, 549 contract and 4,235 outsourced). LoCs under CMRF cleared; hospitals to be developed on the lines of NIMS Musi project: Tenders cleared for the `7,345.12crore, 21-km Hyderabad Musi riverfront Phase-1 (Gandhi Sarovar) project, along with road development, connectivity works and 147 deputation posts Land for warehouses: 50 acres in Warangal district and 10 acres in Rangareddy district allotted to the Telangana State Warehousing Corporation at market rate Land allotments: 20.18 acres in Mahbubnagar district and 19.12 acres in Suryapet district allotted for Jawahar Navodaya schools, besides five acres in Jagtial district for a Kendriya Vidyalaya. Land was also allotted to several Union and state government institutions Ancient archive Stone Age rock art dating back 10,000 years found in Mulugu u m a h e s h @ Mulugu Hidden among the hillocks of Mulugu district, rock art dating back between 10,000 and 1,000 years has come to light, offering new evidence of prehistoric life in Telangana. The site, located about 30 kilometres from Mulugu town in the Bandlapahad forest area, spans the hillocks locally known as Moddu Gutta, Darvajala Gutta and Nemali Gutta. The rock shelters are adorned with prehistoric paintings depicting anthropomorphic figures, animals such as deer, bulls, tortoises, foxes and wild buffaloes, along with various lines and designs. Most of the paintings are in red, while some are in white. Natural weathering has made several figures so indistinct that they can no longer be clearly identified. Based on their style and subject matter, the paintings are attributed to Rock paintings of tortoises & horizontal anthropomorphic figure with distinctive ornamentation on its head and neck (bottom), discovered in Mulugu hillocks the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Megalithic periods. The discovery was made by PRIHAH members Gaddam Kranthi Kumar and Tati Sambasiva Rao Dora under the leadership of PRIHAH general secretary Dr MA Srinivasan, assistant professor at Suravaram Pratap Reddy Telugu University  continued on page 2 . principles governing the transfer of defence equipment and technology, which New Delhi sees as opening new avenues for industrial collaboration. Both leaders also agreed to modernise the India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Ag reement (CEPA), which came into force in 2011 but has come under scrutiny over its limited benefits for Indian exporters. “Upgradation of the CEPA pact and review of its provisions were discussed....whether the agreement has become outdated in light of newer trade arrangements,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said. Sources said India has sought a review of several non-tariff barriers, particularly Japan’s stringent sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, which have constrained Indian exports despite preferential tariff access. “The global trade landscape has evolved considerably since 2011, and India has conveyed its interest in reviewing aspects of CEPA,” a senior government source said. The summit also produced a Joint Roadmap on Economic Security, under which the two countries will strengthen supply chain resilience in strategic sectors including semiconductors, quantum technologies and advanced materials. chhattisgarh Can’t force Hindu prayer in school: HC E J A Z KAISER @ Raipur IN a major development concerning the secular character of public education, the Chhattisgarh High Court on Thursday made it clear that school children cannot be forced to recite Hindu prayers in government-run educational institutions. The ruling was delivered by Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad on a writ petition challenging the constitutional validity of a circular issued by the State School Education Department on June 12. A controversy erupted after the BJP-led Chhattisgarh government issued the fiat mandating daily recitation of Vedic mantras, including the Gayatri Mantra and Saraswati Vandana, in all government schools from the new academic session. The legal challenge was filed by former Chhattisgarh Waqf Board Chairman Abdul Salam Rizvi, alongside Mahendra Chhabda and social activist Shafique Ahmed. The state government informed the court that the actual implementation of the administrative circular had not yet begun in any school so far. Taking note of the government’s submission, Justice Prasad disposed of the petition. However, the court left the door open for petitioners to approach it again if any child is compelled to participate in the religious recitations.“There is no issue if students of a particular faith recite Hindu prayers in government schools but students of other religions shouldn’t be coerced to follow it,” Aamir Khan, counsel for the petitioners, told this paper. WI T H T HIS ISSUE CITY’S BEST WEEKEND GUIDE 36 PAGES, INCLUDING 24 OF INDULGE (TABLOID)