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Maharashtra

Bombay HC rejects Nawab Malik’s plea seeking release from custody

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The Bombay High Court on Tuesday rejected a plea by Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik seeking his release from judicial custody after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged money-laundering case arising out of a tainted land deal around 20 years ago.

Malik, 62, arrested by the ED on February 23, contended the central agency’s arrest and subsequent remand was “illegal”, without jurisdiction and sought setting aside the order of the Special PMLA Court which sent him to ED custody.

His legal team of Rashmikant & Partners argued that the illegal acts of the ED rendered his continued detention illegal and without jurisdiction, entitling him to a writ of habeas corpus and immediate release.

However, a division bench of Justice P.B. Varale and Justice S.M. Modak, which declined Malik’s plea, said that certain debatable issues are raised and which need to be heard at length.

At the hearings, Malik’s lawyer, senior advocate Amit Desai argued that Malik had implicated in the case which was based on statements by persons with no credibility, and the financial transactions alleged against the Minister ranged from 1999 to 2003 to 2005 when the Prevention of Money Laundering Act did not exist.

Desai reiterated that PMLA was applied retrospectively by arresting Malik in a 22-year-old case and sought his immediate release given the present circumstances of the case.

Opposition the plea, ED’s counsel, Additional Solicitor-General Anil Singh questioned the maintainability of Malik’s plea, saying that the remand order was after careful consideration of all material evidence and submissions before the Special PMLA Court, money-laundering was an separate offence on which the Section 45 of the PMLA is applicable, and demanded the plea should be dismissed.

According to the ED, Malik had purchased a property, Goawala Compound in Kurla at a throwaway rate, through the power of attorney holder Sardar Shahawali Khan, currently in jail for the March 12, 1993 serial blasts case, and Salim Patel, a henchman for the late Hasina Parkar, the sister of absconding mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.

Meanwhile, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has vehemently demanded that Malik should resign from Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s ministry or should be sacked.

Maharashtra

We will take initiative on the problems of Mumbai University – Ambadas Danve

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Mumbai: Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Ambadas Danve said that the government will take initiative regarding the vacant posts of teachers in Mumbai University, enrollment of colleges, and pending development works by MMRDA. Today he visited the Kalina campus and took stock of the problems and current situation of the students.

Delay in development works of the university

An agreement was signed between Mumbai University and MMRDA for the beautification of the Kalina campus and construction of buildings for educational purposes. But this work has not been done till now and concerns were raised about the completion of these works.

Issue of safety of students

Every day five to six thousand students visit the Kalina campus, but incidents of attacks on female students are increasing due to outside elements. Also, the Bit Chowki near the main entrance was demolished in the name of widening the road, which increased the threat to the safety of girl students, this issue was raised by Senate member Sheetal Devrukhkar-Sheth.

Issue of cancellation of teacher recruitment

Instead of improving the quality of education, the decision to cancel the teacher recruitment is proving to be harmful for the students, Senate member Milind Satam reported.

Challenge to the international recognition of the university

Despite getting international recognition, the students are facing problems due to the problems of Mumbai University, which is unfortunate, said Ambadas Danve. Students from all over the country and abroad come here to study, so it is important to solve these problems, he said.

Vice Chancellor Dr. Ravindra Kulkarni, Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. Ajay Bhamare, local MLA Vilas Potnis, Senate members Sheetal Devrukhkar-Sheth, Milind Satam, Kisan Sawant, Param Yadav and other dignitaries were present in this meeting.

Danve resolved to raise voice with the government on the problems of the university and play an active role in the interest of the students.

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Maharashtra

‘Water Grid’ project for Marathwada: Gulabrao Patil

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Mumbai: The ‘Marathwada Water Grid’ scheme is being implemented to permanently solve the water shortage in Marathwada and ensure robust water supply. Under this project, 11 major dams of Marathwada will be connected through pipelines and drinking water will be provided to cities and villages across the region. Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Gulabrao Patil gave information about the project and said that this project will provide sustainable water supply to Marathwada.

The cooperation of global level banks will be taken to implement this scheme, Patil said. A review meeting was held with representatives of global banks in the ministry regarding this project. Many important officials including Principal Secretary of Water Supply and Sanitation Department Sanjay Khandare, Member Secretary of Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran Abhishek Krishna, Chief Executive Officer of ‘Mitra’ Praveensinh Pardeshi, Director of Jal Jeevan Mission Abhiyan E Ravindran, and Secretary of Water Resources Department Sanjay Belsare were present in this meeting.

Long-term water supply to Marathwada will be ensured through this project. Along with this, as per the advice of the central government, the project will be set up and implemented by taking loans from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and New Development Bank. The implementation of the project will be coordinated by the ‘Mitra’ institution, as told by Minister Gulabrao Patil.

The ‘Mitra’ institution has taken the initiative to discuss the project further and coordinate with the concerned banks. Patil expressed confidence that the project will significantly help in solving the water problem of Marathwada.

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Maharashtra

The state government is preparing to bring private kindergartens under its control

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Mumbai: The lack of educational facilities, midday meals for children, and proper implementation of government schemes in private schools running in the streets of the state has increased the concern of parents. As a measure against this, the School Education Department has started preparing a new manual to bring private schools under government control.

According to the new National Education Policy, pre-primary education for children between 3 and 6 years of age has been considered important, and it is proposed to include private schools in this policy as well. Currently, many schools running in the streets are running without any manual and are out of the control of the local administration. It has been assured that a suitable educational environment will be created for the children under this new rule of the Education Department.

Under the new regulations, educational curriculum for children will be implemented in the balwadis, along with midday meals and appropriate schemes for the physical and mental development of children. This is expected to provide quality education to the children.

It has not yet been decided which department will control these balwadis – the School Education Department, the Women and Child Welfare Department, and the Integrated Child Development Services Department. However, it is believed that this decision will reduce the anxiety of parents and improve the educational quality of children.

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