Mumbai: The Mahayuti government has found a unique way to avoid controversy over the appointment of Nashik’s guardian minister by deciding to appoint a ministerial committee with all the contenders to oversee the implementation of the Kumbh Mela to be organised there in 202728, with preparations beginning next year. ‘As per the order issued on Friday, the committee com- prises three ministers from the BJP and two each from the Shiv Sena and the NCP — led by Deputy Chief Ministers, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, respectively.

BJP Minister Girish Mahajan, who is keen on the district guardian minister- ship, will head the committee along with the other aspirants – Chhagan Bhujbal, Dada Bhuse and Manikrao Kokate (who hails from Nashik). Interestingly, Mahajan belongs to Jalgaon, but the BJP is keen on appointing him to the coveted post purely for political reasons.

The other ministers are Uday Samant, Jaikumar Rawal and Shivendra Raje Bhosale. Formation of the committee has been facilitated as per the provisions in the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority, legislation for which was passed in July.

The committee will super- vise the planning and implementation of the Nashik Kumbh, where lakhs of devo- tees are expected to visit for the holy dip in the Godavari river. The committee is expected to facilitate the development of infrastructure, water supply, accommodation and medical facilities.

The Shiv Sena took strong objection when Mahajans name was announced as the Nashik guardian minister in January. Shindes party also opposed Aditi Tatkare as the guardian minister for Raigad, leading to a stalemate that is yet to be resolved. The Sena ‘wants Dada Bhuse and Bharat Gogawale as guardian ministers for Nashik and Raigad.

In the meantime, the NCP has staked its claim on Nashik, which has two ministers from the district — Bhujbal and Kokate. However, the BJP is in no mood to give up its claim on Nashik in view of its religious and political importance and the impending local body elections.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Friday told the Bombay High Court that the police clearance certificate of Fahim Ansari, acquitted in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case, was rejected as he remains under surveillance on suspicion of being associated with a banned terror organisation.

Ansari had sought the police clearance certificate to drive an autorickshaw for his livelihood.

A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad asked the state under what law the certificate was denied, given that Ansari had been acquitted of the 26/11 charges.

Public prosecutor Mankhuwar Deshmukh submitted that as per guidelines issued in August 2014, Ansari was not eligible. “There is also a confidential report which states that Ansari is still under watch on suspicion of being a member of a banned terror outfit,” he added.

In its affidavit, the state pointed out that Ansari had been convicted and sentenced to 10 years in the 2008 Rampur CRPF camp grenade attack, which claimed the lives of seven personnel and one civilian.

It further said that although he was acquitted in the 26/11 case, the trial court had observed that he was associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Several other criminal cases were also registered against him, the state noted. A sealed confidential report was also submitted to the court.

As no lawyer appeared for Ansari, the court adjourned the hearing to Saturday.

Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed had been accused of aiding LeT in carrying out the November 26, 2008, Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people. On May 6, 2010, a special court acquitted both for want of evidence — a decision later upheld by the High Court and the Supreme Court. Only lone Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab was convicted for the 26/11 carnage.

However, Ansari was separately convicted in the Rampur case in Uttar Pradesh and served his 10-year sentence before being released in 2019. Challenging the police refusal, Ansari approached the High Court claiming the decision was “arbitrary, illegal and discriminatory” and violated his fundamental right to livelihood. His plea argued: “The petitioner is legally entitled to engage in gainful employment, free from any legal blemish or barriers.”

Mumbai: The Bandra police have registered a case against four employees of ‘Max Packers and Movers’ for allegedly cheating a customer. While shifting household items from Mumbai to Lonavala, the accused allegedly broke open a bag and stole gold and silver ornaments worth Rs.16.15 lakh. Max Packers and Movers is a company based in Kandivali East that offers services for relocating household items from one location to another.

According to the FIR, the complainant, Manasi Kulkarni, 46, a yoga teacher residing in Bandra West, contacted ‘Max Packers and Movers’ on August 9 to arrange the transport of her household items from her residence to Lonavala, where her father lives. On the same day, the company sent four employees identified as Pappu, Pradeep Kumar, Khan and Ajay to her Bandra home.

While packing the luggage, one of the workers requested some old clothes for his father for him. Kulkarni gave him a bag containing her father’s old clothes. After loading the belongings into a tempo, she travelled with them to Lonavala. In total, there were seven people in the vehicle, including the driver.

She had kept ornaments and important documents in a travel bag. When she tried to keep the travel bag with her in the cabin, an employee assured her that, since the bag was locked, it could be safely placed at the back. She informed them that it contained valuables and specifically requested them to take special care of it before placing it behind and she sitting in the driver’s cabin.

On the way to Lonavala, one employee alighted at Kalanagar, Bandra East, around 5.30 p.m. carrying a bag of old clothes. When she asked why he had got down, the others told her he was in a hurry for some work and immediately restarted the tempo.

The tempo reached her father’s Lonavala residence at around 9 p.m. After unloading the items, Kulkarni returned to Bandra on August 10, as she did not open the languages immediately.

On September 3, she went to Lonavala again. On September 7, while checking the bag containing her documents and ornaments, she discovered that its lock had been broken and the valuables were missing. She alleged that the accused had transferred the ornaments and documents to the bag of old clothes taken by the employee at Kalanagar. The stolen items were worth around Rs.16.15 lakh.

Following the discovery, she lodged a complaint with the Bandra police against the four employees Pappu, Pradeep Kumar, Khan and Ajay — who had come to her house. Based on her complaint, the police registered a case under Sections 316(2) (criminal breach of trust) and 3(5) (act committed by several persons in furtherance of a common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on September 15.