Mumbai News Highlights: Maharashtra records 35 new Covid cases (2024)

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday announced he will start an indefinite strike at Azad Maidan in Mumbai from January 20 to intensify his demand for reservation for the community.

Addressing a massive rally in Beed district in Maharashtra's Marathwada region, Jarange claimed "crores" of people from the Maratha community will come to Mumbai on January 20.

Meanwhile, in a video message, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the Supreme Court has accepted the curative petition filed by the state government pertaining to the Maratha reservation issue and has scheduled a hearing on January 24.

This, Shinde said, has opened a "window of hope' for the community.

He asserted his government is committed to giving reservation to the Maratha community and urged people to observe restraint. (PTI)

#WATCH Mumbai: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde says, "I want to thank the Supreme Court because they have accepted the curative petition (on Maratha reservation) keeping in mind the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra and the issue will be heard on January 24..." pic.twitter.com/gLJ81dGHB4

— ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2023

Congratulations to Senior Congress Leader Shri Rameshji Chennithala on your appointment as the AICC Incharge of Maharashtra Congress. Your extensive political experience in Kerala and at the national level will undoubtedly contribute to strengthening the Congress party in… pic.twitter.com/hd7tlyw2OE

— Ashok Chavan (@AshokChavanINC) December 23, 2023

For Mumbaikars alighting their jam-packed locals and exiting CSMT, the headquarters of theBrihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)is perhaps the first building they lay eyes on. Perched atop the colonial structure’s gable, the city’s sole statue personifying Colonial Bombay—Urbs Prima in Indis—however, largely remains neglected in plain sight, amidst the city’s hustle.

The Navi Mumbai Police has registered a criminal case for power theft against 36 people from Ghansoli area, an official said on Saturday.

The power theft of 96,210 units which runs into Rs 24,17, 190 was detected during October 6 to 11, following which a case was registered under the Indian Electricity Act against 36 power consumers, some of them commercial units.

Police registered a case on a complaint lodged by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) officials. (PTI)

The Indian Coast Guard on Saturday located the body of a mariner, hours after he was reported missing from MV Boonya Naree, around 11 miles from Prongs Lighthouse off Mumbai.

A release by the maritime security agency said it deployed ICG Chetak 805 helicopter and Indian Coast Guard ship C439 for sea-air coordination to trace the missing sailor, whose body was found in the Arabian Sea.

“In a prompt and professional sea air search coordinated by MRCC (Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre) Mumbai, ICG Chetak 805 and ICG ship C439 located body of the mariner Abhishek Kumar who was reported missing from MV Boonya Naree today (Saturday) morning around 11 miles from prongs lt off Mumbai,” the Coast Guard said. (PTI)

A man and his two-and-a-half-year-old daughter are feared to have drowned in a creek in Maharashtra's Thane district, and efforts are on to trace them, a fire official said on Saturday.

Anil Surwade (40) and his toddler daughter visited the water body at Raju Nagar in Dombivali, on the outskirts of Mumbai, in the afternoon, said the official.

While playing on the creek bank, the child slipped into the water. Seeing his daughter drowning, Surwade jumped in but both went missing, said the official from Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation.

After being alerted by locals, the fire brigade and police launched a search to trace the father-daughter duo. They are yet to be traced, added the official. (PTI)

Thane district rural police has seized gutka (scented tobacco mix) worth Rs 40 lakh and arrested one person, an official said here.

Manufacture and sale of gutka is banned in Maharashtra.

Acting on a tip-off, police intercepted a tempo in the Ganeshpuri police station limits and found a cargo of gutka on Thursday, said inspector D T Sonke.

A 28-year-old man who transporting the contraband was arrested and a magistrate's court sent him in police custody for five days.

The tempo was also impounded and further probe was on, the official said. (PTI)

The Maha Vikas Aghadi, especially Shiv Sena (UBT), stands strongly behind senior Congress leader Sunil Kedar, Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said on Saturday, a day after the former minister was handed a five-year jail term by a court for misappropriation of funds in a cooperative bank.

Taking a dig at its former ally BJP, Raut said many leaders in that party should be tried and convicted for such acts.

"Because of the pressure on the judiciary, only those from the opposition are summoned (by Central probe agencies), arrested, and they face disqualification as lawmakers," Raut alleged while speaking to reporters.

A magistrate's court in Nagpur on Friday sentenced Congress MLA and former Maharashtra minister Sunil Kedar and five others to five years' rigorous imprisonment for misappropriation of funds at the Nagpur District Central Cooperative Bank (NDCCB) in a 2002 case. (PTI)

Police have registered a case against seven persons, including a couple, for allegedly duping a 39-year-old man working as a driver at Dombivli in Maharashtra's Thane district of Rs 34.78 lakh on false promises, an official said on Saturday.

None of the accused has been arrested yet, he said.

"The accused assured to provide flats to the victim and his sister in a slum rehabilitation scheme of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), and also promised to give a job to his nephew in the railways," an official of Kolsewadi police station in Kalyan said.

The accused, who include a woman and a couple, collected a total of Rs 34,78,818 from the victim between January 2019 and 2021, he said. (PTI)

An autorickshaw driver allegedly killed his 32-year-old cousin after the latter kept demanding money from him in an inebriated condition in Raigad district of Maharashtra, police said on Saturday.

The incident occurred at Chikhale village near Panvel on Friday morning and the accused, Bharat Pandurang Patil (42), was arrested hours later, they said.

"When the accused was driving his autorickshaw, the victim Anand Dhanaji Patil waylaid him. He was in an inebriated condition and demanded money from the accused to drink liquor. Annoyed with his demand, the accused attacked him with a chopper, in which the victim died on the spot," an official of Panvel Taluka police station said.

There was a long-running dispute between the two cousins over some issue, he said. (PTI)

Maharashtra Health Minister Tanaji Sawant on Friday said there was just one case of JN.1 Covid variant presently in Maharashtra and the patient was being monitored. A Covid task force will also be appointed next week so that expert advice is provided about the nature of the emerging variant.

However, he ruled out any new case of the JN.1 variant in the state and said that a repeat mock drill related to hospital preparedness will be conducted.

Until December 21, there were 53 active Covid cases in the state, but as of Friday, 19 new Covid cases have been detected in the state in a single day, taking the total to 68.

A two-month-old baby boy has been rescued by the Government Railway Police four days after he was abducted from the precincts of the Borivali railway station here, an official said on Friday.

The culprit, who planned to sell the baby to a childless couple, was arrested, he said.

The child was abducted on Sunday night while his parents were asleep.

After they filed a complaint, the Borivali GRP formed four probe teams. The officials zeroed in on the 22-year-old suspect from CCTV footage.

The accused was tracked down to Pune and arrested. He told police that the child was with his friend at Ambernath in Thane district.

A team visited Ambernath and rescued the baby who was reunited with the parents, the official said. (PTI)

Two persons were killed on the spot after a tempo collided with a trailer truck in Boisar area of Palghar district on Friday, police said.

The accident took place at Warangade village on Boisar-Chillar road as the loaded tempo was proceeding from Gujarat to Mumbai and the truck was coming from the opposite direction.

Two persons in the tempo including the driver were killed on the spot, said an official of Boisar police station.

Investigation was on, he said. (PTI)

Freedom fighter Murgappa Khumse passed away at the age of 105 at his home in Latur district of Maharashtra and was cremated with state honours on Friday.

Khumse, a resident of Renapur, died due to old age-related ailments on Thursday.

Besides taking part in India's freedom struggle, Khumse also actively participated in Goa and Marathwada liberation movements.

The centenarian's last rites were performed at his village with state honours and a large number of people from different walks of life attended his cremation.

Before the funeral procession was taken out from his residence, tehsildar Dhammapriya Gaikwad paid floral tributes to him.

Police inspector Ashok Anantre laid a wreath on the body in the crematorium and this was followed by police personnel firing gunshots rounds in the air as a mark of respect to the freedom fighter. (PTI)

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Friday said the Maharashtra Lokayukta has scheduled in February next year the hearing in an alleged street furniture scam in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Addressing a news conference, Thackeray also slammed the state government for "delaying" the inauguration of several infrastructure projects.

"I have received communication from the Lokayukta that the hearing in the Rs 263 crore street furniture scam has been scheduled in February this year. I along with the BMC commissioner and administrator, and secretary of Urban Development department have been asked to appear before it," Thackeray said.

The former state environment minister has been alleging that scams have taken place in the civic body, which has been without any elected representative since early last year. He had approached the Lokayukta regarding the same. (PTI)

NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday held discussion on seat-sharing in Maharashtra for the Lok Sabha elections next year.

After the joint opposition protests at Jantar Mantar, Gandhi drove with Pawar to the latter's 6, Janpath residence.

The two leaders were closeted for some time and learnt to have discussed seat sharing among the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi partners Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP for the Lok Sabha elections.

Pawar is keen on accommodating smaller parties such as from the Left, Peasants and Workers Party and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi in the opposition alliance as they have certain pockets of strength in the state. (PTI)

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said there was a "huge difference" between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and people would support Modi again in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to reporters here, he also averred that he would not betray his alliance with the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

"There is a huge difference between Modi and Kharge. People of India will support Modi again and everyone should come together to back his leadership," the Nationalist Congress Party leader said to a question.

Some parties in the INDIA grouping have proposed Kharge as the Opposition alliance's candidate for prime minister.

Pawar, who split the NCP in July this year to join the ruling Mahayuti (grand alliance), said he would not betray his new partners, but nor would he contest on the BJP's symbol. (PTI)

As many as 4.30 lakh passengers have travelled by Navi Mumbai Metro in the first month of its operation, Maharashtra's city planning agency CIDCO said on Friday and termed people's response to the rapid transit system as overwhelming.

The Line No. 1 of Navi Mumbai Metro is an 11.10km long stretch from Belapur to Pendhar where services began on November 17. The corridor has 11 elevated stations and is part of the four-phase metro project in the satellite city.

City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), in an official release, said the metro was getting an overwhelming response from Navi Mumbaikars.

Navi Mumbaikars have developed a unique relationship with the rapid transit system not only as a means of transportation but through the feeling of "Our Metro", said the release. (PTI)

Three persons, including a woman, were arrested in Palghar in Maharashtra for allegedly operating an interstate gang involved in blackmailing and extortion, a police official said on Friday.

Valiv police station senior inspector Jairaj Ranavre said a woman who was living as the tenant of a builder in Vasai some two years ago accused him of impregnating her and threatened to file a rape case if he did not pay Rs 1 crore.

The woman and her two associates allegedly took Rs 19.70 lakh from the builder over a period of time, he said.

"Another accused then lured the builder into a real estate deal in Andheri East in Mumbai and took Rs 24 lakh from him. The accused then took Rs 17.80 lakh from him claiming his property in Vasai will be acquired for a railway corridor and they could get him Rs 25 crore as compensation," he said. (PTI)

A magistrate's court here on Friday sentenced Congress MLA and former Maharashtra minister Sunil Kedar to five years' imprisonment for misappropriation of funds at the Nagpur District Central Cooperative Bank (NDCCB).

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate J V Pekhle-Purkar pronounced judgement in the case which dates back to 2002.

Among other provisions, Kedar was held guilty under Indian Penal Code section 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant).

As per the prosecution, the NDCCB lost Rs 125 crore in government securities in 2002 as rules were flouted while investing funds through Home Trade Securities, an investment firm. Kedar was then chairman of the bank. (PTI)

The Bombay High Court on Friday set aside a February 2023 order of the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT) related to reservation in state government jobs for candidates from the Maratha community.

In doing so, it upheld the state government’s decision to allow the Maratha candidates, who had originally applied for government jobs advertised in 2019 from the Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC), to do so through the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) category in the ongoing recruitment process.

The high court held the MAT order discarding the state’s decision deviated from established legal principles and led to “cascading effects and negatively impacting a substantial number of candidates”, therefore, the same should be set aside. Read more

The ED on Friday said it has attached assets worth more than Rs 12 crore belonging to a number of people, including Sujit Patkar, an alleged aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, as part of a money laundering probe.

The federal agency's investigation is linked to an alleged fraud in setting up of BMC-run Covid care centres in Mumbai.

Three flats in Mumbai, mutual funds and bank deposits have been provisionally attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of the action against partners of Lifeline Hospital Management Services -- Sujit Patkar, Dr Hemant Gupta, Rajeev Salunkhe, Sanjay Shah and their accomplices Sunil Kadam alias Bala Kadam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said in a statement.

The total value of the attached properties is Rs 12.24 crore.

The probe pertains to alleged irregularities in the Jumbo Covid facilities located at Dahisar and Worli. The money laundering case stems from an FIR of the Mumbai Police. (PTI)

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday claimed his party will contest 23 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

Talking to reporters, Raut said a detailed discussion took place before the meeting of the opposition bloc INDIA in the national capital earlier this week during which he, along with Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray, held talks with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, as well as AICC general secretary K C Venugopal.

"We will contest 23 seats because we have always been contesting on the same number," Raut said.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which also comprises the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party. These parties are also part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). (PTI)

Maharashtra food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday took a dig at Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange saying that his demands are growing but the Maharashtra government is helpless.

Talking to reporters here, Bhujbal, who had earlier criticised Jarange, quipped that he was taking back all that he had said earlier.

“I also support all demands of Jarange. Who are OBCs...they are small, poor people. God also got scared of Jarange. What is law and order in front of Jarange? One minister must constantly be stationed next to him,” said the NCP leader sarcastically.

But the government is helpless, he said.

The veteran OBC leader and founder of Mahatma Phule Samata Parishad has taken a contrarian stand to the Ekanth Shinde-led alliance government's decision to issue Kunbi (OBC) certificates to Marathas based on historical records to enable the beneficiaries to avail reservation in education and government jobs. (PTI)

The Enforcement Directorate has provisionally attached properties worth nearly Rs 12 crore belonging to Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s close aide Sujit Patkar, 46, and his partners in connection with the agency’s money laundering probe into the Covid-19 jumbo centres scam.

The ED has attached three flats inMumbai, some bank deposits and some mutual funds units belonging to partners of Lifeline Hospitality Services Pvt Ltd, including Patkar, agency sources confirmed toThe Indian Express on Friday. Continue reading...

The police in Maharashtra's Thane city have arrested two persons after recovering ambergris or whale vomit worth about Rs 3 crore from them, an official said on Friday.

Senior inspector Kirankumar Kabadi of Wagle Estate police station said they had received inputs that two persons would be arriving near a hotel in their jurisdiction to sell some smuggled goods.

The police intercepted two men after they reached the place carrying a sack. A search revealed that the duo from neighbouring coastal Raigad district was carrying ambergris worth nearly Rs 3 crore.

The police have registered a case against the two under the Indian Penal Code and the Wild Life (Protection) Act, he added.

Ambergris, created by the bile duct of the sperm whale, is often called “floating gold” due to the immense price it fetches in the international markets for its use in luxury perfumes.

The sperm whale is protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and it is illegal to sell, transfer, possess or trade in ambergris in India.

(PTI)

A 41-year-old man from Maharashtra's Thane district died allegedly by suicide minutes after calling his wife and expressing his desire to hear her voice, an official said on Friday.

According to the police, Dombivali resident Sudhakar Yadav, and his wife Sanjana Yadav (31) had a minor fight on December 19 after which she left to stay with her sister in Diva.

Around 10 am the next day, Sudhakar called up Sanjana, who was on her way to work at Kurla in Mumbai, saying he wanted to hear her voice for two minutes, said the official.

After the call, Sanjana told the police that she received a photo of Sudhakar, about to hang himself, on WhatsApp.

Sanjana requested her neighbour to check on her husband. The neighbour knocked on the door but there was no response. He then broke it open to find Sudhar hanging from the ceiling, said the official.

The Vishnu Nagar police in Dombivili have registered a case of accidental death and are trying to ascertain the exact reason behind the suicide, the official added.

(PTI)