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Maharashtra

80-hour regime: Ajit Pawar, Fadnavis ‘ko gussa kyun aata hai’

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Thirty months after BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar suddenly took oath as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively, in the morning of November 23, 2019, that incident continues to haunt and embarrass them.

Despite their best efforts to chase away the ghost of that clandestine swearing-in ceremony at Raj Bhavan that morning, it keeps popping up frequently in the most unexpected ways — this time raked up by none other than Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray himself at his huge rally on May 14.

Replying to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s criticism, Thackeray declared that he allied with the Congress (and NCP) openly, not in an ‘early morning’ oath-taking ceremony of the 80-hour-long two-man regime — and his words pierced the target.

Willy-nilly, the CM also hinted at the ‘real secret’ behind why the Central probe agencies like the CBI, ED, NCB, I-T and the NIA keep hounding only the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party leaders for over two years.

The Shiv Sena President thundered saying if the BJP and MNS do not stop their vicious politics, hounding by the Central agencies, lodging false cases against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government leaders or their families, then “we won’t forgive or spare you”.

“Tomorrow, they will go after Dawood (Ibrahim Kaskar) but if he joins them, he will be made a cabinet minister… If that (2-man govt) ‘experiment’ had succeeded, then people like Anil Dashmukh or Nawab Malik would have been in your good books,” said Thackeray amid applause.

As the MVA government trudges to the mid-way mark in its five year term, BJP’s Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis continues to cry over the spilt milk, his ‘birth-right’ to power that he was unceremoniously deprived of after the 2019 Assembly elections.

The Ajit Pawar-Fadnavis duo has been lampooned and ridiculed since that indiscretion in Raj Bhavan, sans any trappings, but with the drapes drawn tightly to keep off peeping-toms prying at the political hustle enacted that dawn when the groggy state was engaged in its morning ablutions.

Once, displaying rare courage, Fadnavis confessed that “it should not have happened”, and again hammered Thackeray for ‘backstabbing BJP’ to grab power with the help of the Congress-NCP.

Even the much-pilloried Ajit Pawar, painted as a ‘black sheep’, feebly tried to justify the swearing-in event, saying it was not in the early morning as speculated, but “at 8 a.m.”, though later the NCP hugged him and rewarded him with the same post as Fadnavis did for 80 hours!

Wily Uncle and NCP President Sharad Pawar also never missed an opportunity to take a swipe at the dawn ceremony in his characteristic style.

In late-2020, when Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari published a coffee table book, Pawar wrote to him how everything was there in his coffee table book “except a particular swearing-in ceremony”.

Congress state President Nana Patole also took a potshot saying Ajit Pawar was to “explain” it at an appropriate time, but has nothing till date.

“So much water has flowed under the bridge… We 3 parties are now working together, the government is running well… Why do you keep raising it repeatedly,” an irked Ajit Pawar said of that 80-hour fling, Monday.

There have been heated exchanges inside the Maharashtra legislature and outside with the MVA leaders laughing and leering at that morning venture while livid unrepentant BJP leaders shielding it.

Crime

Thane Crime Branch Seizes ₹1.69 Crore Worth MD Powder; Man Arrested While En Route To Mumbra

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The Thane Crime Branch Unit One has arrested a man for allegedly possessing over 1 kilogram of MD powder, valued at ₹1.69 crore, which he intended to sell in Mumbra. The accused has been identified as Mohanlal Joshi alias Sharma, a resident of Kudus village in Wada, Palghar.

According to officials, acting on a tip-off received on July 18, a team was deployed near the Mumbra bypass flyover bridge, where the suspect was expected to arrive. The man was intercepted in his car en route to Mumbra. Upon searching the vehicle, the police discovered and seized 1.209 kilograms of MD powder, with an estimated value of ₹1,69,26,000.

He was taken to the police station, and a case was registered against him under the relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

An investigating officer from Thane Crime Branch Unit One said they are currently probing the source of the contraband and its intended recipients. Efforts are also underway to determine how many others may be involved in the case. Further investigation is ongoing.

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Maharashtra

Air India Flight From Kochi Veers Off Runway While Landing At Mumbai Airport Amid Heavy Rains

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Mumbai: A major tragedy averted on Monday as Air India flight, AI2744, from Kochi veered off runway at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport amid heavy rains in the city. All passengers are reported to be safe.

As per Air India’s spokesperson, the flight experienced heavy rain during landing, resulting in a runway excursion. The aircraft was taxied safely to the gate. All passengers and crew members deboarded the flight. The aircraft has been grounded for checks.

The hard landing reportedly caused damaged to the primary runway. Repair works are currently underway. Three tyres burst during the landing and the engine of the aircraft likely to have been damaged, Emergency teams were deployed to control the situation.

Visuals Of The Damaged Plane:

“An incoming aircraft from Kochi experienced a runway excursion at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), Mumbai at 09.27 hours on 21 July 2025. CSMIA’s emergency response teams were immediately activated to manage the runway excursion,” a spokesperson for CSMIA said, as quoted by the media house.

“All passengers and crew are safe. There are minor damages reported to the airport’s primary runway – 09/27. In order to ensure continuity of operations, the Secondary Runway 14/32 has been activated. At CSMIA, safety always remains our highest priority,” the CSMIA spokesperson added.

Mumbai Rains:

Heavy rains lashed Mumbai on Monday, throwing normal life out of gear. Waterlogging was reported in several areas, leading to traffic disruption, especially in western and central suburbs. Local train services were also affected due to heavy showers. Local trains on the harbour line were reportedly running 20-25 minutes late.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted more rains in the city during the week as the monsoon activity intensified. On Tuesday, moderate rainfall and overcast skies are expected, along with occasional thunderstorms. The overall temperature will remain mild, although humidity levels may remain steady.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai HC Acquits All Convicted in 2006 Train Blasts Case; Death Sentences Overturned

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Mumbai | July 21, 2025 — In a landmark verdict, the Bombay High Court has acquitted all 12 individuals previously convicted in the 2006 Mumbai local train serial bomb blasts case, reversing the 2015 judgment of the MCOCA special court which had handed out death and life sentences.

The case (G.R. No. 05/2006, MCOCA Special Case No. 21/2006) pertains to the horrific series of bomb blasts that rocked the Western Railway suburban trains in Mumbai on July 11, 2006, killing over 180 people and injuring more than 800.

On September 30, 2015, the special MCOCA court had sentenced:

  • 5 accused to death,
  • 7 accused to life imprisonment,
  • while 1 accused was acquitted.

Following standard procedure, the death sentences were referred to the Bombay High Court for confirmation, and the convicted individuals filed appeals challenging their sentences.

A division bench of Justice Anil Kilor and Justice S. G. Chapalgaonkar heard the matter extensively from *July 2024, with final arguments concluding on *January 27, 2025.

On July 21, 2025, the High Court delivered its judgment:

  • Rejected the death reference,
  • Allowed the appeals of all convicted individuals,
  • Set aside the 2015 convictions and sentences passed by the MCOCA special court.

Representing the Government of India and the state of Maharashtra were Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Raja Thakare and Special Public Prosecutor Chimalkar, who argued for upholding the original verdict.

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Maharashtra, has stated that it is currently analyzing the High Court’s detailed judgment. Consultations are underway with legal experts and special prosecutors to determine the next course of legal action, which may include an appeal to the Supreme Court.

The verdict has sparked significant public and legal interest, as it not only impacts one of the most devastating terror incidents in Mumbai’s history but also raises serious questions about the prosecution’s evidence and investigation.

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