Connect with us
Thursday,31-July-2025
Breaking News

National

CM Fadnavis and Raj Thackeray meet in Mumbai hotel amid alliance buzz with Shiv Sena(UBT)

Published

on

Mumbai, June 12: Amid talks of an alliance between two estranged brothers, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, ahead of the upcoming elections for the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday met with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief.

The meeting lasted over 45 minutes. Sources said it was about the MNS’s entry into the MahaYuti for contesting as an alliance partner in the local and civic body elections. The meeting between the two has created a buzz in the state political circles.

Although the details of the meeting are not known yet, the state BJP sources confirmed that CM Fadnavis and Raj Thackeray met at the city’s five-star hotel, but preferred not to comment on the outcome of the meeting. However, there has been no confirmation yet from MNS.

The pro alliance advocates from both Shiv Sena(UBT) and MNS were caught unawares about CM Fadnavis’ move to hold an interaction with Raj Thackeray.

Incidentally, CM Fadnavis enjoys a good rapport with Raj Thackeray. Also, the Shiv Sena chief, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, has good relations with the MNS chief. Both the CM and deputy CM want the latter to be part of the MahaYuti to take on Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena(UBT) and the Maha Vikas Aghadi in general in the BMC elections and also in the rest of Maharashtra.

Both Fadnavis and Shinde have favoured Raj Thackeray. The association is perceived to checkmate Uddhav Thackeray and also to impress the Marathis in general.

Raj Thackeray did not win even a single seat in the state Assembly elections, but he enjoys a large-scale support from the Marathis, which has been the key vote bank of the Shiv Sena, founded by late Balasaheb Thackeray in the 1960s.

CM Fadnavis, in particular, has been pitching for hoisting the flag atop BMC, and in MahaYuti has been attempting to capture power in India’s richest body, thereby ending the control of Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. In addition, the MahaYuti, by bringing Raj Thackeray in its fold, wants to continue its victory march after the stellar performance in the state Assembly elections held last year.

As far as Raj Thackeray is concerned, a section of party workers believe that going with the BJP-led MahaYuti will benefit the party to spread its wings by effectively playing Hindutva and Marathi Manoos cards. They also argue that Uddhav Thackeray has compromised on Hindutva as practised by Balasaheb Thackeray by joining hands with Congress and NCP to come to power in 2109 by ditching the traditional ally BJP. Another section claimed that aligning with Uddhav Thackeray may spoil its poll prospects and erode the Hindutva and Marathi Manoos voters.

The meeting between CM Fadnavis and Raj Thackeray comes two days after the state urban development department issued a notification on initiating the drafting of ward boundaries for 29 municipal corporations, including the BMC, especially in the wake of the recent Supreme Court order directing the state government to complete the election process in four months.

The other key civic bodies include Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Nashik, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Kalyan-Dombivli.

The Urban Development department has asked the Municipal Commissioners to start preparing ward boundary drafts, which will be sent to the State Election Commission (SEC) for approval. These civic bodies will also need to invite suggestions and objections from citizens and provide hearings before finalising the boundaries. Currently, these civic bodies are under the administrator’s rule.

Business

Adani Green Energy Sales Jump 42% In Q1, Operational RE Capacity Reaches 15.8 GW

Published

on

Key Highlights:

– Energy sales rose 42 percent YoY to 10,479 million units in Q1 FY26.

– Operational RE capacity reached 15.8 GW, the highest in India.

– EBITDA surged 31 percent to Rs 3,108 crore, backed by new greenfield projects.

Ahmedabad: Adani Green Energy Ltd’s (AGEL) energy sales surged 42 per cent (year-on-year) in the April-June quarter (Q1 FY26) to 10,479 million units, as operational renewable energy (RE) capacity grew 45 per cent to 15.8 GW which continues to be India’s largest, the company said on Monday.

While revenue growth increased by 31 per cent (on-year) to Rs 3,312 crore, EBITDA also went up by 31 per cent to Rs 3,108 crore.

According to the Adani Group company, cash profit surged by 25 per cent (on-year) to Rs 1,744 crore in the quarter.

“During Q1 FY26, we added 1.6 GW of greenfield renewable energy capacity, bringing our total increase to 4.9 GW over the past year — an achievement unmatched in India’s transition toward clean energy,” said Ashish Khanna, CEO of Adani Green Energy.

“Our investments in the massive RE development at Khavda in Gujarat as well as other resource-rich sites are delivering results both in terms of superior operational performance and industry-best EBITDA margins,” he said, adding that the company is on track to achieve its 2030 target of 50 GW RE capacity — with at least 5 GW of hydro pumped storage along with battery storage.

Strong revenue, EBITDA, and cash profit growth are primarily backed by robust greenfield capacity addition, deployment of advanced RE technologies, superior plant performance and deployment of new capacities in resource-rich sites in Khavda (Gujarat) and Rajasthan.

“Further, battery storage is also a key part of our future strategy. We remain committed to supporting national energy transition and security ambitions as well as maintaining our ESG leadership, highlighted by our top rankings in the FTSE Russel ESG assessment and recognition at the Reuters Global Energy Transition Awards 2025,” Khanna noted.

AGEL has consistently generated electricity exceeding the overall annual commitment under the power purchase agreements (PPA). In Q1 FY26, AGEL’s PPA-based electricity generation was 31 per cent of the annual commitment.

The company is developing a massive 30 GW renewable energy plant at Khavda in Gujarat. This is spread over an area of 538 sq km, almost 5 times the city of Paris.

Continue Reading

Crime

ED books 29 celebrities for endorsing betting apps

Published

on

Hyderabad, July 10: The Enforcement Directorate has booked 29 celebrities in Telugu states for endorsing betting apps.

The central agency has filed an ECIR against 29 actors, influencers, and YouTubers for allegedly promoting illegal betting platforms, in violation of the Public Gambling Act, 1867.

The probe, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, has been taken up based on five FIRs filed in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Film actors Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Nidhi Agarwal, Pranitha Subhash and Manchu Lakshmi, and Ananya Nagella are among those who have been booked by the ED.

The names of TV actors, TV hosts and social media influencers like Sreemukhi, Shyamala, and Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shoba Shetty, Amrutha Chowdary, Nayani Pavani, Neha Pathan, Pandu, Padhmavathi, Harsha Sai and Bayya Sunny Yadav also figure in the list.

Most of these celebrities were earlier booked by the Hyderabad and Cyberabad Police. FIRs were registered against them at Panjagutta, Miyapur, Cyberabad, Suryapet, and Visakhapatnam police stations.

The ED suspects endorsements of platforms like Junglee Rummy, A23, JeetWin, Parimatch, Lotus365, and others involved laundering of large sums through paid promotions.

The ECIR has been booked under BNS sections 318 (4), 112 r/w 49, Telangana Gaming Act sections 3, 3 (A), 4, IT Act 2000 and 2008 section 66D.

In March, Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj and others were booked by Cyberabad police for allegedly promoting betting apps. They, however, clarified that they are not promoting any illegal app.

While Rana Daggubati and Vijay Devarakonda stated that they endorsed only legally permitted online skill-based games, Prakash Raj said he did not renew a contract to promote an app in 2017 after realising that he should not have done it.

A case against six actors and 19 social media influencers was registered at the Miyapur Police Station of Cyberabad Commissionerate in March.

The police registered the case on a complaint by one Phanidra Sharma, a resident of Miyapur, who stated that he found several celebrities and social media influencers actively promoting illegal betting apps, websites and other platforms. The complainant said promotion of betting apps was causing harm to individuals and society by encouraging this addictive, short-term, risky money-making behaviour, leading to financial distress.

Continue Reading

Crime

2002 import-export fraud case: CBI takes custody of Monika Kapoor in US

Published

on

New Delhi, July 9: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken the custody of Monika Kapoor, an alleged economic offender, in the US and will bring her back to India, ending an over two-decade-long run from the law, officials said on Wednesday.

The development comes after Kapoor’s extradition from the US.

The CBI in a press release said the chase has ended after two decades “with the successful extradition of Fugitive Ms. Monika Kapoor, who is accused in a 2002 Import-Export fraud and was on run since then, from USA.”

According to the information provided by the Central agency, fugitive Monika Kapoor, Prop. of M/s Monika Overseas in conspiracy with her brothers, namely Rajan Khanna and Rajiv Khanna forged export documents viz. Shipping Bills, Invoices and Bank Certificates of Export and Realisation during the year 1998.

She obtained six Replenishment (Rep.) Licenses for the import of duty-free gold worth Rs 2.36 crore.

“In furtherance of the criminal conspiracy, they sold the said Rep. Licenses to M/s Deep Exports, Ahmedabad, on premium. M/s Deep Exports, Ahmedabad utilised the said licenses and imported duty-free gold, which caused a loss to the Government Exchequer to the extent of Rs 1.44 crore during the year 1998,” the press release mentioned.

The CBI, on the completion of the investigation, filed a charge sheet on March 31, 2004, against Monika Kapoor, Rajan Khanna, and Rajeev Khanna under sections 120-B r/w 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC.

The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, District Court Saket, New Delhi, vide order dated December 20, 2017, had convicted Rajan Khanna and Rajeev Khanna.

The CBI said the accused, Monika Kapoor, did not join the investigation and trial; she was declared a proclaimed offender by the trial court on February 13, 2006. The Ld. Trial Court had issued an open non-bailable warrant of arrest on April 26, 2010, and a Red Corner Notice was also issued against her.

A request for extradition was sent by the CBI on October 19, 2010, to the US authorities. Following intense coordination with authorities in the US, a CBI team travelled to the country to take custody of the fugitive.

This extradition marks a major breakthrough in the pursuit of justice and reiterates CBI’s commitment to bringing fugitives to face the law in India, irrespective of international boundaries.

The CBI team is returning to India with the fugitive. Monika Kapoor is being produced before the concerned court and will now face the trial.

The press release said that the CBI remains steadfast in its mission to combat economic crimes and will continue to pursue all legal avenues to ensure that the fugitives are brought to justice.

Continue Reading

Trending