DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2024, NEW DELHI, LATE CITY, 18 PAGES BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY Ex-IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt gets 20 yrs jail in drug case Currently serving life sentence in a custodial death case SOHINI GHOSH AHMEDABAD, MARCH 28 A SESSIONS court in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district Thursday sentenced former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt to 20 years in jail in a 1996 case relating to planting of drugs to frame a Rajasthanbased lawyer. In its 700-page order, the court, which convicted Bhatt Wednesday, said the former police officer misused his “office and power”. This is the second conviction of Bhatt in a criminal case. He is already sentenced to life imprisonment in a 1990 Jamnagar custodial death case, a punishment upheld by the Gujarat High Court this January. The Palanpur court in Banaskantha ordered that the two jail terms will run consecutively, which means the 20-year sentence will start after the end of the life sentence. Bhatt was held guilty of SINCE 1932 `7.00 (`8 BIHAR & RAIPUR, `12 SRINAGAR) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM DELHI EXCISE POLICY CASE: REMAND IN CUSTODY EXTENDED UNTIL APRIL 1 In his defence in court, Kejriwal cites poll bond payments to BJP by approver EDtryingtocreate smokescreento crushAAPand extort,saysCM Mukhtar Ansari, jailed UP gangster and politician, dies of cardiac arrest Two days ago, brother quoted him alleging threat to life; Ansari was convicted in 8 cases in last 2 years NIRBHAY THAKUR ASAD REHMAN CHIEF MINISTER Arvind Kejriwal, arrested a week ago by the Enforcement Directorate that is probing the Delhi excise policy case, told a Delhi court Thursday that the ED has two motives: To create a smokescreen to crush the AAP, and to create an extortion racket. Produced before the Rouse Avenue Court of Special Judge Kaweri Baweja at the end of his six-day remand in ED custody, Kejriwal argued his own case andtoldthejudgehe was“ready to join the investigation”. TheEDsoughthiscustodyfor seven more days but the court granted only four days — the remand will end April 1. Making his submission, Kejriwal targeted the BJP: “SarathReddy(PSarathChandra Reddy, director of Aurobindo Pharmaandco-accused-turnedapprover in the case) contributedRs55croretotheBJP.He bought his bail... The money trail is clearly established here.” He also asked that the electoral bonds be submitted in court to show that Rs 55 crore was donated to the BJP by Reddy. Reading four statements of witnesses and co-accused who mentioned his name, Kejriwal said he was not opposing the ED remand application. “I am ready tojointheinvestigation,”hesaid. JAILED GANGSTER-TURNEDPOLITICIANMukhtarAnsaridied Thursday night after he suffered a cardiac arrest in Banda prison in Uttar Pradesh. Convicted in eight cases in the last two years, 63-year-old Ansari was lodged in Banda jail. A five-time MLA from Mau constituency in eastern UP, he was a history-sheeterwithatotalof 65 casesagainsthimindifferentpolice stations of UP and Delhi. A statement issued by Banda Medical College, where Ansari was taken, said he complained of vomitingand fell unconscious at 8.25 pm. “A team of nine doctors gave him immediate medical assistance. Despite best efforts, he died due to cardiac arrest,” the medical college stated. Following his death, police were deployedin large numbers attheBandaMedicalCollegeand prohibitory orders were imposed across the state to maintain law and order. Ansari’s family members were expected to reachBandalateThursdaynight. Therewasheavypolicepresence outside his paternal house in Mohammadabad in Ghazipur where people began gathering on learning of his death. NEW DELHI, MARCH 28 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 The 5-time MLA from Mau had 65 cases lodged against him LUCKNOW, MARCH 28 Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at the Rouse Avenue Court in New Delhi on Thursday. Amit Mehra RELATEDREPORTSPAGE4 Kejriwal names Maguntas Discussion on Central rule in court, father & son busy option gathers pace, BJP campaigning for BJP ally points to crisis in Capital SREENIVAS JANYALA & NIRBHAY THAKUR HYDERABAD, NEW DELHI, MARCH 28 AWAY FROM the national capital’s courtroom where the case against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is playing out, two key figures embroiled in the excise policy case — four-time MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy and his son Raghava Magunta Reddy — are busy campaigning for BJP ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP), with the former expected to get a ticket from Andhra Pradesh’s Ongole.Raghavais,infact,oneof the approvers based on whose statement the Enforcement Directorate has built its case against Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party. TheED alleges the father-son CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 JATIN ANAND, APURVA VISHWANATH & MALLICA JOSHI NEW DELHI, MARCH 28 ASTHEBJPturneduptheheaton a “Constitutional crisis” in Delhi with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal still in Enforcement Directorate custody a week after his arrest, and AAP minister Atishi saying any move to im- pose President’s rule in Delhi would be an act of “political vendetta”, The Indian Express has learnt that discussions around thatoptionhave“gatheredpace” at the highest levels. Sources said the Centre and the office of Delhi Lt Governor V KSaxenaarelookingatinstances of “governance-related challenges” being faced. On Thursday, Saxena wrote CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 On Tuesday morning, Ansari was admitted to the Banda Medical College after he complained of abdominal pain. His family members had alleged that Ansari said he was being poisoned in prison. He was returned to the prison Tuesday evening after doctors said his condition had improved. HisbrotherAfzalAnsari,who had met him in the hospital, told mediapersons Tuesday, “The medical college has formed a team and treatment is ongoing. He is in the ICU and I methim for five minutes. He is conscious. He told me that he has been given somepoisonoussubstanceinhis food.Andthatthishashappened the second time. It happened 40 days ago too. In this condition, at leasthewassenttohospital.Iam thankful for it…If the hospital in Banda can’t provide proper treatment, then he should be referred in time.” Afzal is the sitting MP from Ghazipur, elected in 2019 on the BSP symbol. In the upcoming CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 AIR INDIA-INDIAN AIRLINES MERGER 8 months after he 600 LAWYERS SIGN LETTER TO CJI I see zeal for change: Ex-judge hits Bengal road joined NDA, CBI PM attacks ‘vintage as neta amid conch shells, flowers and selfies files closure in case Cong culture to bully’ Faces controversy over remark that against Praful Patel ‘death knell’ sounded for Mamata CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ANANTHAKRISHNAN G NEW DELHI, MARCH 28 HOURS AFTER a group of lawyers wrote to Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud — attached to the letter were signatures of around 600 lawyers — expressing their “deepest concern” over a “vested interest group”tryingto“pressurethejudiciary” and “defame” courts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday cited it to attack the main Opposition party, saying it is “vintage Congress culture” to “browbeat and bully others”. In a post on X, Modi also said of the Congress: “5 decades ago itself they had called for a “committed judiciary” —theyshamelessly want commitment from others for their selfish interests but desist from any commitment towards the nation. No wonder 140croreIndiansarerejecting them.” Congress president MallikarjunKhargehitbackatthe Prime Minister with a post on X: “You are talking about Judiciary. You conveniently forget that 4 PM targets Cong: No wonder 140 cr Indians rejecting them senior-most Supreme Court judgeswereforcedtoholdanunprecedented press conference and warn against “destruction of Democracy”.Thathappenedunder your regime. One of the judges was nominated by your Govt to the Rajya Sabha. So who wants a ‘committed judiciary’?”. “You forget that your party has fielded a former HC Judge in West Bengal for the current Lok Sabha elections. Why was this candidaturebestowedonhim?”. Kharge said institution after institution “is being ‘bullied’ by youintosubmission,sostoppinning the blame on the Congress CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 SANTANU CHOWDHURY TAMLUK (PURBA MEDINIPUR), MARCH 28 THE LOK Sabha election in Tamluk constituency in Purba Medinipur district is two months away (May 25), but on Wednesday, as BJP candidate Abhijit Gangopadhyay came to offer prayers at a Kali Mandir in Mahishadal area, he didn’t want for a crowd. The former Calcutta High EXPRESS NETWORK Court judgewho resigned, joined the BJP and got a ticket, all within days, has DECISION swapped his 2024 black gown for the unofficial uniform of his new role — a white kurta-pajama with a jacket — with equal ease. Detractors would say Gangopadhyay has been readying for this transition for long, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 NEW DELHI, MARCH 28 PAGES 8, 9 NEW DELHI, MARCH 28 BJP candidate Abhijit Gangopadhyay campaigns in Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency. Partha Paul 5,000 Indians in Cambodia, forced into cyber scams; MHA takes note MAHENDER SINGH MANRAL DERA KAR SEVA CHIEF SHOT DEAD IN UTTARAKHAND BENGALURU CAFE BLAST: NIA MAKES FIRST ARREST DEEPTIMAN TIWARY OVER 5,000 Indians are trapped in Cambodia, where they are allegedly being held against their willandforcedtocarryoutcyber fraudsonpeoplebackhome.The government estimates that the fraudsters have allegedly duped people of at least Rs 500 crore in India over the past six months. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) held a meeting with officials of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity), the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and othersecurityexpertstodrawup a strategy to rescue the Indians trapped in Cambodia. “Theagendaof theirmeeting was to discuss the organised racketand bringback thosewho are trapped there. Data shows thatRs500crorehasbeenlost(to cyber fraud originating in Cambodia) in India in the last six months,”thesourcesaid,adding that the investigation by Central agencies has so far revealed that agents were trapping people, mostly those from the southern part of the country, and sending themtoCambodiaonthepretext of data entry jobs before forcing them to carry out cyber frauds. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 EIGHTMONTHSafterNCPleader PrafulPatel,alongwithAjitPawar and other party leaders, joined the NDA, the CBI has filed a closurereportintheAirIndia-Indian Airlines merger case. Patel,inhiscapacityasUnion Civil Aviation Minister during the merger, was among the key suspects in the case and had been questioned by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED). In May 2019, ED had told a specialcourtthat“MrPrafulPatel is a dear friend” of middleman DeepakTalwarwhoallegedlyfacilitateddispersalof profit-makingAirIndiaroutestoprivateairlines during 2008-09 using his “proximity to the minister and aviation personnel in India”. The CBI closure report was filed by the agency on March 19 in the court of Special Judge (CBI), Rouse Avenue Court, Prashant Kumar. The court has giventhedateof April15forconsidering the CBI submission. In June last year, Patel had attendedanOppositionblocmeeting in Patna along with NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. However, the very next month he walked out of the party with E E X P L A I NE D judiciary, Kharge hits back with ‘your sins’ Was Civil Aviation Minister during the merger Setting stage for ● clean chit THE CBI’s closure report is related to the first FIR. But if accepted, it will put a question mark on the other three FIRs and the one chargesheet in the merger case. It may pave the way for Patel’s exoneration and could undermine the ED case as well. Ajit Pawar and six other leaders of the party, including Chhagan Bhujbal,andjoinedtheNDA.The Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP is now part of the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra with Ajit Pawar as Deputy CM. The case pertains to AI-IA merger to form National AviationCorporationof IndiaLtd (NACIL) which leased a high CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Unlocking innovation: How AIIMS is nurturing start-ups from lab to market PAGE 1 ANCHOR ANKITA UPADHYAY NEW DELHI, MARCH 28 WHAT IF a powder derived from stem cells could heal your accidentwoundsandregeneratetissueswithoutreconstructionsurgery?Orawearabledevicecould fight mild COVID-19 with selfdosing protocols? Or a micro monitoringdevicecouldprevent heartfailure?Thesefuturisticin- novations are part of an incubator programme for health-tech start-upsattheAllIndiaInstitute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Modelled on the incubator programmes at the Indian InstitutesofTechnology(IITs),the country’s premier medical institutehasjoinedhandswithyoung entrepreneurstodevelophealthcare-related products and software which can be used by both doctorsandpatients,andarescalable and practical. As part of this effort, AIIMS will share its huge clinical and biological resources —samplesandpatients—tohelp SOME OF THE PROJECTS UNDER INCUBATION ■Astem-cellbasedformulationfor wounds ■Anantimicrobial airfiltration technologythatinhibitsthegrowthof capturedgermsintheair ■Digitalmicroscopeforscanninghiresimages,combinedwithAI-based automatedanalysisof slidesforbiopsy ■ Wearabledeviceformildto moderateCovidinfectionthatleadsto reductioninviralloadwithin3days Dr K K Verma, head of dermatology department at AIIMS New Delhi, with the start-up innovators start-ups develop products. Currently, 10 such projects are under way at the AIIMS Incubator Programme that’s headed by Dr Alok Thakar of the Centre for Medical Innovations and Entrepreneurship (CMIE) and Head, Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. “The programme started in 2021 and is being run in joint collaboration with the BiotechnologyIndustryResearch Assistance Council (BIRAC), set up by the Department of Biotechnology(DBT),andAIIMS,” said Dr Thakar. Some of the current projects are awaiting validation by clinical trials while others are awaitingregulatoryapprovalsfromthe Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), India’s regulatorybodyfor pharmaceuticals and medical devices. AIIMS Delhi has established a new office for 32 innovators at Jhajjar’s National Cancer Institute (NCI), nearly 50 km away.Thecurrentinnovatorsare expected to shift there soon. “All start-ups are being mentored by AIIMS faculty members,” said Dr Thakar. According to Dr Madhusudan Bhat, BusinessDevelopmentOfficerat CMIE,AIIMSheldbootcampsfor theentrepreneursandatraining programme across its OTs, ICUs and OPDs to help them develop patient-friendly products. “We took them on camp visits to give them an idea of how a hospital works and what are the gaps that can be addressed by this innovation,” he says. Oneof theprojectsthatisunder incubation at AIIMS addresses a common concern: weight loss. Manmeet Kalra and CONTINUED ON PAGE 2