30122025-TTC-01.qxd 12/30/2025 US OFFERS 15-YR SECURITY GUARANTEE TO KYIV WORLD /thetribunechd 12:23 AM Page 1 13 SHAH: WILL DEPORT B’DESHI INFILTRATORS BACK PAGE CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 360 | 12 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 tuesday | 30 december 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com stays bail to Unnao convict Sengar SC puts its own Aravalli SCcase involves unique facts, circumstances | Next hearing on Jan 20 Says redefining order on hold Satya Prakash WON’T REST UNTIL HE IS HANGED: RAPE SURVIVOR Tribune News Service Forms new panel, says key issues need to be clarified Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi. December 29 Noting that certain clarifications were needed regarding the definition of Aravalli hills it recently approved, the Supreme Court on Monday ordered to keep in abeyance its November 20 ruling that was based on a committee’s recommendations. A three-judge special vacation Bench led by CJI Surya Kant decided to set up a new high-powered panel of domain experts to examine the environmental impact of the recommendations made by the earlier committee. The composition of the new panel has not been announced. The Bench noted that there had been a significant outcry among environmentalists, who had expressed profound concern about the potential for misinterpretation and improper implementation of the newly adopted definition and the court’s directions. It said, “This public dissent and criticism appear to stem from the perceived ambiguity and lack of clarity in certain terms and directives issued by this court. Consequently, there is a dire need to further probe and clarify to prevent any regulatory gaps that might undermine the ecological integrity of the Aravalli region.” “While we have no scientific A drone view of the Aravalli hills in Ajmer. FILE THE CONTROVERSY WILL PROTECT RANGE ❝ In October, an SC-named panel We stand committed to said any landform in Aravalli districts having an elevation of 100 m the protection and restoration or more from local relief shall be of the Aravalli range. A total termed as Aravalli hills. It defined ban on mining stays with the range as “two or more hills located within a proximity of 500 m regard to new leases or from each other”. The SC accept- renewal of old leases. Bhupender Yadav, ENVIRONMENT MINISTER ed the definition last month reasons justifying any exfacie acceptance of the same, it seems prima facie that both the committee’s report and the judgment of this court have omitted to expressly clarify certain critical issues,” said the Bench, which also included Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice AG Masih. It said, “In the interim, to subserve the ends of complete justice and in the broader public interest, we deem it necessary to direct that the recommendations submitted by the committee, together with the findings and direc- tions stipulated by this court in its November 20 judgment, be kept in abeyance. “This stay shall remain in effect until the present proceedings reach a state of logical finality, ensuring that no irreversible administrative or ecological actions are taken based on the current framework. “We therefore deem it appropriate that prior to the implementation of the committee’s report, or the execution of the directions contained in paragraph 50 of this court’s judgment, a fair, impartial and continued on page 8 New Delhi, December 29 The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Delhi High Court’s order for the suspension of sentence and grant of bail to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case during the pendency of his appeal against conviction. “We are conscious of the fact that ordinarily when a convict/undertrial has been released on bail pursuant to an order passed by the trial court or the high court, such order shall not be stayed by this court without hearing such person,” a three-judge special vacation Bench led by CJI Surya Kant said. “However, the instant matter revolves around certain “I will not rest until he is hanged,” said the Unnao rape survivor as she expressed satisfaction over the Supreme Court staying the Delhi HC order suspending the life sentence of convict Kuldeep Sengar. Her family members also expressed relief over the top court’s intervention in the case. INSIDE unique facts and circumstances, wherein the respondent-convict is also separately convicted and sentenced in a case under Section 304 Part II of the IPC and is consequently still in custody. We are informed that in such proceedings also, the respondent-convict has applied for bail, and after hearing the arguments, the order is said to have been reserved by the court concerned,” it said. “Keeping in mind these peculiar circumstances, we deem it appropriate to stay the operation of the impugned order dated December 23, 2025, passed by the high court. continued on page 8 Govt seeks $30 bn from Reliance, BP NEW DELHI: The Centre, in submissions before an arbitration tribunal, has sought over $30 billion from Reliance Industries Ltd and BP as compensation, alleging the partners built larger-than-required facilities at the KG-D6 fields and subsequently failed to meet natural gas output targets, sources said. — PTI Rohtak ASI’s widow may get teacher job ROHTAK: The widow of ASI Sandeep Lather, the cyber cell incharge at the SP office who died allegedly by suicide using his service revolver at Ladhot village on October 14, is being considered by the state government for a teaching position at the Campus School run by Maharshi Dayanand University in Rohtak. INSIDE Don’t use Panth shield to evade action Missiles,radars,rockets:MoD on missing saroops, Mann tells SGPC clears ~79,000-cr purchase Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 29 Taking the SGPC head-on over allegations made by Sikh clergy over the government “interference” in Panthic affairs, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann on Monday asked the committee and the SAD not to use the Sikh Panth and Akal Takht as a “shield to evade action against their misdeeds, including the case of the missing 328 saroops of Guru Granth Sahib”. This was Mann’s sharpest attack on the SGPC and also Bhagwant Mann, Punjab CM SPECIAL ASSEMBLY SESSION ON VB-G RAM G ACT TODAY SAD leaders, whom he referred to as the “masters of the SGPC”. He also questioned why elections to the SGPC c m y b had not taken place for years and sought their reply on why the SGPC had not reacted to caricatures of the Sahibzadas being used along with photos of Guru Gobind Singh in a social media post released by the BJP-led Central government. “Is it because a political alliance is being sought with the BJP by the masters of the SGPC?” he asked. The CM questioned how it was being construed that the government was interfering in religious affairs. “In the year continued on page 8 Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 29 The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Monday approved the procurement of rockets, ammunition, missiles, radar systems and military platforms worth Rs 79,000 crore to bolster the capabilities of the armed forces. The purchase was approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the apex decision-making body of the ministry, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The DAC accorded ‘acceptance of necessity’ — the first step in the procurement process — for various proposals of the three services. For the Army, the DAC approved the procurement of loitering ammunition to be provided to artillery regiments for precision strikes at tactical targets. New low-level lightweight radars will aid in tracking enemy missiles, drones and low-flying UAVs. The Pinaka multi-barrel launcher will get new rockets with a longer range and better continued on page 8