Mumbai, June 30: The police have registered a case against Rajesh Kumar, a 21-year-old caretaker at Swagat Ashram in Kandivali West in Mumbai, Maharashtra, for allegedly physically assaulting two minors. The accused allegedly grabbed an 11-year-old boy by the throat and repeatedly slapped him after the child and his brother woke up late.

The incident came to light after the two children fled the shelter home and were later rescued by the Dadar Railway Police. Police have launched an investigation into the matter.

According to the victim’s statement, the children had been staying at the ashram after their father passed away in September 2025. Their mother had admitted them to the institution in the hope of providing them with a better future and access to education.

The victim told police that at around 4 a.m. on June 8, he and his cousin were assigned the task of filling water at the ashram. After completing the work at around 5 a.m., they went back to sleep, intending to wake up again at 6 a.m. for kitchen duties. However, due to exhaustion, they failed to wake up on time.

Enraged by the delay, the caretaker allegedly threw a bottle at one of the boys. He then repeatedly punched the 11-year-old on his back. When the child turned around, the accused allegedly grabbed him by the throat and slapped him across the face several times.

According to the complaint, the victim told police that the children had been subjected to regular abuse and beatings at the shelter home. Fearing further violence, the 11-year-old and his 14-year-old friend decided to flee the premises.

After leaving the ashram, the victim borrowed Rs 100 from a vegetable vendor by mentioning the caretaker’s name. The two boys then travelled by auto-rickshaw to Kandivali railway station and boarded a local train to Dadar. They were reportedly planning to travel onward to Ahilyanagar to reach the victim’s mother.

An alert citizen noticed the boys wandering on Platform No. 13 at Dadar railway station and informed the Dadar Railway Police. The officers took the children into custody, counselled them, and uncovered the alleged abuse at the shelter home.

The police subsequently contacted the boys’ mother and informed the authorities at Swagat Ashram. After undergoing medical examinations, both children were shifted to a safe children’s home.

Following directions from the Child Welfare Committee, Mumbai City, the police registered a case against Rajesh Kumar. Further investigation into the alleged assault and the functioning of the shelter home is underway.

Pune, June 30: A fresh legal dispute has emerged in the Ketan Agarwal murder case, with Advocate Ashutosh Srivastava, who claims to be representing accused Siya Goyal, issuing a legal notice seeking Rs 10 crore in damages from her brother, Sahil Goyal, over alleged defamatory statements.

In the notice, Advocate Srivastava stated that Siya Goyal had formally appointed him as her legal counsel through a duly executed vakalatnama (authorisation letter).

“Ms. Siya Goyal has duly executed and signed the Vakalatnama/authority in my favour for her legal defence. The said appointment was not an oral claim, not a media projection and not an unauthorised assertion, but a legal authority voluntarily given by an adult accused/client. The original/signed Vakalatnama is already filed before the competent court and her additional signed original copies of the relevant documents shall be produced before the appropriate forum/Court of law as and when required,” the notice stated.

The notice alleges that Sahil Goyal made false, misleading, and defamatory statements against Srivastava through the media, causing serious harm to his professional reputation and public image.

According to the legal notice, Srivastava’s vakalatnama has already been accepted and placed on record before the Vadgaon Maval Court. Despite this, it claims that Sahil publicly questioned his authority to represent Siya Goyal without first verifying the legal documents or contacting him.

“It is appalling, distressing and shocking that, instead of first verifying the authenticity and legality of the Vakalatnama duly filed on record or without having any conversation with us, you blatantly, irresponsibly, maliciously and fraudulently issued a public/media statement suggesting that I was not appointed or authorised by the family members,” the notice read.

The notice further contends that the statements created a false impression that Srivastava had falsely claimed authority to represent the accused or had acted improperly, thereby exposing him to ridicule, trolling, threats, hostile phone calls, professional embarrassment, and reputational damage.

Through the notice, Sahil Goyal has been asked to immediately withdraw the alleged defamatory statements, issue a public apology, and provide a written undertaking that he will refrain from making similar allegations in the future.

The notice also warns that if no satisfactory response is received within the stipulated time, Srivastava will initiate appropriate legal proceedings, including a civil claim seeking Rs 10 crore in damages for alleged defamation and reputational loss.

The legal notice marks a new development in the high-profile Ketan Agarwal murder case, adding a separate legal dispute between the accused’s family and the lawyer claiming to represent one of the accused.

The controversy began ahead of a court hearing in the case on Monday, when Sahil Goyal publicly questioned Srivastava’s authority to represent his sister.

Speaking to the media, Sahil alleged that Srivastava had neither been appointed nor authorised by the family and claimed that he may have obtained Siya Goyal’s signature “by deceit”.

Sahil’s remarks came after Srivastava made multiple media appearances in which he identified himself as Siya Goyal’s legal counsel and spoke on matters related to the case.

However, Sahil Goyal maintained that the family had not hired Srivastava as their lawyer and asserted that Advocate Vipul Dushing had been appointed to represent them. He also stated that the family had filed an affidavit before the court regarding the issue and alleged that Srivastava had issued threats to them.

Mumbai, June 29: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar on Monday welcomed the special court’s decision to award the death penalty to the accused in the rape and murder of a 3-year-old girl in Nasrapur in Pune. They emphasised that the swift verdict sends a clear signal that the state maintains a strict policy of zero tolerance against crimes targeting women and children.

Expressing satisfaction with the verdict, CM Fadnavis stated that the court made the right decision. “Monsters who commit such heinous acts have absolutely no right to live in society. My heartfelt gratitude goes out to the honourable court,” he remarked.

The CM personally dialled Pune District Superintendent of Police and Special Public Prosecutor Ajay Misar to congratulate them on securing a conviction. He highly praised the law enforcement and investigative agencies for conducting the entire trial and investigation in a record time frame.

Speaking to reporters, Dy CM Shinde issued a stern warning to criminals, asserting that the state will offer no safe haven to perpetrators of violence.

“This verdict ensures that justice has been served. It acts as a clear and explicit warning to anyone who dares to commit such atrocious crimes against women and children,” he stated. He added that such criminals have no place in a society governed by the rule of law and do not deserve the right to live.

Shinde reiterated that the Mahayuti government, under the leadership of CM Fadnavis, places the safety and security of women at its top priority.

“The state remains strictly committed to ensuring rapid investigations, fast-track judicial trials, and maximum legal punishment. Enhanced measures are continually being introduced to ensure every woman and girl child can live in a secure environment,” he added.

Shinde concluded by stating that the prompt sentencing in the Nasrapur case has successfully restored a sense of justice among the public.

Dy CM Sunetra Pawar said the verdict has ensured justice for the victim and her family while reinforcing public faith in the judiciary.

Referring to the case of the minor girl from Nasrapur in Pune district, who was sexually assaulted and brutally murdered, Pawar said the court had sentenced the accused, Bhimrao Kamble, to death. She noted that the case was decided within just two months of the incident, making it the first such case to be concluded in such a short span.

“There is no place in society for such a cruel and depraved individual. This verdict has reinforced the deterrent effect of the law, and such hardened criminals will think twice before committing similar offences,” she said.

She also expressed confidence that the government and investigating agencies would continue to stand firmly behind victims to ensure justice for innocent girls and women. She appreciated the efforts of the prosecution, saying the lawyers had handled the case effectively and deserved recognition for their work.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to the safety of women, girls and children, she said the state would take the strictest possible measures to strengthen their security.

She added that the government stood firmly with the victim’s family in their grief and would work with society to ensure that such incidents do not recur. She also thanked the Pune Rural Police for acting swiftly in the case by constituting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and ensuring that justice was delivered to the victim.