Mumbai: The Shantinagar Police arrested four dacoits before they could execute a planned dacoity in Bhiwandi. The police seized a pistol, a knife, an iron rod, four country-made revolvers, a rope, three masks, chili powder, and a BMW car from their possession. The accused have been identified as Soeb Shaheed Shaikh (23), Naushad Maqsood Alam Khan (22), and Aftab Afsar Shaikh (21), all residents of Bihar, while Shahabuddin Ansari (20) is a resident of Bhiwandi.

According to officials, on May 31, a patrolling team was on duty from the Shantinagar area to Shandar Market. Police Constable Prashant Barve received information that four to five men were seated inside a BMW car parked in an isolated spot at Shandar Market in Bhiwandi, and that they were carrying weapons.

Barve alerted his senior officials, who rushed to the location. Upon questioning the suspects, the police discovered weapons and other tools typically used for dacoity. The items seized included a car, country-made revolvers, an iron rod, a knife, and other items valued at over ₹17 lakh. The accused were brought to the police station after it was learned that they were preparing to commit a dacoity, which was foiled thanks to the alertness of Constable Barve.

An FIR has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. All four have been arrested and produced in court, where they were remanded to police custody for further investigation.

Vinayak Gaikwad, Senior Police Inspector of Shantinagar Police Station, stated, “We arrested the owner of the BMW car on Saturday night. During the investigation, it was revealed that a bodily offence had already been registered against Shahabuddin a year ago. He was released on bail. Further investigation is ongoing.”

Mumbai: A consumer disputes redressal commission has directed Saudi-based low-cost airline Flynas to pay Rs 1.25 lakh, along with applicable interest, to a passenger for the loss of her baggage. Additionally, the commission ordered the airline to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation for mental agony. The judgment was passed ex parte after Flynas failed to send any representative for the hearing.

The incident occurred in January 2024, when the complainant was flying back to Mumbai from Turkiye via Istanbul. While checking in at Istanbul airport, she handed over five bags to Flynas staff, but noticed that only four were tagged. When she raised the issue, she was handed a physical baggage tag for the fifth bag and reassured it would be sent to her destination along with the others.

However, upon arrival in Mumbai, the fifth bag was missing. Despite repeated attempts to communicate with the airline and locate the luggage, the bag was never found. Frustrated by the airline’s lack of assistance and inadequate response, the passenger approached the consumer commission seeking redressal.

After reviewing the case, the commission found that Flynas employees and officials had acted negligently while approaching the complainant. “The opposite party did not give any conclusive reply to the complaint made by the complainant. The actions of the opposite party in the said incident were not satisfactory,” the panel said in its April order, according to media reports.

The commission further criticised the airline for failing to take basic steps to resolve the issue. It pointed out that Flynas could have easily accessed CCTV footage or conducted an internal investigation to trace the missing bag, but made no visible effort. “The opposite party purposely avoided all the logical actions to find the lost bag,” the order noted.

The commission also referenced international aviation regulations, highlighting that the Montreal Convention of 1999 governs compensation for lost baggage on international flights between ratifying countries. The complainant had followed due legal procedure in filing the case, but the airline chose to ignore the proceedings, despite having prior knowledge. In light of these factors, the commission held Flynas accountable and passed the compensation order in favour of the complainant.

Mumbai, May 31: The opposition Shiv Sena-UBT and Congress in Maharashtra have claimed that there is a major scam in the Thane-Godbunder-Bhayander twin tunnel and elevated road projects estimated together at Rs 14,000 crore.

“Will Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde be removed from the government and an investigation conducted into this scam?” SS-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray said at a press conference while criticising the state government after the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) told the Supreme Court during a hearing on a petition filed by the infrastructure major L&T that both the tenders would be scrapped, and a fresh tender process would be initiated only to safeguard larger public interest.

“I congratulate the court… I also congratulate the contractor L&T. No political interference is needed. I had brought this news to the fore last year also,” Aaditya Thackeray said on Saturday.

“The cost of the twin projects was expected to be Rs 14,000 crore and, on the other hand, the contract process was to be completed in 20 days. There is a short tender notice for landslides, broken walls. But how can there be a short notice for this big project? When they (L&T) went to court, MMRDA said that they are giving a contract period of 60 days instead of 20 days,” he claimed.

“It all started for a favourite contractor. At that time, I didn’t think it would be such a big scam. There was a settlement against the government for a contract. But today’s (court) case has given me confidence that ‘Satyamev Jayate’ will prevail. It was clear that this was a scam. Just because the contract was canceled later on the orders of the court doesn’t mean it wasn’t a scam.

“The ED and IT-D are being pushed aside. I ask the Chief Minister – are you going to investigate the ‘corrupt Nath’ Shinde? He must have taken bribes, given threats. Fadnavis says we need clean governance. Shinde holds the urban development department… he gives orders to commit scams. Will you investigate him? Are you going to expel him?” Aaditya Thackeray questioned.

He claimed that Fadnavis does not need Shinde as Ajit Pawar is with him. “So will the probe be conducted by keeping aside Shinde?” he wondered.

On the other hand, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshwardhan Sapkal claimed that there was corruption of Rs 3,000 crore in the Thane-Godbunder-Bhayander twin tunnel and elevated road projects. He also accused CM Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Eknath Shinde of taking bribes in these projects.

“The matter does not end with the cancellation of the tender by MMRDA as the issue is about corruption. Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde have created a corridor of corruption in the state and there is a circle of state undertakings including MMRDA, MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority), CIDCO (City and Industrial Development Corporation) and SRA (Slum Rehabilitation Authority) for this purpose. This circle of corruption has been quite active since Eknath Shinde became the Chief Minister. For this, favourite officers are appointed and through this, the favourite contractor scheme is implemented,” alleged Sapkal.