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Bombay HC Summons BJP MP Narayan Rane On Shiv Sena (UBT) Leader Vinayak Raut’s Election Corruption Plea

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Bombay HC Summons BJP MP Narayan Rane On Shiv Sena (UBT) Leader Vinayak Raut's Election Corruption Plea

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday issued summons to BJP MP Narayan Rane on a petition filed by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vinayak Raut seeking cancellation of Rane’s election from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha constituency. Raut’s plea alleged that the MP and his campaign workers had resorted to “corrupt and illegal practices” to secure a win.

Raut’s plea alleged that the MP and his campaign workers had resorted to “corrupt and illegal practices” to secure a win.

Justice Sarang Kotwal issued summons (notice) to Rane and sought his reply to Raut’s plea. The HC has kept the matter for hearing on September 12.

Elections for the Ratnagiri- Sindhudurg constituency were held on May 7 and the results were declared on June 4. Rane was declared as the winning candidate with 4,48,514 votes. Raut secured 4,00,656, losing the election by a margin of 47,858 votes.

The plea filed through advocate Asim Sarode has sought that the Election Commission of India (ECI) be directed to conduct fresh / re-election for the said constituency. Till the final order, the plea has sought that Rane be restrained from acting as an MP.

Raut has claimed that a video has surfaced that shows Rane’s supporters distributing money to voters by showing them an EVM and asking them to vote for Rane. The plea has sought that an independent committee be constituted to probe the video.

As per the Representation of People Act, 1951, the campaign activities are to be halted 48 hours before elections, however, Rane’s workers were found campaigning even on the day before the elections which is in “clear violation of statutory provision”, the plea added.

Raut had filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra on May 16 claiming that “corrupt practices, such as intimidating and bribing voters, are violation of the model code of conduct”. As the state Chief Electoral Officer did not look into his complaint, he approached the high court.

The plea has alleged that Rane’s son, MLA Nitesh Rane, allegedly threatened voters at a public meeting on April 13. “It was a direct threat to voters and disturbed the free and fair election process,” the plea contended.

Maharashtra

Thief who came from Mumbai and committed several thefts arrested

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Mumbai: Police have claimed to have arrested a thief who committed theft in the limits of Milind police station, against whom several cases of theft and burglary are registered in Mumbai. Mumbai Zone 7 DCP Vijay Kant Sagare, while addressing a press conference here, said that the accused came to Mumbai by flight with the intention of stealing and broke into several 5 houses.

Theft cases are registered against him in Nehru Nagar, Milind, Alwaye, Navi Mumbai. One and a half lakh silver ornaments weighing two kg, totaling Rs 15 lakh have been seized. Cases of stalking are also registered against the criminal Rajesh in Dombivali, Vishnu Nagar, Vishai, Vitthalwadi, Manpara, Pan police stations.

The accused told that he came to Mumbai from Varanasi by plane on March 13, 2025 and robbed five houses in 15 days.

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Maharashtra

Struggle Against Land Mafia in Waqf Properties: New Amended Bill Adds to the Challenges

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New Delhi : In the ongoing battle to protect Waqf properties and ensure their benefits reach the deserving, land mafias, encroachers, and illegal groups were already a major hurdle. Now, the government’s newly amended bill has emerged as another significant challenge. Advocate Dr. Syed Ejaz Abbas Naqvi has strongly criticized this move and demanded immediate reforms. He stated that the primary objective of Waqf was to benefit the needy, but unfortunately, this objective has completely failed. On the other hand, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the largest Sikh religious organization, has been actively involved in the welfare of its community for decades. As a result, the Sikh community has nearly eradicated beggars and human rickshaw pullers.

Illegal Encroachments and Misuse of Waqf Lands Exposed :
According to Dr. Naqvi, Waqf properties have suffered the most due to unlawful encroachments by vested interest groups. The most unfortunate fact is that many Waqf lands were originally donated for the shrines (Dargahs) of Syed families, but they have been grossly misused. He revealed that a well-known individual shamelessly sold an acre of prime Waqf land on Mumbai’s Altamount Road for just 1.6 million rupees, a blatant violation of Waqf principles and laws.

Demand for a Stricter Amendment in Section 52 :
Dr. Naqvi has called on the government to take strict action against those who illegally sell Waqf properties. He has urged for an immediate amendment to Section 52 of the Waqf Act to introduce

capital punishment or life imprisonment* for unauthorized Waqf land sellers. This issue is a major setback for those fighting to safeguard Waqf properties, who are already battling corrupt elements and illegal land grabbers. It remains to be seen whether the government takes these concerns seriously and enacts effective legislation to protect Waqf lands.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Cleanup Marshal and Swachh Mumbai campaign ended, fine collection from citizens also stopped, BMC helpline number released

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Mumbai: Mumbai BMC has abolished the clean-up marshal policy, after which now the clean-up marshal has disappeared from the streets of the city. The Municipal Corporation has completely banned the clean-up marshal and the Swachh Mumbai Mission has been stopped. This means that now no clean-up marshal will be able to force citizens to pay fines or take any other punitive action. After complaints against clean-up marshals, Mumbai BMC has decided to stop and suspend the service of clean-up marshals from today.

The Solid Waste Management Department of Mumbai Municipal Corporation, under the Department of Garbage and Sanitation, oversees public cleanliness in Mumbai and the ‘Swachh Mumbai Mission’ has been closed from April 4, 2025. However, the Municipal Corporation administration has appealed to the citizens that if any fine has been imposed on them despite this, then they can complain about it. Complaints regarding cleanup marshals can be made to the divisional control room of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation at 022-23855128 and 022-23877691 (extension number 549/500).

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