FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 15 No. 213 | BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 14, 2026 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports ALYSSA HEALY CALLS TIME P.12 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL MONEY India signals strategic energy shift amid FTA uncertainty UJJAIN PRESS PUNE INDORE NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit Restore trust in PSLV P.6 Cinema Mithila all set for comedy with Happy Patel! P.14 LEVY THREAT | Move could impact Tehran’s major trading partners such as India, China, UAE 25% Trump tariff on Iran’s trade partners PTI NEW YORK/WASHINGTON US President Donald Trump announced that any country "doing business" with Iran will have to pay a 25 per cent tariff on its trade with Washington, a move that could impact Tehran's major trading partners such as India, China and the UAE. "Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25 per cent on any and all business being done with the United States of Chabahar in choppy waters While US President Donald Trump’s recent warning over an additional 25 per cent tariff has direct implications for India, any choppy waters ahead may affect future operations at the Chabahar port as well. India is among Iran’s top business partners, as are China, Turkey, the UAE, Pakistan, and Armenia. 10-minute delivery no more, says Govt; Blinkit complies Swiggy, Zepto may follow suit PTI NEW DELHI Eternal-owned quick-commerce firm Blinkit has dropped its '10-minute' delivery claim after intervention by the Labour Ministry amid growing concerns over the welfare and safety of delivery workers. Other aggregators, like Zepto and Swiggy-owned Instamart, are also expected to follow suit in the coming days, sources told PTI. Sources said the decision to remove the '10-minute' delivery deadline came after Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya persuaded the delivery aggregators in this regard. Mandaviya chaired a meeting last week with leading platforms, including Blinkit, Zepto, Zomato and Swiggy, to address concerns related to delivery timelines, they added. Sources further revealed that Blinkit has already acted on the directive and removed the 10-minute delivery promise from its branding. The move is aimed at ensuring greater safety, security and improved working conditions for gig workers. As part of this change, Blinkit has updated its brand messaging. The company's principal tagline has been revised from "10,000+ products delivered in fp Briefs ASTANA Indian killed in Kazak city An Indian student died while two others were injured in a road accident in Kazakhstan's Oskemen, the Indian Embassy in Kazakhstan said on Tuesday. In a statement on X, the embassy stated that 11 Indian students of Semey Medical University who were on an excursion trip to Altai Alps in East Kazakhstan from Oskemen City, met with an accident while they were returning. The deceased student has been identified as Mili Mohan, 25, while the two injured students are Ashika Sheejamini Santhosh and Jaseena B. Blinkit updates tagline As part of this change, Blinkit has updated its brand messaging. The company's principal tagline has been revised from "10,000+ products delivered in 10 minutes" to "30,000+ products delivered at your doorstep," they said. The promise of 10-minute delivery led to gig workers holding a nationwide strike on New Year's Eve in 2025, drawing attention to workers' health, safety and income ‘Toll spikes to at least 2,000’ The death toll from nationwide protests in Iran spiked Tuesday to at least 2,000 people killed, activists said. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years, gave the latest toll Our Staff Reporter Solar-cum-storage project approved The cabinet also approved three solar-cum-storage supply projects. Single cycle charging based energy storage projects for Solar- cum-four hours 300 MW, solar-cum- six hours 300 MW, solar-cum- 24 hours 200 MW power supply were approved. The state cabinet on Tuesday approved the MP Space Tech policy 2026. With the implementation of this, the state has moved a step forward in becoming a centre for space technology. This policy will promote innovation in satellite manufacturing, geospatial analysis and downstream applications. In the next five years, the policy is expected to attract investment of Rs 1000 crores and create around 8000 jobs. This policy will provide incentives, infrastructure and research support to lure the space industry. It will give a fillip to innovations in fields such as agriculture, disaster management and urban planning etc. A space tech excellence centre and an incubation network will also be established. The state government will bear ex- Scindia camp pushed for 50 % rebate on vehicle tax in Gwalior fair During the cabinet meeting, three ministers from Union minister Jyotiraditya Scinda’s camp built pressure on the government demanding 50 per cent rebate in vehicle tax in Gwalior trade fair. Initially, finance department cited financial loses. When ministers Govind Singh Rajput, Pradhyuman Singh Tomar and Tulsi Silawat pushed for the issue, the CM gave nod. He, however, said vehicle tax rebate will only be given to vehicles purchased from the fair area. penditure of Rs 628 crores on implementation of the policy. Fourth time scale scheme for teachers- The cabinet approved the fourth time scale scheme for assistant teachers, teachers of academic cadre and primary and middle school teachers of the new teaching cadre on completion of 35 years of service on or after July 2023. A sum of Rs 322.34 crore has been sanctioned for the scheme. The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will ask states to pay a "heavy compensation" for dogbite incidents and hold dog feeders accountable as it flagged its concern over the lack of implementation of norms on stray animals for the past five years. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria said that even dog lovers and 50 % rebate on vehicle tax in Gwalior & Ujjain fairsThe approved 50 % rebate on vehicle tax in Gwalior Vyapar Mela and Ujjain Vikramotsav Mela. The Gwalior Mela started from December 25 and since then, people were demanding a rebate on vehicle tax. With the 50 % rebate on vehicle tax, the government is going to suffer financial loss of around Rs 250 crore. Meanwhile, union minister INDORE The Supreme Court on Tuesday delivered a stinging rebuke to the station house officer (SHO) of Chandan Nagar police station in Indore, terming him a ‘rogue’ officer for repeatedly citing the same individuals as witnesses in hundreds of criminal cases and ordering his immediate removal from all police duties. A Bench of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice R. Mahadevan directed that SHO Indramani Patel be taken off all police work with immediate effect. The court work for using two individuals as ‘stock witnesses’ in 200 cases warned that if the officer interfered in any police functioning till further orders, the Commissioner of Police, Indore, would be held personally responsible. Stock witnesses under scrutiny The court was informed that the SHO had cited two individuals as witnesses in an feeders will be held "responsible" and "accountable" for dog-bite incidents. "For every dog bite, death or injury caused to children or elderly, we are going to ask the state governments to pay heavy compensation, as they did not do anything on implementation of norms in the past five years. Also, responsibility and accountability will be fixed on those who are feeding these stray dogs. If you love these animals so much, then why don't you take them to your house. Why should these dogs loiter around, bite and scare people?" Justice Nath said. Justice Mehta concurred with the views of Justice Nath and said, "Who should be held accountable when dogs attack a 9year-old? The organisation that is feeding them? You want us to shut our eyes to the problem." The top court was hearing several petitions seeking modification of its November 7, 2025 order directing the authorities to remove these stray animals from the institutional areas and roads. 4Continued on | P8 extraordinary number of cases — one in 195 cases and the other in 215. The repeated use of the same witnesses across unrelated cases raised serious doubts about the integrity of investigations conducted under his supervision. Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde told the court that the practice continued even after the Supreme Court had summoned the officer, indicating blatant disregard for judicial oversight. The state’s explanation that the witnesses were merely “rahagirs” or passersby failed to convince the Bench. 4Continued on | P8 BRICS Presidency theme, logo unveiled New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday launched the website, theme, and logo for BRICS 2026, scheduled to take place under India's chairship. The BRICS logo for India's chairship blends tradition with modernity. The theme of India's BRICS chairship is 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.' offgrid Spanish ‘KID’ survives PSLV-C62 failure Online Report In a twist amid ISRO's failed PSLV-C62 mission, Spanish startup Orbital Paradigm revealed that its Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID) capsule survived. The company said the satellite survived separation, extreme re-entry conditions and transmitted critical data back to Earth. The 25-kg prototype, Jyotiraditya Scindia thanked the government for providing rebate in vehicle tax in the Gwalior fair. Rs 5K cr earmarked for infra scheme- For infrastructure development in urban bodies, Rs 5000 crore has been sanctioned for three years (financial year 2026-27 and 2028-29) to the CM Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme. 4Continued on | P8 Sec 17A of anti-graft law PTI NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Tuesday delivered a split verdict on the constitutional validity of a 2018 provision of the anti-graft law which mandates prior sanction for initiating a probe against a government servant in a corruption case. While Justice B V Nagarathna said Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act is unconstitutional and needs to be struck down, Justice K V Viswanathan held the provision as constitutional while adding that sanction must be decided by an independent authority like the Lokpal or the Lokayukta. Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, introduced in July 2018, bars any "enquiry or inquiry or in- ‘Rogue cop’ axed by top court Abattoir issue: Uproar Chandarnagar SHO in BMC, vet suspended barred from police Will hold dog feeders accountable, warns top court PTI 4Continued on | P8 BHOPAL SC: Will ask states to pay heavy compensation for dog-bite incidents NEW DELHI President Trump said Tuesday he's cancelled talks with Iranian officials amid a protest crackdown, telling Iranian citizens "help is on its way." Trump did not offer any details about what the help would entail, but it comes after the Republican president earlier this week said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic America. This Order is final and conclusive," Trump said in a post on Truth Social Monday. Among Iran's major trading partners are China, Turkey, India, the UAE, Pakistan and Armenia. The announcement by Trump could impact India, which has been among Iran's five largest trade partners in recent years. The US has already imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India, among the highest in the world, including 25 per cent for Delhi's purchases of Russian energy. Cabinet clears MP Space Tech Policy SC split on validity of Our Staff Reporter 10 minutes" to "30,000+ products delivered at your doorstep," they said. The promise of 10-minute delivery led to gig workers holding a nationwide strike on New Year's Eve in 2025, drawing attention to workers' health, safety and income. AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha said he was grateful to the central government for its "timely, decisive and compassionate intervention" in enforcing the removal of 10minute delivery branding from quick commerce platforms. ‘Help on way’ launched as a co-passenger on January 12, separated from the rocket's fourth stage despite a third-stage anomaly that doomed the primary payloads. Orbital Paradigm shared the update via X, stating: "Our KID capsule... separated from PSLV C62, switched on, and transmitted data over 3+ minutes. We're reconstructing trajectory. We survived peak heat and peak g-load (~28g recorded). We have internal temps. Full report will come." The capsule, designed for reentry testing toward a splashdown in the South Pacific Ocean, endured peak deceleration forces and thermal stresses that would pulverise most experimental hardware. PSLV-C62, the agency's first launch of 2026 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, lifted off carrying EOS-N1 4Continued on | P8 vestigation" against a public servant for recommendations made in discharge of official duties without prior approval from the competent authority. The case will now be placed before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant for forming a larger bench to hear the matter for a final decision. "Having regard to the divergent opinions expressed by us, we direct the Registry to place this matter before the Chief Justice of India for constituting an appropriate bench to consider the issues which arise in this matter afresh," the bench said. Agriculture Cabinet to be convened: CM Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Hindu outfit takes out foot-march to CM House demanding action against officials who were monitoring slaughter house Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL There was total chaos in the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) council meeting on Tuesday over the recent cow slaughter incident, with heated sloganeering and members surrounding the Speaker’s chair. During the meeting, divisional commissioner Sanjeev Singh suspended BMC veterinary officer Dr. BP Gaur in connection with the case. The controversy triggered a sharp political confrontation between the BJP and the opposition, culminating in a Congress walk-out from the House. LoP accuses MiC LoP Shabista Zaki said that the Congress walkout was due to the failure to act against the MiC. She alleged that proposals to operate the slaughterhouse were approved by the Mayor-inCouncil in 2024 and 2025 without being brought before the council, making the MiC equally responsible. The House approved action against 11 other employees, who were suspended pending a departmental inquiry. 4Continued on | P8 Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday said that an Agriculture Cabinet would be convened with a focus on the inclusive development of agriculture-based industries. Agriculture festivals, farmer fairs and buyerseller conventions for agricultural equipment would also be organised , said CM while reviewing preparations for Krishi Lok Rang 2026 at the CM House. Stating that the state government has declared 2026 as Krishak Kalyan Varsh, Yadav said that there is need to create a vibrant atmosphere for the agriculture sector. He underlined the importance of emotionally connecting the youth with agriculture and said successful farming models should be widely publicised so that farmers can draw inspiration from them. HC comes down hard on state for frivolous dowry appeal ‘Irresponsible’ challenge to acquittal wastes court time; Rs 25K cost imposed Our Staff Reporter INDORE The Jabalpur Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday came down sharply on the State for filing what it termed an ‘irresponsible’ and meritless criminal appeal in an alleged dowry death case, dismissing the plea and imposing a cost of Rs SHARP REBUKE The High Court granted the state liberty to recover the Rs 25,000 cost from officials who advised filing the appeal, implicitly holding them accountable for pushing an irresponsible and meritless case. 25,000 on the prosecution. A Division Bench of Justice Vivek Agarwal and Justice Vinay Saraf directed that the amount be deposited with the Indian Red Cross Society, Jabalpur, while granting liberty to the State to recover the cost from officials responsible for recommending the appeal. The appeal had challenged the acquittal of Krishna Singh Maravi by a sessions court in Anuppur in a case registered under Sections 304-B (dowry death) and 498-A (cruelty) of the IPC. At the outset, the High Court condoned a delay of 150 days in filing the appeal. However, after examining the record, the Bench found no justification to interfere with the trial court’s judgment and strongly criticised the prosecution for pursuing the matter despite glaring weaknesses. 4Continued on | P8