DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PATNA, PUNE, VADODARA Disquiet in film board: ‘Censorship raj’, no meeting in 6 years, no reports, term lapsed Turbulence over Oscar-bound Homebound; I&B Ministry says CBFC functions as per rules, online smooth JAY MAZOOMDAAR NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 24 LATE LAST week, India nominated the globally acclaimed Homebound, which lists legendary American filmmaker Martin Scorsese as an executive producer, as its official entry for Oscars 2026. Behind the curtains, the announcement marked another twist in the movie's turbulent journey within its own country — marred by a series of cuts that appeared to rattle the film's makers so much they omitted Scorsese's name from the first set of posters before restoring it in later versions. For three years, a film on Punjab’s days of militancy, Punjab ’95, starring global star Diljit Dosanjh is in deep freeze after the director put his foot INSIDE ON CBFC’S CHOPPING BOARD: CASTE, MYTHOLOGY, POLITICS — AND PUNJAB PAGE 2 down to the board’s demand for over 100 cuts. These are but only two examples of a controversial decision-makingprocessthathasset off divisions within the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), a statutory body under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. And cast a long regulatoryshadowontheIndian film industry as it aspires to be a global player and rope in nonIndian sponsors and patronage. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY 25/09/2025 71 99 120 74 REG.NO. MCS/067/2018 - 20 RNI REGN. NO. 1543/57 JOURNALISM OF COURAGE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2025, MUMBAI, LATE CITY, 24 PAGES AN EXPRESS INVESTIGATION ● `5.00 ● WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 DEMAND FOR INCLUSION OF LADAKH IN SIXTH SCHEDULE 4killedinpolicefiringinLehas statehoodprotestturnsviolent Over 50 injured, BJP office torched in violence ahead of talks with Govt Centre: Bid to sabotage talks, mob was incited by Wangchuk BASHAARAT MASOOD EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE FOUR PERSONS were killed and at least 50 injured in Leh Wednesdayaspoliceopenedfire after protesters, demanding statehoodandseekingextension of Sixth Schedule protections to Ladakh, turned violent. The BJP office in Leh was also torched. Following the violence, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on a hunger strike for the past 35 days in support of Ladakh’s demands, called off his fast. The Leh administration has restricted the assembly of four HOURS AFTER the violence and police firing in Leh Wednesday, the Centre saidthe“mob was incited” by activist Sonam Wangchuk’s “provocative statements”.Itsaid“certainpolitically motivated individuals were not happy with the progress” in the ongoing talks between the representatives of the government and Ladakh groups, and “have been trying to sabotage the dialogue process”. In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs, while urging people not to circulate “old and SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 24 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 24 People gather outside the BJP office building after it was set ablaze by protesters in Leh Wednesday. PTI EXPLAINED,P19 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Goyal: India’s energy security goals to have ‘very high’ US element ‘Expect to increase trade with US on energy products in the coming years’ RAVI DUTTA MISHRA & SUKALP SHARMA NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 24 In Maharashtra, witnesses Accused of molesting can appear before court at students, faking car plate, police stations, govt offices institute chief on the run MOHAMED THAVER MUMBAI, SEPTEMBER 24 THE MAHARASHTRA Government recently notified government and semi-government offices in the state, including police stations and offices of senior police officers, as “designated places” from where witnesses can appear before the court virtually during a trial. The designated places have beennotifiedundertheBharatiya NagarikSurakshaSanhita(BNSS). An official said the move is aimed at delivering speedy justice as witnesses who cannot cometocourtwillnowbeableto attend online court proceedings fromthesedesignatedplaces.On August 13, Delhi Lieutenant CONTINUED ON PAGE 17 SAKSHI CHAND & PRAGYNESH NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 24 THECHANCELLORof aninstitute in South Delhi, run by a religious group, allegedly sent lewd and inappropriate messages to women students and forced them to accompany him on for- Chaitanyananda Saraswati eign trips and to visit him in his room late at night. The accused, Chaitanyananda Saraswati, who CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 AMID EFFORTS to reach a trade deal with the US, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said Wednesday that India is a large importer of energy and that its energy security goals will have a “very high element” of US involvement in the years to come. Expressing interest in small modular reactor (SMR) innovations in the US, Goyal said both countries will also continue to work together in the nuclear energy sector going forward. Indian trade negotiators, led by Goyal, are in the US to bring trade negotiations back on track after a team of officials from the Office of the United States Trade Piyush Goyal at an event in New York. PTI Representative visited India on September 16. “The world recognises that energy is one area where we all have to work together. India is a bigplayerintheenergyfield.We are big importers of energy from across the world, including the US. We expect to increase our CONTINUED ON PAGE 2