log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline SATURDAY MARCH 28, 2026 GOA Goans in North West of England seek services of priest from Goa Life for Goan PhD student in Montréal has been more than just research - 1 IN SHORT >> Kerala youth held for duping Panaji local of `90 lakh PANAJI: The Cyber Crime Cell of Goa police have arrested a Kerala youth in a fraud case in which a Panaji resident was allegedly coerced into transferring more than Rs 90 lakh under the guise of “digital arrest.” The victim was targeted by persons who posed as officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the Central Bureau of Investigation, Mumbai.   >> See pg 5 Tourist-local clash: 7 in police net MAPUSA: In a swift response to the altercation at the Mapusa taxi stand on Thursday, Mapusa Police have arrested seven individuals in connection with the assault involving a group of tourists and a local resident. According to police sources, the incident escalated from a minor dispute, reportedly linked to parking and movement in the busy taxi stand area.   >> See pg 2 3 taximen booked for harassment PANAJI: Three taxi drivers have been booked for allegedly wrongfully restraining a tourist vehicle at Varca. According to a complaint filed by Raia resident taxi driver, the accused, along with two others from Varca, stopped his taxi carrying five guests and obstructed them over a dispute related to choosing another tourist taxi. Panic in Siolim after leopard sighting PANAJI: An alleged sighting of a leopard by locals at Portawado in Siolim triggered panic in the area, with residents expressing concern over safety. Following the reports, the Forest Department inspected the location to verify the claims and assess the situation. Govt unveils TV rating policy NEW DELHI: The government on Friday released the TV Ratings Policy 2026, which sets out comprehensive guidelines for regulating television ratings in the country with the aim of ensuring transparency, independence and accountability in audience measurement. The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 15 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 279 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 3 2 6 Govt cuts excise duty on petrol, diesel; no change in fuel prices Hunger strike triggers showdown over two-storeyed Margao garden project Page 8 Facebook.com/thegoan GOA Doorstep delivery fails, Bardez residents left struggling for LPG LIFE 20 years of Earth Hour: A time to switch off and act for the planet IMPOSES EXPORT DUTY ON DIESEL, AVIATION TURBINE FUEL PTI NEW DELHI The government slashed excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 per litre, averting retail price hike that had become necessary because of soaring global oil prices. The cut in special additional excise duty on petrol from Rs 13 to Rs 3 per litre and on diesel from Rs 10 to zero will not lead to any change in retail pump prices as the reduction will be offset against fuel losses -- estimated by Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri at Rs 24 per litre for petrol and Rs 30 for diesel, and by his ministry at Rs 26 and Rs 81.90, respectively. Alongside, the government imposed an export duty of Rs 21.50 per litre on diesel and Rs 29.50 per litre on aviation turbine fuel (ATF), reinstating a levy first introduced in July 2022 to curb windfall gains by refiners following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and later withdrawn in December 2024. However, unlike last time, there is no windfall tax that has been levied on domestically produced crude oil by firms like ONGC. Goa bans sale of fuel in containers PANAJI: Amid concerns over a potential shortage of petrol and diesel due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, scenes of chaos were witnessed at petrol pumps for the last 2 days, with long lines of two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and four-wheelers stretching across roads. In response, the government has stepped in to curb panic-driven hoarding and unsafe practices, particularly the storage of fuel in containers. The govt has now directed all retail outlet dealers (petrol pumps) to prohibit the sale of petrol in containers. The order, issued by Collectors, follows reports that individuals were collecting fuel in containers without regard for safety. Prices of crude oil -- the raw material for making petrol and diesel -- have gone up from around USD 70 per barrel before the start of the conflict in the Middle East to over USD 100, said Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. “The government had two options -- pass on the increase to consumers (by way of an increase in petrol and diesel prices) or take a hit (by cutting excise duty). The government chose the latter,” she told reporters. Fuel prices in India have remained largely unchanged since April 2022 despite geopolitical shocks -- from the Russia-Ukraine war to the Middle East crisis -- that have driven sharp swings in global oil prices. The country depends on imports for 88 per cent of its crude oil needs. In contrast, fuel prices have risen by 30-50 per cent across South and Southeast Asian countries, 30 per cent in North America, and 20 per cent in Europe since the onset of the current crisis. CBIC Chairman Vivek Chaturvedi said the windfall No move to impose lockdown: FM NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said there is no proposal to impose a lockdown in the country in the wake of the West Asia war, and asked politicians to refrain from rumour mongering and creating fear psychosis among the people. The minister also said the government will remain on its ‘toes’ to keep fiscal deficit under check while ensuring the burden of rising global crude oil prices does not fall on the common man. She said that while several countries have increased motor fuel prices by 20-50 per cent, India has kept the rates of petrol and diesel unchanged. tax on exports will result in a gain of about Rs 1,500 crore in the first fortnight while the government will have to forgo over Rs 7,000 crore in revenue because of the excise duty cut. Explaining the rationale for levy of the export tax in form of a special additional excise duty (SAED), he said the surge in international prices had created an incentive for refiners to export and this move will help make available fuel for domestic consumption. Sharma said the 2022 requirement for refiners to sell 50 per cent of petrol exports and 30 per cent of diesel exports in the domestic market remains in place. Chaturvedi said the export tax will be reviewed fortnightly -- as was the practice previously -- to align the duty with prevailing rates. The government can levy up to Rs 50 per litre SAED on ATF. However, the levy will not be applicable on fuel exported by public sector oil companies to Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. It will also not apply to ATF supplied to foreign going aircrafts. SPORTS Italy one step from World Cup after playoff victory Sex scandal: Four FIRs registered against accused Fifth FIR also likely; Sleuths mull recording statement of victims before magistrate THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The net is closing in on Soham Naik, as the Crime Branch has registered four FIRs in the alleged sex scandal against the youth and is set to add a fifth. Statements of two victims have already been recorded, and the investigation team is in the process of registering yet another FIR based on their accounts. Sources said that the sleuths are also recording statements of at least three more victims — all sisters — indicating that the scope of the case may expand further in the coming days. Naik is accused of sexually exploiting several victims on the pretext of marriage, allegedly luring them into relationships before abusing their trust. "We are still in the process of recording more statements. As of now five victims' statements are confirmed. A fifth FIR is expected to be registered today (Saturday) or to- All Indian seafarers, ships in Gulf region safe: Govt NEW DELHI All Indian seafarers and ships operating in the Gulf region are safe and there has been no report of any incident in the past 24 hours, a senior official from the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways said on Friday amid ongoing developments in the West Asia region. Speaking at a joint inter-ministerial briefing, special secretary in the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways Rajesh Kumar Sinha said authorities are closely monitoring the situation and maintaining coordination with various stakeholders adding that 25 Indian seafarers have been safely brought back to India in the past 24 hours. "In the Gulf region, there has been no information in the last 24 hours regarding any incident involving Indian-flagged ships or Indian seafarers," Sinha said. He added that Indian ships operating in the Persian Gulf „„Authorities closely Persian Gulf monitoring situation, „„DG Shipping helpline coordinating with stakeactive 24/7; handled 98 holders calls and 335 emails in 24 hours „„No incidents reported involving HELP AT „„Assistance onIndian ships or HAND going for seafarers seafarers in last 24 returning from hours Gulf region „„Around 20 Indi„„No port congestion rean-flagged ships with 540 ported; operations running Indians onboard in the smoothly across all ports are also safe. "In the Persian Gulf, there are 20 ships sailing under the Indian flag, with around 540 Indians onboard, and they are also safe," he said. Sinha further said the Directorate General of Shipping has been actively responding to queries and concerns through its communication centre. "In the last 24 hours, the DG Shipping communication centre, which operates 24 hours a day, received 98 calls and 335 emails, all of which were responded to," he said. The official also informed that Indian seafarers working in the Gulf region are being assisted in returning home. "Additionally, in the past 24 hours, 25 Indian seafarers have been safely brought back to India after signing off from various parts of the Gulf region," Sinha said. On port operations, he said there have been no reports of congestion and all activities are running smoothly. Sources said statements from Naik’s family are also expected to be recorded even as the Children’s Court extended the 20-year-old’s police custody by another four days morrow," an official said. The CB is also considering recording the victims’ statements before a magistrate to strengthen the prosecution’s case. Naik's family's statements are also likely to be recorded, sources added. Meanwhile, the Children’s Court in Friday extended the 20-year-old's police custody by four more days. On Thursday, a team from the Crime Branch, accompanied by a mobile forensic unit, took the accused to his residence, where officials carried out an intensive search of the house, sources said. During the search officials recovered photographs and a mobile phone. Centre releases `12.40 crore to strengthen p’yats in Goa SAYS 25 BROUGHT BACK IN PAST 24 HOURS AGENCIES 14 THE GOAN I NETWORK FLYOVER FRAME: An overhead view capturing the full span of the Porvorim flyover on Friday. Work on the elevated corridor has been progressing at a fast pace.   Narayan Pissurlenkar Massive drug bust at Mopa airport, narcotics worth over `8 cr seized THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a major drug bust that has sent shockwaves through the State’s aviation security, Customs officials seized a massive haul of high-value narcotics worth over Rs 8 crore at the Manohar International Air- port, officials said on Friday. Customs officials arrested five passengers with 23.8 kg of hydroponic weed worth more than Rs 8 crore after the Air Intelligence Unit intercepted the passengers, who had arrived from Bangkok and Abu Dhabi via Muscat. Customs Commissioner Sunil B Deshmukh said the officers recovered the contraband concealed in food packets in the checked-in baggage. Subsequent testing confirmed the substance to be hydroponic weed, following which the accused were arrested under NDPS Act, 1985, the official said in a statement. PANAJI The Union government has released Rs 12.40 crore as the first instalment of Fifteenth Finance Commission (XVFC) untied grants for the financial year 2024–25 to strengthen panchayati raj institutions in Goa. According to an official statement, the funds cover two eligible District Panchayats and all 191 eligible Gram Panchayats in the State. The grants are intended to support local development, sanitation, and water services at the grassroots level. This release follows last month’s disbursal of Rs 18.61 crore, which had been withheld under the Commission’s grants for FY 2023–24, against a total allocation of Rs 58 crore for that year. Data from the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj shows that during the XVFC period (2020–2026), Goa has so far received approximately Rs 221 crore out of the total sanctioned allocation of Rs 368 >Continued on P10 Crack down on fuel hoarding, New system to review cases, deport foreign offenders THE TWO-TIER SYSTEM rumours, Modi directs CMs THE GOAN I NETWORK SAYS CITIZENS' INTERESTS GOVT'S TOP PRIORITY PTI NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday told chief ministers to ensure smooth functioning of supply chains and to take strict measures against hoarding and profiteering even as he cautioned against the spread of misinformation and rumours, asserting that timely dissemination of accurate and credible information is essential to prevent panic. Chairing a meeting of chief ministers virtually the primen minister said the global situation arising out of the West Asia conflict remains dynamic, and asserted that maintaining economic and trade stability, ensuring energy security, strengthening industry and supply chains, and safeguarding citizens' interests remain the government's top priorities. Modi said the situation necessitates continuous monitoring and adaptive strategies, as he called for constant communication and coordination between the Centre and the states, along with timely sharing of information and joint decision-making, so that the responses are swift and wellaligned. Referring to the situation in West Asia, the prime minister said India has prior experience in dealing with similar global disruptions, recalling the collective response during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the Centre and states worked together as ''Team India'' to mitigate the impacts on supply chains, trade and daily life. PANAJI he Goa government has put in place a structured mechanism to fast-track the handling of criminal cases against foreign nationals, particularly where prosecution may be withdrawn to enable their deportation. The Home Department’s Foreigners and Citizenship Division, under the new framework, has nominated the Directorate of Prosecution as the nodal agency responsible for maintaining records and ensuring the prompt disposal of such cases. The decision comes following a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) adopted earlier in February T State-Level Screening Committee „„Chaired by Chief Secretary/Home Secretary „„Members: Law dept, police, FRRO, prosecution wing „„Can review cases recommended by district committees „„Can seek inputs from other departments „„Handles cases needing Central govt clearance (under BNSS, 2023) „„FRRO authorised to grant Central consent in certain cases „„Deals with complex cases from districts in a bid to streamline legal processes involving foreigners. At the State level, a Screening Committee has been District Level Screening Committees „„Set up in North Goa, South Goa and Kushavati districts „„To be headed by District Magistrates with police and prosecution officials as members „„To conduct quarterly review of constituted, chaired by the Chief Secretary or Home Secretary, with senior officials from the law department, police, cases „„Assess cases on merit (legal, public interest, national/ international factors) „„Can decide on withdrawal for offences punishable up to 3 years „„Refer serious cases to State Committee Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), and the prosecution wing as members. The panel will examine cases recommended by district-level committees and may seek inputs from other departments where required. The committee will also handle cases that require clearance from the central government under provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. In certain categories of cases under the erstwhile Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939 & the Foreigners Act, 1946 and under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, the FRRO is authorized to give the requisite consent of the Central Government. The District Level Screening >Continued on P10