Mumbai: After the tragic death of a family of four in Mumbai’s Pydhonie last month, a 15-year-old boy died, and three children fell ill after reportedly consuming watermelon in Chhattisgarh’s Janjgir-Champa district. This case comes just within a month when a family of four members of the Dokadia family died on April 26.

the deceased, identified as Akhilesh Dhivar (15), while the other children are Shri Dhivar (4), Pintu Dhivar (12), and Hitesh Dhivar (13), had come to their maternal uncle’s house in Ghurkot village after attending a wedding.

Preliminary reports suggested that the children had consumed cut watermelon on Sunday evening, however, a few hours later, the 15-year-old Akhilesh developed vomiting, diarrhoea, and breathing difficulties. Not just him, similar symptoms were also later seen in the other three children.

As their condition worsened, they were rushed to the hospital. Speaking on the case, Civil Surgeon Dr S Kujur told the daily that Akhilesh was declared brought dead on arrival, while the other three were admitted to the emergency ward.

The doctor suspected food poisoning, possibly due to contaminated cut watermelon. He said the fruit was cut in the morning hours and was eaten several hours later.

Currently, in the case, Akhilesh’s body has been sent for post-mortem, while the other watermelon at the house has been sent for laboratory testing to the food safety department. The report added that the exact cause of the death and illness would be known only when these reports are in.

Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing Mumbai has filed a C Summary report before the Esplanade Court in one of the FIR registered in connection with the alleged ₹122.85 crore fraud related to the Solar Krishi Urja Vahini 2.0 tender process. The EOW had earlier registered four separate cases against several companies and their directors for allegedly cheating the Maharashtra government by submitting forged bank guarantees to secure contracts under the scheme.

The case had initially been registered at Nirmal Nagar Police Station following allegations that officials and private companies colluded to commit large-scale corruption in the tender process. The investigation was later transferred to the Economic Offences Wing.

According to officials, the alleged scam involving nearly ₹125 crore came to light in this year, after it was discovered that forged bank guarantees and fabricated documents were allegedly used to obtain government contracts under the Solar Krishi Urja Vahini 2.0 scheme. Four separate FIRs were subsequently registered at Nirmal Nagar Police Station in February.

One of the FIRs was registered against Onix Renewable Limited, Onix IPP Pvt Ltd, Divyesh M. Savaliya, Richee Bansal, Kashyap Patel, and Rahul Panhale. However, the EOW has now submitted a C Summary report before the Esplanade Court in connection with this particular case.

Investigators have alleged that Rahul Panhale, Assistant General Manager in the Renewable Energy Department of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), knowingly accepted forged bank guarantees and other fake documents as genuine and helped the accused companies secure government contracts. Officials further alleged that Panhale, along with other accused persons, caused a loss of nearly ₹125 crore to the state government through similar fraudulent practices involving multiple companies.

Police sources said that during the probe into an earlier ₹100 crore corruption case transferred to the EOW in January, investigators uncovered evidence suggesting that Panhale had allegedly extended similar assistance to several other companies, resulting in further financial losses to the government.

Mumbai: Six days after an FIR was registered against a 55-year-old administrative officer posted at the Municipal Commissioner’s office for alleged sexual harassment of a 30- year-old female employee, the BMC is yet to suspend the accused officer.

The accused, identified as Irfan Pathan, was transferred from the Municipal Commissioner’s office to the environment department immediately after the complaint surfaced. However, civic officials said stricter action, including suspension, can only be taken after the report of the POSH committee.

The Azad Maidan police said that since the offence registered against Pathan carries punishment of less than seven years, he was served a notice and released.

“Since the offence carries punishment of less than seven years, a notice was served to the accused and he was released. He could be arrested later if directed by the court,” said an officer from Azad Maidan police station.

Meanwhile, the BMC’s POSH committee – technically known as the Internal Committee under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013 – has started its inquiry into the matter and has begun questioning eyewitnesses. Officials said the victim did not directly approach the BMC’s POSH committee and had instead lodged an FIR with the police.

“We started the inquiry after the Savitribai Phule Women’s Resource Centre’s Internal Complaints Committee referred the matter to us. The police should have arrested Pathan by now as it is a sexual harassment case. In terms of suspension, it is the administration’s decision,” a committee official said.

A senior civic official said Pathan remains “absconding” as per the administration’s information. Another civic official, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed there were discussions within the BMC headquarters that Pathan had been admitted to Nair Hospital allegedly to evade arrest.

According to the FIR registered on May 5, the complainant, who joined BMC service on compassionate grounds a few months ago, accused Pathan of harassment, inappropriate behaviour, workplace misconduct and stalking outside the office. She also alleged that he sent her letters and unwanted messages and issued memos against her without valid reason.

Officials at the BMC headquarters claimed that several employees had earlier faced difficulties because of Pathan’s behaviour and said immediate action was necessary to prevent harassment of more employees, especially women.

BJP MLC Chitra Wagh, who raised the matter with Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and Mayor Ritu Tawde, said the accused should not only be arrested and suspended but also dismissed from service.