FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI Thursday, 09 April 2026 SPORTS NATION Towards energy security Manipur: Centre debunks claims of 22 soldier deaths and burnt Army trucks Page 6 Page 4 EDITORIAL PAGE | PERSPECTIVE Let us empower our Nari Shakti together Page 7 Struggling Knights eye turnaround against confident Super Giants Page 12 USA, Iran agree to two-week ceasefire UNITED NEWS OF INDIA Washington/Tehran, 8 April T he United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire with US President Donald Trump announcing cessation of hostilities and Tehran agreeing to allow passage through Hormuz Strait for “a period of two weeks in coordination with the Iranian Armed Forces.’’ The understanding was reached on the US 15-point proposal and Mr Trump’s announcement about the acceptance of the general framework of Iran’s ten-point proposal as a basis for further negotiations. President Trump, while announcing the cessation of hostilities on his social media platform early this morning, said that subject to Iran agreeing to the ‘COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING’ of the Strait of Hormuz, “I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks.’’ “Based on conversations with [Pakistan’s] Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran,’’ he said. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement in Tehran that “considering a request by the US for negotiations’’ if attacks against Iran are halted, Iranian Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations for a period of two weeks and safe passage through the strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination B’desh: New govt committed to normalise ties; won’t undermine India’s security interests ASHOK TUTEJA New Delhi, 8 April Bangladesh has assured New Delhi of the new Tarique Rahman-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government’s commitment to normalising ties with India, notwithstanding certain irritants, including the presence in India of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who has been living in exile in this country. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman (photo), a veteran diplomat and economist, is currently on a three-day visit to India, the first by any Bangladesh minister after the new government assumed office in Dhaka in February. He is accompanied by PM Tarique Rahman’s trusted aide and adviser on foreign affairs Humayun Kabir and other senior officials. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval last night hosted a dinner for the visiting minister, who was Bangladesh's NSA in the previous caretaker administration, while the visiting dignitary held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar this afternoon. He is also scheduled to meet RBI keeps repo rate unchanged; at 5.25 pc; Guv says W Asia war to hit growth: New Delhi: Reserve Bank of India Governor Sanjay Malhotra on Wednesday said the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the central bank has ‘unanimously’ decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent. Speaking further on GDP numbers, the governor said: “As per the new GDP series comes into play, the real GDP growth for last year is estimated at 7.6 per cent. In terms of quarterly GDP growth projection, the growth for Q1 is projected at 6.8 per cent, Q2 at 6.7 per cenr, Q3 at 7 per cent and Q4 at 7.2 per cent.” The RBI projected the inflation for Q1 at 4 per cent, Q2 at 4.4 per cent, Q3 at 5.2 per cent and then going down in Q4 at 4.7 per cent. Mr Malhotra said the West Asia conflict will “adversely impact” India’s growth as the higher input costs associated with increase in energy prices insurance costs along with supply-chain disruptions could constrain availability of key inputs for downstream sectors. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. ‘’Pleased to host FM Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh and his delegation this afternoon. We discussed strengthening our bilateral relationship in its various facets. Also exchanged views on regional and global developments. Agreed to remain in close touch,’’ Mr Jaishankar wrote on X after meeting his Bangladesh counterpart. A Bangladeshi source said the two sides held a free and frank exchange of views on all bilateral issues and global developments of mutual importance. There was a clear understanding that a healthy and normal relationship between the two countries was in the larger interest of both countries, which together account for billions plus people. Dhaka is trying to impress upon the Indian leadership that the bilateral relationship should not be held hostage to the presence of Sheikh Hasina in India. However, the neighbouring country also feels that India should not allow space to the former PM, who resigned following widespread anti-government protests and fled the country in August 2024. Bangladesh believes India should respect the bilateral extradition treaty and hand her ovwr to Dhaka or the treaty would lose its relevance. The source said Dhaka is looking at enhancing trade and commercial links with India and the ultimate goal is to have a free trade agreement between the two countries. India must ease restrictions on exports from Bangladesh. This would also help in doubling the bilateral trade in the next 5 years. Bangladesh, it is learnt, is also keen to review SAARC, a grouping of South Asian nations for the speedy growth of the region. However, the proposal has not found favour with India. with Iran’s Armed Forces and due consideration of technical limitations.’’ Mr Trump said the US has already met and exceeded all military objectives, and “are very far along with a definitive agreement concerning Long-term PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East.” The Iranian Supreme National Security Council said that Iran will begin talks with the United States in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on Friday. The announcement of a ceasefire came shortly before to “destroy Iranian civilization.” Hours later, Iran and Gulf Arab countries were reporting new attacks Wednesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed support for the US decision to suspend strikes on Iran, but said the truce will not extend to Israel’s military operations in Lebanon. the 8 p.m. Eastern Time deadline declared by Mr Trump to unleash a bombing campaign ED raids Merlin’s Mohta on money laundering charges STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 8 April The Enforcement Directorate today raided the residence and office of Merlin Group chairman Sushil Mohta, and seven other places in connection with a money laundering case, allegedly involving the use of forged documents to create a fake ownership chain in connection with a large residential project in the city. While ED officials were tight-lipped, it is learnt that the action followed receipt of a complaint of money laundering in February, wherein it was stated that Mohta, his son, Saket Mohta, directors and senior officials including Dilip Chaudhary, Vikash Memani, Saurav Majumdar and Ranjan Chakraborty, along with several others were involved in the matter. According to the complaint, a copy of which is with The Statesman, the accused persons “acting in concert and in an organised manner, have fraudulently manufactured a false and non-existent right, title and interest over the said property (3.63 acres in Anandapur, Kolkata) by forging and fabricating valuable securities, including documents purporting to be judicial and public instruments, which falsely project extinguishment” of the complainant’s ownership “and conferment of ownership in favour of the accused persons”. The complainant, Mohan Chandra Mondal, a resident of Anandapur, alleged that “the forged instruments so relied upon are not ordinary false documents but are valuable securities within the meaning of law, as they purport to create, declare, recognise and confirm proprietary rights in immovable property of very high commercial value and are repeatedly used as genuine before public authorities, statutory bodies, financial institutions and members of the public to project lawful ownership.” He further alleged that “on the strength of such forged valuable securities, the accused persons have projected themselves as lawful owners of the said property and have undertaken large -scale construction and commercial exploitation thereon under the real-estate project styled as ‘Merlin Niyasa’, which is being marketed as a lawful residential project to the general public.” The complaint said: “That Fierce battle for political survival in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 8 April Public campaigning for the 9 April Assembly elections in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry concluded on Tuesday, setting the stage for polling across 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Kerala and 30 in Puducherry. Bye-elections will also be held for five seats across Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura. According to the Election Commission, a total of 1,955 candidates are in the fray ~ Assam accounts for 722, Kerala 890, and Puducherry 294. An additional 49 candidates are contesting the bypolls ~ three in Goa, 34 in Karnataka and six each in Nagaland and Tripura. It is a fight for political survival and relevance, with a key trend in these elections being the rise of competitive and multi-cornered contests. For example, in Kerala, the incumbent Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is seeking a third consecutive term ~ an unprecedented feat in a state known for alternating between the LDF and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). But the BJP's emergence as a notable force, following its first Lok Sabha win in the state in 2024, has added a new dimension and increased competition to the Kerala contest. The growing saffron presence in states like Kerala and its consolidation in Assam indicate that electoral battles are becoming less predictable, observers said. The campaigns for these elections also highlighted the increasing role of strong, individual leaders. In Assam, for instance, the contest became highly personalised, reflecting a shift towards leader-driven politics where personalities can influence voter perception as much as a party’s ideology. India welcomes ceasefire: India on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire reached between the United States and Iran, and expressed hope it will lead to a lasting peace in West Asia. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of the BJP led an aggressive campaign against the Congress’s Gaurav Gogoi, seeking a second term for himself and a third for the BJP-led NDA. The campaign centred on a mix of Hindutva, indigenous identity politics, allegations of illegal immigration, and welfare measures, especially for women and tea garden workers. Amid the political rhetoric around encroachment, illegal immigrants, etc., the Assam election campaign was also marked by highly personalised attacks between Sarma and Gogoi, with the BJP and the Congress trading allegations against each other. The parties combined welfare promises with identity-based appeals, blending development narratives with issues such as religion, ethnicity, migration, and personal attacks to broaden their support base, observers added. In Puducherry, the NDA government led by the All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) has been in power since 2021. With only 30 seats, individual candidates and local dynamics are expected to play a decisive role in determining the outcome on 5 May. The Puducherry elections are perhaps the only ones in this set to witness “friendly contests”, with the INDIA bloc allies, the Congress and the DMK, competing against each other in several constituencies, reflecting local political compulsions, alliance arrangements and other issues. In contrast, Kerala is seeing a direct fight between the LDF and the UDF despite their alignment at the national level within the INDIA bloc. “The fact is, while national alliances attempt to project unity, regional dynamics and local survival strategies shape electoral battles in state elections. These elections underline how strong regional dynamics outweigh national alliances. Even when parties are together at the national level, they become direct rivals in states, like in Kerala, underlining the power of local political realities,” analysts observed. Sushil Mohta Saket Mohta Vikash Memani the monies so collected from the public, as well as the assets created and acquired therefrom, have been generated directly and indirectly from offences relating to forgery of valuable securities, cheating and criminal conspiracy, and therefore prima facie constitute ‘proceeds of crime’ as defined under Section 2(1)(u) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.” In January, a First Information Report was lodged at Anandapur police station in the same matter accusing Mohta, his son and others of fraud, forgery, participating in organised criminal activity and criminal conspiracy. The offences carry jail terms of between five years and life. Mondal, who asserts ownership of the land through an unbroken chain of title dating back to 1943, had initially filed a complaint before the Anandapur police station, but when the police refused to act against the powerful Mohtas, who are said to be close to Mayor Firhad Hakim, he approached a court seeking directions for registration of a case. The case (FIR no. 15 of 2026) – under sections 111 (2) (b), 318 (4), 338, 339, 340 (2) and 61 (2) of the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita – was registered on directions of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, South 24 Parganas. According to the FIR, the Merlin Group, acting through its promoters Sushil Mohta and Saket Mohta and through its influential functionaries including Mimani, acted in concert with several other individuals and companies to unlawfully appropriate the property by manufacturing and deploying forged documents – including judicial orders and the Calcutta Gazette before multiple authorities. Central to Mondal’s complaint is a purported compromise decree said to have been passed in a civil suit in 1959, which, upon verification and scrutiny, was allegedly found to be non-existent and forged. It is alleged that this document was used repeatedly by the Mohtas, Mimani and other accused persons before civil courts, land revenue authorities, municipal bodies and tribunals as a genuine judicial record in order to assert rights over the land and to justify constr uction activities undertaken by the Merlin Group on the Rs 600-crore Merlin Niyasa project.