Mumbai News Highlights : Artist Chintan Upadhyay found guilty of conspiring murder of wife, her lawyer

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?Report of water stock in the seven lakes, supplying water to Mumbai, till 6am today.… pic.twitter.com/es4fI7mO9j

— ???? Mumbai, ???? BMC (@mybmc) October 5, 2023

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray alleged that the Maharashtra government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is “100 per cent corrupt”.

If corruption has to be dealt with, then today's government in Maharashtra has to be targeted first as it is the “most corrupt” government, said the former state minister at the India Today Conclave.

A coalition of the BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and an NCP breakaway faction headed by Ajit Pawar is now governing Maharashtra. “If the then Karnataka government (led by BJP) was 40 per cent, then this is 100 per cent...this is ‘khokhe' sarkar (government). It is a builder-contractor sarkar. This is 100 per cent corrupt sarkar. There is corruption in everything,” said the legislator.

The second phase of the Indian Army's recruitment rally for Agniveer and regular cadre will be held between November 1 and 7, the defence ministry said. The rally will be held at the Mumbai University Ground in Kalina.

"The second phase of Indian Army's recruitment rally for Agniveer and Reg cadre is scheduled from November 1-7 2023 at Mumbai University Ground, Kalina, Santacruz East, Mumbai Suburban. Admit cards have been dispatched by email to shortlisted candidates of online CEE held in April 2023," it said.

This recruitment rally under Army Recruiting Office (Mumbai) covers eight districts in Maharashtra - Mumbai city, Mumbai suburban, Thane, Nashik, Dhule, Palghar, Raigad and Nandurbar, it said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray said that the introduction of penguins has changed the Mumbai zoo and made it profitable.

To a question that his opponents often address him as “baby penguin”, Thackeray said, “I'm happy about it.” “My penguins have brought profitability and changed the zoo of Mumbai,” he said. Thackeray said Humboldt penguins were introduced at Mumbai's civic-run Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan, popular as Byculla zoo, six years ago. He said 30,000 people visit the zoo on weekdays and many more during weekends.

In the wake of deaths of several patients at government-run hospitals at Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in a short span, Maharashtra minister Hasan Mushrif said positive changes will be brought in the functioning of the state-run medical facilities in four months.

Speaking to reporters, Mushrif said, "The Maharashtra government has already taken a decision to perform all types of complicated surgeries in the state-run hospitals using the public–private partnership (PPP) model. We will try to implement it effectively at the earliest."

The medical education minister added, "I have taken charge (of the ministry) just two months back. I can assure that you will see good changes in four months in all the medical colleges attached to government hospitals - be it Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) or Nagpur. I will definitely start health services, such as kidney transplant and liver transplant, at these hospitals."

Sharad Pawar said asked party cadre not to worry about the Election Commission's decision on granting the NCP name and symbol to either of the two factions. Speaking at the NCP's extended working committee meeting, he said, "I want to tell you all that no matter what the decision will be from the Election Commission, do not worry about it. People do not change their votes, even if symbol is changed. People always know which button to push even if some people conspire to change election symbol."

At the meeting, members vowed to "stand together in the face of external political attacks aimed at undermining our collective efforts over the years in building a robust party" and reject attempts to erode their unity.

The meeting resolution went on to express anguish over "the total breakdown of the Constitutional Machinery in Manipur" and the complete breakdown of the health machinery in Maharashtra. Finally, they also reaffirmed faith in the leadership of Pawar senior.

Even as the Bombay High Court on Wednesday initiated suo motu (on its own) public interest litigation (PIL) taking cognizance of the recent deaths of patients in government hospitals in the Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar districts of Maharashtra, it is not the first time the top court of the state has raised concerns on the lack of staff at these hospitals.

As reported by The Indian Express, the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital records indicated 42 per cent posts of medical personnel in the departments of paediatrics, general medicine, psychiatry, orthopaedics and others, remained vacant. Read the full story here

Speculation that the rebel faction of the NCP led by Ajit Pawar will get the party title and symbol has gained credence in the wake of the remarks by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in which he pointed out that the “solution” lies in the ECI’s order in the wake of the split in the Shiv Sena.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave on Wednesday, Fadnavis said, “If anybody carefully studies the Election Commission of India (ECI) order on Shiv Sena, they will find the answers. The seeds of the solution lie in the ECI order.” Read more

Thirteen years ago, a software engineer from Kolkata was killed in his rented apartment in Navi Mumbai’s Airoli area on August 10, 2010. Investigation on the basis of a blood-stained shirt found at the spot, especially the tailor’s tag on it, led the Rabale police to the accused.

The victim, Dipan Asit Banerjee, 25, had moved to Navi Mumbai after completing his education and securing a job with a well-known IT firm around June 2010. He lived in a rented apartment in Sector 8A, Airoli. Read the full story here

The BEST undertaking will retire the last of its open-deck, twin-floored bus Thursday, temporarily bringing down the curtain on a service that enthralled tourists over the years.

As per the BEST, the last open-deck bus with two floors will be phased out due to the completion of its 15-year “codal” life. Less than a month ago, BEST’s last diesel-run, double-decker bus drove into history. Read more

Ahead o.f 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the Maharashtra BJP plans to have a dedicated army of 30 lakh social media workers to counter the opposition and campaign about the welfare schemes implemented by the Centre and the state.

According to highly placed sources in the party, “We will have 30 lakh activists dedicated to social media work in coming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.” In each Assembly constituency, there will be 5,000 social media workers and 50,000 in each Lok Sabha constituency, they said. Read more

Actor Kangana Ranaut recorded her statement before a magistrate court on Wednesday in connection with a defamation complaint filed by lyricist Javed Akhtar. Ranaut’s statement was recorded under section 313 of the CrPC.

This is to give an opportunity to the accused to explain any circumstances appearing in the evidence against them. Read more

Artist Chintan Upadhyay has been found guilty by a sessions court on charges of abetting and conspiring the murder of his estranged wife, artist Hema Upadhyay and her lawyer Harish Bhambhani in 2015.

Three other accused have also been found guilty on charges of murder.

The court will hear the accused on the quantum of punishment on Saturday.

CM Eknath Shinde traveled to New Delhi — second time in less than 48 hours.

Shinde was supposed to attend a programme for a private news channel on Thursday morning which skipped to fly to Delhi.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sudhir Mungantiwar on Thursday deleted her post congratulating IPS Rashmi Shukla for being appointed as the Maharashtra DGP.

The Opposition Congress and Sharad Pawar-affiliated Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) slammed the Maharashtra government after it gave an affidavit in the Bombay High Court lifting the stay on developmental projects approved during the Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) period.

Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said that the stay was announced for political motives, and it damaged the pace of state's development.

NCP state president Jayant Patil said, "while the state government has gone on backfoot after court's stringent action, it also exposes the false claim of the Shinde-Fadnavis government that it had come to power for the sake of development."

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sudhir Mungantiwar on Thursday congratulated IPS Rashmi Shukla for being appointed as the Maharashtra DGP.

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— Sudhir Mungantiwar (@SMungantiwar) October 5, 2023

Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) Rajnish Seth was appointed as the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) chairman by the Maharashtra government.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Thursday chaired the party's Extended Working Committee (EWC) meeting in New Delhi, news agency PTI reported.

VIDEO | Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo @PawarSpeaks chairs party's Extended Working Committee meeting in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/BURwgZTTg2

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 5, 2023

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers and supporters who were protesting against the arrest of party MP Sanjay Singh were detained by the Mumbai Police on Thursday.

A day earlier, Singh was arrested from his residence at North Avenue by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.

AAP president Preeti Sharma Menon on Thursday said, "The AAP activists were protesting against the unlawful ED action against Sanjay Singh. But they were detained and stopped. It is an emergency-like situation."

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Clyde Crasto, speaking to news agency ANI, on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh's arrest, said, "We have to remember that there is a law and order in our country, and nobody is bigger than the law... Those who were not a part of the BJP earlier, and were questioned by the ED and CBI, have got a clean chit after they joined the BJP... Those who speak against the government and BJP, similar cases get registered against them and their voices are muffled."

#WATCH | Delhi: "We have to remember that there is a law and order in our country and nobody is bigger than the law...Those who were not a part of the BJP earlier and were questioned by ED and CBI have got a clean chit after they joined the BJP...Those who speak against the… pic.twitter.com/u0UspO87i5

— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2023

The Nanded police on Thursday registered a case of culpable homicide (not amounting to murder) against the Dean of Dr Shyamrao Wakode, and the doctors of Dr Shankarao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital, after a patient and her infant died at the hospital.

Commenting on the arrest of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh, and the raids by Enforcement Directorate (ED), Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday said, "BJP is doing politics using central agencies... Let them keep doing it till 2024, we will also keep fighting... Wherever the BJP government is not there, these raids will continue..."

#WATCH | Delhi: Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut says, "BJP is doing politics using central agencies... Let them keep doing it till 2024, we will also keep fighting... Wherever the BJP government is not there, these raids will continue..." pic.twitter.com/AUfL5LNEUC

— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2023

Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday visited the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh's residence in New Delhi.

Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) last evening, following raids at his residence in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam case.

#WATCH | Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut visits the residence of AAP MP Sanjay Singh in Delhi.

Sanjay Singh was arrested by the ED last evening following a raid at his residence in connection with the Delhi liquor scam case. pic.twitter.com/lDmBJLSalM

— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2023

The Mumbai Police on Thursday detained Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Working President Ruben Mascarenhas, ahead of their proposed protest outside the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office against AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh's arrest a day ago.

This morning at 7:30am @mumbaipolice came home and took me to the Juhu Police Station.Still here.

No reason has been given.

This is a deliberate attempt to not allow @AAPMumbai 's protest against Sanjay Singh's arrest outside the ED Office.

Protest won't stop.

— Ruben Mascarenhas (@rubenmasc) October 5, 2023

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders were detained at their respective residences by the Mumbai Police, hours before their proposed protest outside the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office against AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh's arrest a day ago.

According to the official X handle of the party, the police on Thursday detained Aam Aadmi Party President Preeti Sharma Menon at her residence.

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Breaking
Visuals of Mumbai Police detaining Aam Aadmi Party President Preeti Sharma Menon at her residence pic.twitter.com/2aVIgAFzqH

— AAP Mumbai (@AAPMumbai) October 5, 2023

Commenting on the arrest of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday said, “it is not just about the AAP now. It is about the INDIA alliance which is speaking against the government… Anyone who is speaking against the central government are facing the ED, IT and CBI. My party and I condemn the way Sanjay Singh was arrested yesterday… If the PM thinks of himself as innocent, why does he not come forward and discuss corruption in the Parliament…”

Raut added that he would visit Singh’s residence on Thursday, news agency ANI reported.

#WATCH | Delhi: Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut says, "This is not just about the AAP now. It is about the INDIA Alliance who is speaking against the government... Anyone who is speaking against the central government will face the ED, IT and CBI. We have also gone… pic.twitter.com/NtgAVRMfR5

— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2023

Sangita Manoj Khairwar, 32, has not slept for two days and has been crying relentlessly. She delivered twins on September 28 but lost them during treatment at the Dr Shankarao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded on October 2.

“I could not take them in my arms and didnt’ even see their faces… I even sold my mangalsutra for their treatment…,” said the distraught mother who is yet to come to terms with the loss.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) workers celebrated on Wednesday evening after Ajit Pawar was appointed as the Guardian Minister of Pune district, news agency ANI reported.

#WATCH | NCP Party Workers (Ajit Pawar faction) celebrate as Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar appointed as Guardian Minister of Pune district (04/10) pic.twitter.com/xv5Q6kj5Qu

— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2023

A 28-year-old man was arrested by Kurla GRP (Government Railway Police) for molesting a 30-year-old woman on a foot-over-bridge.

The accused was caught by the police constables deployed at the spot, said the Kurla GRP, news agency ANI reported.

The BEST undertaking will retire the last of its open-deck, twin-floored bus Thursday, temporarily bringing down the curtain on a service that enthralled tourists over the years.

As per the BEST, the last open-deck bus with two floors will be phased out due to the completion of its 15-year “codal” life. Less than a month ago, BEST’s last diesel-run, double-decker bus drove into history.

A BEST official said that the first open-deck, double-decker bus, christened ‘Nilambari, was inducted into their fleet with the assistance of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) in 1997. Read the full story here.

The Congress on Wednesday accused the Maharashtra government of "criminal negligence" in the incident of 31 deaths at a hospital in Nanded and asked why medicines were "not procured on time" for the patients.

The Maharashtra government has denied any shortage of medicines at the hospital while promising appropriate action after a detailed inquiry into the cause of the deaths.

Addressing a press briefing, Congress leader Ajoy Kumar took a swipe at the BJP-Shiv Sena government in the state, alleging that they "could not procure medicines" as they would have been busy "buying MLAs".

Children and people died due to "lack of medicines" in Nanded, he alleged.

Kumar alleged the "gross and criminal negligence" of the Maharashtra government led to the death of so many people, including several infants.

He claimed that this happened because the government had changed the supplier of medicines four months ago and it could not procure medicines for the patients.

As many as 31 deaths, including those of infants, were recorded at the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in central Maharashtra's Nanded district in 48 hours since September 30. (PTI)

The BEST undertaking will retire the last of its open-deck, twin-floored bus on Thursday, temporarily bringing down the curtain on a service that enthralled tourists over the years and proudly carried Dhoni and his men after they won the World Cup in 2011.

As per the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST), the last open-deck bus with two floors will be phased out due to the completion of its 15-year “codal” life. Less than a month ago, BEST's last diesel-run, double-decker bus drove into history.

A BEST official said that the first open-deck, double-decker bus, christened ‘Nilambari, was inducted into their fleet with the assistance of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) in 1997.

Another official said that since the last several years, BEST has had three open-deck double-decker buses that were being used to take tourists heritage tours. The buses would ferry visitors to the city's main tourist attractions. Two of these buses were phased out last month. (PTI) 

Read more about the bus here

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said that Rahul Gandhi was being taken seriously after the Bharat Jodo Yatra, and someday the Congress leader would lead the country.

Speaking during an interaction at the India Today Conclave here, Pawar said the arrest of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh by the Enforcement Directorate in a case related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy will further strengthen the Opposition's INDIA bloc.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recently told him that the AAP was ready to cede three of the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi to the Congress, he said.

He will not contest the 2024 elections but work for others, the 82-year-old leader said, while also reiterating that there was no question of his joining the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"Those who have gone with BJP have nothing to do with the NCP. They have switched sides because of the threat of investigation agencies," Pawar senior said, referring to the NCP rebel faction led by his nephew Ajit Pawar which joined the BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra in July. (PTI)

Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday recorded her statement before a court here in connection with the defamation case filed against her by lyricist Javed Akhtar.

The statement was recorded under section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure under which an accused person gets an opportunity to explain circumstances appearing in the evidence against him or her and the proceeding was held in-camera.

As per a lawyer, who attended the hearing, Kangana admitted to having given the television interview, in which she had made the “alleged defamatory comments” against the lyricist.

The matter was adjourned till October 31 for the filing of a written statement by Ranaut. (PTI)

Maratha quota stir activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday reminded the Maharashtra government that of the 40-day deadline he set before the Eknath Shinde-led dispensation for the implementation of reservation to the Maratha community, half the period was over.

Jarange was on a hunger strike in Jalna district of the state over his demand for reservation to the Maratha community and he ended his fast on September 14 on the 17th day after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met him and assured to fulfil his demand.

"The struggle for Maratha reservation is in its final stage. Therefore, we should remain united and should not allow ourselves to get divided," Jarange, who was addressing members of the Maratha community at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk here, said.

Jarange arrived here as part of his state-wide tour to interact with members of the Maratha community.

"We gave an ultimatum of 40 days to the government. Now, only 20 days are left..," he said. (PTI)

Six more deaths were recorded in 24 hours at the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in central Maharashtra's Nanded city, an official said on Wednesday.

The deceased patients included two prematurely born babies, the hospital official said. The development came amid the furore caused by the report of 31 patients dying at the hospital in 48 hours earlier this week.

"Another six critical patients died from October 2 to 3. The two babies among them were born prematurely. The other four deaths took place due to the reasons such as renal failure and multiple organ failure," the official told PTI.

As many as 221 new patients were admitted to the hospital from October 2 to 3, as per an official release. Currently 823 patients are being treated at the hospital, it said. (PTI)

Last year, the Nizampura police in Bhiwandi, a city in Mumbai’s neighbouring Thane district, investigated one of their toughest and most challenging cases – one with dramatic twists and turns befitting a crime thriller.

It all began on January 20, 2022, when the Thane police control room received information from a passerby regarding a gunny bag with possible blood stains on it lying under a bridge. A team of Nizampura police officers was dispatched to the location. On opening the gunny bag, the police found the blood-soaked body of a man who seemed to be in his late 40s. The body had multiple injuries and was taken to a public hospital for a postmortem. Read more

Elections in 60 gram panchayats in Maharashtra's Latur district will be held on November 5, the State Election Commission has declared. The results will be announced on November 6, it said.

Of these, regular elections will be held in 13 gram panchayats, while bypolls will be conducted to elect 53 members in 47 panchayats, the poll body said in a release on Tuesday night.

With the announcement, the code of conduct for the polls has come into effect. It is a set of guidelines for political parties, candidates, government and the party in power during elections concerning speeches, announcements, election manifestos and general conduct.

The poll notice will be published by the tehsildars concerned on October 6, said the release, adding that nomination papers will be accepted from October 16 to 20. (PTI)

Local leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance on Wednesday said they would hold corner meetings as part of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena's `Hou Dya Charcha' (let there be discussion) outreach campaign in the city despite the prohibitory orders issued by the police.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Thane MP Rajan Vichare, NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad and city Congress chief Vikrant Chavan alleged that the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government was using police to crush the campaign.

Thane police has issued notices to the organisers, asking them not to hold corner meetings in the light of the prevailing prohibitory orders and taking into consideration public peace and traffic.

MVA leaders on Wednesday met senior police officials regarding the notice.

Vichare said the government was trying to stop the campaign in view of the response it was getting. (PTI)

The deaths of 31 patients within a two-day period at the Maharashtra government-run Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded has once again exposed the state’s flawed medicine procurement system as a shortage of medicines is being cited as one of the reasons for the tragedy.

A delay in implementing the recently passed Medical Goods Procurement Authority Act and the resultant change in procurement rules are to blame for the medicine shortage in the state, say sources. 

In March this year, Maharashtra enacted the Medical Goods Procurement Authority Act with the aim of establishing an authority for single-point procurement and supply of certain medicines, medical goods, medical consumables, devices, equipment etc. for public hospitals and medical colleges. This was expected to do away with alleged delays in the procurement of medicines by the state-run Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited. So far, all state government departments providing medical services have had to purchase medicines, medical equipment and other related items from Haffkine. Read more

A government-run hospital in Maharashtra's Nagpur has reported the death of 14 patients in 24 hours, while another state-run medical facility in the city has recorded nine fatalities during the same period, officials said on Wednesday.

These figures were shared by the authorities of these hospitals close on the heels of the death of 31 patients in 48 hours at Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded between September 30 and October 2, and 18 deaths reported at a government-run hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in a 24-hour period.

The Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Nagpur reported 14 deaths in 24 hours ending 8 am on Wednesday, an official of the hospital said.

GMCH Dean Dr Raj Gajbhiye said the hospital has a capacity of 1,900 beds and the death of average 10 to 12 patients is reported there daily.

"The patients who die at the hospital are mostly those who are last-minute referrals and requiring Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission. Such patients are brought to the GMCH in a critical condition," he said.

Patients are admitted to the hospital from across central India, he added. (PTI)

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday took suo motu (on its own) cognizance of the deaths at the state government-run hospitals at Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and sought details from the Maharashtra government.

A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor asked Advocate General Birendra Saraf, appearing for the state government, to submit to the bench details about the state's budgetary allocation for health on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, an advocate, Mohit Khanna, had submitted a letter to the bench requesting it to take suo motu cognizance of the deaths.

The bench initially directed Khanna to file a petition and said it wanted to issue effective orders. It also asked the advocate to gather data regarding vacancies in the hospitals, availability of medicine, the percentage (of funds) the government is spending and so on.

However, in the afternoon session, the bench said it was taking suo motu cognizance of the issue noting that reasons given by the doctors at the hospitals citing shortage of beds, staff, and essential medicines cannot be accepted.

The HC said it would hear the matter on Thursday. (PTI)

Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for promoting Mahadev online book betting app. The actor has been instructed to appear for questioning on October 6.

Derailment of one trolley of empty EMU rake in Mumbai Central car shed yard at 11.20 hrs.

Restoration is in progress.

DN direction slow local are dealt on DN fast line between Churchgate & Mumbai Central.#WRUpdates @RailMinIndia pic.twitter.com/9BUuX8WvZW

— Western Railway (@WesternRly) October 4, 2023

After hardened stand of the Ajit Pawar affiliated NCP, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde has announced the redistribution of district guardian ministership. Ajit Pawar will be the guardian minister of Pune, replacing Chandrakant Patil of the BJP. Out of nine NCP ministers, seven have been appointed as guardian ministers, while senior Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and only woman minister in the cabinet Aditi Tatkare has not been given any responsibility. Read more

Tribal Doctors Forum - an umbrella body of doctors from Scheduled Tribe category - has written to CM Eknath Shinde demanding arrest of Shiv Sena MP Hemant Patil. Nanded police booked Patil today under atrocities act for allegedly making Dr Shyamrao Wakode, Dean of Nanded's Govt medical College to clean toilets in the government-run hospital where 31 people died. The forum has also demanded disqualification of Patil from Lok Sabha.

NCP-Sharad Pawar group affiliated student body has warned of agitation against IIT Bombay if the administration slap a fine of Rs 10,000 on a student protesting against the reservation of six tables for vegetarians in canteen. The mess council recently declared officially that six tables in the common canteen of the institute’s three hostels would be kept exclusively for vegetarians.

The Bombay High Court has granted eight weeks time to the Maharashtra government to ascertain if all government buildings had wheelchair-friendly toilets or washroom facilities for orthopaedically disabled employees and visitors and subsequently take steps at the earliest to upgrade the infrastructure facilities accordingly.

The High Court also asked its Registry to prepare a proposal for converting one of the washrooms on the premises of its principal seat in Mumbai to be used for wheelchair-bound or orthopaedically disabled individuals and place it before the appropriate committee for its consideration.

Police have arrested a music teacher of a school in suburban Mumbai on charges of molesting a 13-year-old student, an official said on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old accused had also allegedly tried to chat with the Class 7 student on social media, but she resisted his move, the official said. The girl has accused the teacher of molesting as well as stalking her. The matter came to light after she informed about it to her parents, who then approached the Charkop police with a complaint, he said.

Based on the complaint, the accused, Siddharth Singh, was arrested late Tuesday night and booked under relevant Indian Penal Code sections including 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354-D (stalking) as well as provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the official said.
An investigation is on into the case, he added. PTI

Three months after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) allotted an office to suburban Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha inside the BMC headquarters building, the civic body allocated a similar office to the city Guardian Minister Deepak Kesarkar.

Kesarkar is slated to take charge of the new office starting Wednesday.

With Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar excusing himself from the cabinet meeting on Tuesday and not accompanying Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to Delhi, the Opposition has described his absenteeism as a “political illness” that could rock the government.

“Ajit Pawar seems to be suffering from political illness...He is apparently upset over the delay in appointment of district guardian ministers,” said Opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar. Months after joining the Shinde-Fadnavis government, a few ministers from the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are yet to be assigned responsibilities as district guardian ministers.

“It has just been three months since the triple engine government came to power…and I have heard that one faction is upset,” NCP MP Supriya Sule said. “I heard that the faction which is upset met Fadnavis and conveyed their resentment to him. In three months, the honeymoon is not yet over, and already problems have started cropping up. In just three months, such news is surfacing...Who is running the government?” she asked.

Amid speculation that all is not well with the ruling alliance, Shinde maintained that Ajit Pawar did not attend the cabinet meeting as he was unwell. “There is no need to draw any other conclusion,” Shinde, who left for Delhi along with Fadnavis on Tuesday evening, said.

NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who belongs to the Ajit Pawar faction, said, “Ajit dada had a throat infection and therefore could not go to Delhi. Today (Tuesday), the cabinet meeting was held and we received a message that he was not well. If Ajit dada could not make it to the cabinet meeting from his residence, how will he go to Delhi?”

Asked if Ajit Pawar was suffering from “political illness”, Bhujbal said, “Never”.

NCP spokesperson Sanjay Tatkare also told The Indian Express that Ajit Pawar has a throat infection. “He is not in a position to speak and has a little fever as well. He is taking rest at home,” he said.

The Nanded Rural police in Maharashtra registered a first information report (FIR) against Shiv Sena MP Hemant Patil on Wednesday morning after he allegedly made Dr Shyamrao Wakode, the acting dean of the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital, clean a toilet. Patil allegedly forced the dean to clean the toilets after 31 deaths were reported at the hospital.

The police will now record Patil’s statement and proceed accordingly.

The deaths of 31 patients within a two-day period at the Maharashtra government-run Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded has once again exposed the state’s flawed medicine procurement system as a shortage of medicines is being cited as one of the reasons for the tragedy.

A delay in implementing the recently passed Medical Goods Procurement Authority Act and the resultant change in procurement rules are to blame for the medicine shortage in the state, say sources. Read the full story here

The Maharashtra government has decided to name the incumbent Director General of Police (DGP) Rajnish Seth as the chairman of the Public Service Commission (MPSC), sources saA decision to this effect has been taken at the government level and a formal order will be issued after due process, they said on Tuesday. According to the MPSC website, Dilip Pandharpatte is currently the acting chairman. PTI

Mumbai recorded 1360 cases of dengue in September, an increase of more than 300 over the previous month, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Tuesday. As per the civic body's monsoon-related diseases report, the metropolis had recorded 353 dengue cases in June, and 413 in July. "A slight rise is observed in dengue cases this week," the report said. PTI

Upset over fighting with family members, a frustrated man threw stones on an AC local train in Borivali on Monday, damaging its glass window. The RPF later arrested the man.

Passengers of an AC local train on the Western line informed the railway authorities on Monday that the glass window of an AC train got broken after someone threw stones on the train near Poisor Nullah between Borivali and Kandivali. Read more

Union Minister Narayan Rane on Monday said police should take action against Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi president Prakash Ambedkar for the mindless remarks he made recently. Rane’s demand comes after Ambedkar warned of anarchy in the country after Diwali.

A couple of days ago, Ambedkar had said, “I clearly sense things are not going to be smooth. There will be anarchy. There is possibility of well-planned communal clashes.” Read more