DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2024, KOLKATA, LATE CITY, 20 PAGES `6.00 (`12 IN NORTH EAST STATES & ANDAMAN) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 We’ve stayed away from the war, but we are not neutral, we are for peace. I told Putin on his face that this isn’t the era of war Today, history was made with PM visit. India supports Ukraine’s national sovereignty, territorial integrity PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY India lends Ukraine a shoulder Milestone for 3 new journeys: India in Europe, diplomatic space, Kyiv ties Sit with Putin to find way out of crisis, India ready to help: Modi to Zelenskyy MODI’S 7 HOURS IN KYIV MARKING A historic milestone in India’s diplomacy in Europe which has been roiled by the Russia-Ukraine war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv Friday and asked him to sit with Russian PresidentVladimirPutinto“find a way out of the crisis”. Modi, who reached the wartornUkrainiancapitalontheRail Force One train from Poland after talks in Warsaw, said he told Putin last month that “solutions can’tbefoundonthebattlefield”. He told Zelenskyy at the Mariinsky Palace that “the road to resolution can only be found through dialogue and diplomacy” and “we should move in that direction without wasting any time”. “Both sides should sit together to find a way out of this crisis,” Modi said, assuring the President that India, and he personally, are willing to contribute in all possible ways to facilitate early return of peace. “We have stayed away from the war, but we are not neutral, we are in favour of peace. We come from the land of Buddha and (Mahatma) Gandhi with a ■ Reaches Kyiv on Rail Force One from Poland after a 10-hour journey ■ Meets members of the Indian community at the Hyatt Hotel ■ With Zelenskyy, visits a memorial for children killed in the war with Russia ■ Pays tribute at the Mahatma Gandhi statue located in the ‘Oasis of Peace’ park ■ Holds delegation-level and one-on-one talks with Zelenskyy NEW DELHI, AUGUST 23 C. RAJA MOHAN NEW DELHI, AUGUST 23 E BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Friday. PTI CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 India, US sign key defence supply pact as Rajnath begins 4-day visit AMRITA NAYAK DUTTA NEW DELHI, AUGUST 23 AS DEFENCE Minister Rajnath SinghreachedWashingtonDCon a four-day official visit, India and US on Thursday signed two key pacts—anon-bindingSecurityof SupplyArrangement(SOSA)and a Memorandum of Agreement regarding Assignment of Liaison Officers. The SOSA will mandate the US and India to provide reciprocal priority support for goods and services that promote national defence. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 MUMBAI, AUGUST 23 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington on Friday. PTI KATHMANDU, MUMBAI, AUGUST 23 Democratic presidential nominee and US Vice President Kamala Harris during her acceptance speech on the final day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. AP P16 PAGE 1 ANCHOR SEBI imposes `25 cr penalty on Anil Ambani, bans him from market for 5 yrs ENS ECONOMIC BUREAU YUBARAJ GHIMIRE & VALLABH OZARKAR AT LEAST 27 pilgrims from Maharashtra were killed and morethanadozeninjuredwhen the bus in which they were travelling skidded off the road and fell 250 metres into the swollen Marsyangdi River in Tanahun district of Nepal, around 115 km from Kathmandu, on Friday. The bus, which had an Uttar Pradeshregistrationnumber,was MOREREPORTS,PAGE9 Anil Ambani named by SEBI for diversion of funds Bus falls into river in Nepal, 27 pilgrims from Maharashtra die ‘NEW WAY FORWARD’ IT TOOK the tragic and a globally disruptive war to bring Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kyiv, the first such visit since Ukraine re-established itself as an independent nation amid the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. But by showing up in Ukraine and lending a shoulder to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is leading a badly battered nation to defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty, ● Modi has initiated three important processes: insert India intoEurope’squestforpeace;expand Delhi’s room for manoeuvre in the global geopolitical churn triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine; and reclaim Delhi’s lost bonds with Kyiv in the post-Soviet era. First, on the question of endingthewarinUkraine,Modihad no spectacular peace plan to unveil. That Modi took a long train EXPLAINED SHUBHAJIT ROY Rescuers at the site of the bus accident in Tanahun district of Nepal on Friday. Reuters heading towards Kathmandu from the resort town of Pokhara, carrying 43 people, including the driver. Confirmingthe27deaths,the IndianembassyinKathmanduin a post on X said: “Remaining 16 passengershavebeenairliftedto Kathmandu for further treatment at TU (Tribhuvan University) Teaching Hospital. Embassymournsthelossof lives & prays for early recovery of the injured.” Security personnel engaged in the search and rescue CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 THE SECURITIES and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has barred industrialist Anil Ambani and 24 other entities, including former key officials of Reliance Home Finance Ltd (RHFL), from the securities market for five years for diversion of funds from the company. Further,theregulatorhasimposedapenaltyof Rs25croreon Ambaniandrestrainedhimfrom being associated with the securitiesmarketincludingasadirector or Key Managerial Personnel (KMP) in any listed company, or anyintermediaryregisteredwith it, for five years. The total penalty on Ambani and other 24 entities works out to over Rs 625 crore. Shares of Anil Ambani group companies plunged on the stock exchanges after the SEBI order. Reliance Power fell 5 per cent, Reliance Infra 10.4 per cent and RHFL 4.90 per cent. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 KOLKATA JUNIOR DOCTOR RAPE-MURDER HC transfers probe into hospital financial irregularities to CBI EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, AUGUST 23 THE CALCUTTA High Court on Friday transferred the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged financial irregularities at Kolkata’s R G Kar Medical College and Hospital to the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI).TheSITwasset up by the West Bengal governmenttoprobetheallegedcorruption at the hospital since January 2021, a period that corresponds with the tenure of Dr Sandip Ghosh,theformerprincipalofthe hospital. Hearing a petition filed by Akhtar Ali, former deputy superintendent of R G Kar hospital, the courtdirectedtheCBItotakeover the investigation by 10 am on Saturday. Aftertherapeandmurderofa traineewomandoctoratthehospital, Ali had moved the Calcutta High Court seeking an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the corruptionchargesraisedagainstSandip Ghosh,theformerprincipalofthe hospital who was twice transferred over allegations of corruption but was reinstated both times. Asingle-judgebenchofJustice Rajarshi Bharadwaj on Friday ordered the state administration to hand over all documents of the case to the CBI by Saturday. The CBIhasbeendirectedtosubmita report about the investigation afterthreeweeksandthehighcourt will hear the case again on September 17. Ghosh, an orthopaedics professor, took charge as the principalofRGKarMedicalCollegeand Hospital in mid-2021, after being promotedfromhispreviousposition at Calcutta National Medical College (CNMC). On July 14 last year, Ali wrote CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 INSIDE COURT ALLOWS POLYGRAPH TEST ON ARRESTED ACCUSED PAGE 4 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Manipur strife hits football dreams, rival clubs knock on HC door SOHINI GHOSH NEW DELHI, AUGUST 23 THE PLAYING field may be new, but the stakes have never been higher for these two rival football clubs based in Manipur. Relegatedtoalower-rungleague by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on account of their low scores in the 2023-24 season, the two rivals have put their differences aside — and the ball firmly in a court of law. WithManipurengulfed inan ethnic strife since May 3, 2023, curfews across the state meant abruptly cancelled practice ses- sions, unavailability of support staff and accommodation for players. In spite of these disadvantages, the two Manipur clubs — North Eastern Re-Organising CulturalAssociationFootballClub (NEROCA FC) and the Tiddim RoadAthleticUnionFootballClub (TRAU FC), which goes by the moniker ‘Red Pythons’ — played in the I-League (men’s secondtier of the Indian football league system), which commenced in October-November 2023. However,theirseasonresults were lower compared to the last one. NEROCA FC closed the season with 14 points against last season’s 25 points, while TRAU FC scored just 13 points in the 2023-24season,comparedto35 points in the 2022-23 season. Relegated from I-League to the lower rung I-League 2 by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on account of their low scores, the clubs moved the Delhi High Court, seeking a reversal of the apex football body's decision. The matter is scheduled to come up for hearing on September 6. Theclubshaveimpressedbefore the High Court that the AIFF’s decision, taken after they failed to make the requisite score, was “arbitrary”, taken without considering their past performances, and “the societal NEROCA FC, an established football club in Manipur, has called the AIFF’s decision “arbitrary”. Special Arrangement background immediately preceding the qualifying matches which determined the petitioners’ placement”. The Indian Express reached out to the AIFF for a comment through its lawyer. However, AIFF declined to comment, stating that the matter “was currently sub judice”. Lourembam David Singh, 24, who has been with NEROCA FC foroverfouryears,saystheplayers’trainingscheduleswentfora toss due to the violence and curfews.“Wewoulddoourbasicexercises at home but it was next to impossible to go out and train because of the curfews.” The restrictions were especiallyhardforgoalkeeperJackson Singh Khoirom, 19, a resident of Moirang, located around 45 km from Imphal and known for the onlyfloatingnationalparkinthe world. Jackson, who joined NEROCAFCjustbeforetheI-League tournament started in OctoberNovember 2023, says, “At the peak of violence in Manipur, Moirangsawrampantgunfighting. I used to get worried about my parents and they would get worried about me. It does affect yourmoraleandperformanceon the field ultimately.” NEROCA FC’s petition before the court says: “The unsatisfac- tory performance of the Petitioner is solely attributable to the ongoing situation in Manipur and, therefore, any relegation from 1st division to 2nd division will not only impact the morale and mindset of the players, but will also impact the growth and development of football in Manipur.” On the mental toll the violence has had on the players, the petition states, “One amongst the affected victims of the ethnic clashes in the state was Manipur’s national footballer Konsam Chinglensana, who had to drop out of two international CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Kolkata