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Maharashtra

BJP asks MVA to unravel mystery of ‘missing’ ex-Maharashtra and ex-CoP

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Param-Bir-Singh

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra on Monday urged the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to come clean on the curious case of ‘missing’ former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Leader of Opposition (Council) Pravin Darekar said that the home department must find out their whereabouts and inform the people where Deshmukh and Singh are currently located.

“The government should ascertain whether Deshmukh is in Mumbai, Nagpur, his constituency, or elsewhere, and also where Singh is currently. The latter (Singh) is still an officer working under the Home Department,” Darekar told mediapersons here.

His comments came amid reports that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sought the help of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to trace Deshmukh, who is sought by both the central agencies for probe.

Similarly, Singh is on the radar of Maharashtra police and a probe commission investigating his March ‘letter-bomb’ wherein he had levelled certain allegations of corruption against Deshmukh, leading to the latter’s resignation as Home Minister on April 5.

Subsequently, Deshmukh has been raided by both the ED and the CBI in the past six months. He also moved various courts, but ignored at least 5 summons from the ED, contending that the matter is pending before the courts.

Likewise, Singh, 59, who had proceeded ‘on leave’ in early-May and was reportedly living in Chandigarh, has not responded to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or to notices seeking his appearance before the retired Justice K. U. Chandiwal Commission set up by the Maharashtra government.

Last week, Chandiwal had issued a bailable warrant of Rs 50,000 against Singh and placed the matter for further hearing on September 22. Earlier, Singh was fined thrice which he paid up, even as he moved the courts challenging the setting up of the probe panel.

Among those ‘skipping’ calls to join the probe is former state Intelligence Department chief Rashmi Shukla, who bunked Mumbai Police’s two summons in April in connection with the investigation into the alleged illegal phone-tapping case of several prominent persons.

However, in May, Shukla, 56, agreed to record her statement with a police team which went from Mumbai to Hyderabad, where she is posted as the Additional DGP of CRPF, South Zone.

The cases involving Deshmukh and Singh are also linked to the probe into the planting of an SUV with 20 gelatin sticks and a threat note near Mukesh Ambani’s house ‘Antilia’ in south Mumbai, followed by the death of the vehicle’s owner, Mansukh Hiran.

The Mumbai Police filed a chargesheet in the case earlier this month, detailing the sequence of events. The police also invoked terror and murder charges against all the accused.

Officials attribute the apprehensions of possible detention or arrest by the concerned agencies as the primary reasons behind VIPs or prominent personalities not turning up physically for investigations.

Instead, they rely on their battery of legal advisors or move the courts at various levels to evade the probe summons, a luxury which the commoners can ill-afford, officials said.

Maharashtra

Mumbai: Accused wanted in Kurla Methi River irregularities arrested, accused of cheating crores of rupees and creating fake AMU

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Mumbai: Economic Wing AOW has claimed to have arrested the wanted accused and contractor in the case of Mithi Nadi cleanliness and irregularities. The AOW has arrested the absconding wanted Sunil Shyam Narayan SM Infrastructure, Mahesh Madhav Rao Purohit. During the investigation of the Mithi Nadi contract and irregularities worth crores of rupees, the police had registered a case. Earlier, three accused were arrested. According to the EOW, from 2013 to 2023, fake MAUs were prepared and bills worth crores of rupees were approved in collusion with BMC officers. A proposal to purchase a machine to remove garbage from 2021 to 2024 was also approved and under the guise of the same, a fraud of crores of rupees was committed for cleaning the garbage. In this case, the police have arrested the accused agents Ketan Kadam, Jay Joshi and Mithi Nadi contractor Sher Singh Rathore. By preparing fake documents, the accused also prepared fake AMUs and also signed fake signatures. The accused were produced in court and remanded in custody until December 16.

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Maharashtra

ED, ATS Conduct Raids Across Maharashtra & Delhi Over Suspected Terror-Funding

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Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday carried out a coordinated search operation in Borivali village near Padgha in Thane district, with assistance from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), officials said.

The operation, which began in the early hours of Thursday, extended to multiple residential premises as ED officials probed suspected terror funding and related financial transactions. ATS personnel provided on-ground support to coordinate the ED searches.

According to ED officials, the searches were conducted at nearly 40 locations across Maharashtra including Padgha, Pune, and Malegaon as well as in Delhi. The searches are linked to suspected financial transactions associated with terror-related activities.

The ED had recently registered an ECIR linked to the NIA’s ISIS terror module case involving Saquib Nachan, as well as the Pune ISIS module case. While ATS is simultaneously investigating the same modules, it is assisting the ED by sharing intelligence, leads, and field updates, helping ensure that the ongoing search operations are thorough, coordinated, and synchronised.

Officials said the operation is ongoing, with teams continuing to probe the suspected financial networks connected to the terror modules.

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Maharashtra

Raj Thackeray Appears Before Thane Court, Denies Guilt In 2008 Railway Assault Case

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MNS chief Raj Thackeray appeared before the Thane Railway Court on Thursday for a hearing linked to the 2008 railway recruitment violence at Kalyan station. The incident involved MNS workers assaulting North Indian candidates who had arrived for recruitment exams, leading to disruption and damage to railway property. A case was registered against Thackeray and several party workers soon after.

During the brief hearing, the judge asked Thackeray whether he confessed to the charges. Thackeray replied that he did not admit guilt. The judge noted that the matter could be concluded within a month and asked for full cooperation from all accused. Thackeray agreed to comply.

Speaking after the hearing, Thackeray’s lawyer Omkar Rajurkar said the next date has not been decided yet and will be issued later. He added that Thackeray does not need to appear again in person unless directed. Rajurkar confirmed that the court asked whether the accused admitted to the crime, and Thackeray stated clearly that he did not. The judge reiterated that cooperation was expected as the case nears completion.

Rajurkar stressed that Thackeray would continue to cooperate fully with the proceedings.

The case dates back to 2008, when MNS workers allegedly targeted North Indian candidates at Kalyan station during a railway recruitment drive. The attackers argued that migrant job seekers were taking opportunities meant for local youth. Following the violence, a case was filed against Raj Thackeray and seven MNS workers, all of whom were arrested but later released.

Originally heard in the Kalyan Court, the matter was later shifted to the Thane Railway Court. Due to repeated absence of the accused at earlier hearings, the court had issued an arrest warrant, which was later cancelled after an application by Thackeray’s legal team.

With the court indicating that the case could conclude within a month, the matter now moves towards its final phase.

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