National News
Charge sheet can’t be equated with an FIR for free public access: SC

The Supreme Court on Friday junked a PIL seeking free public access to charge sheets filed by police departments and investigative agencies – CBI and ED — saying that a charge sheet is not a public document.
It emphasised that if charge sheets are put on the public domain, then it will be contrary to the scheme of the Criminal Procedure Code and may also violate the rights of the accused as well as the victim and/or even the investigating agency.
A bench of Justices M.R. Shah and C.T. Ravikumar said: “Putting the FIR on the website cannot be equated with putting the charge sheets along with the relevant documents on the public domain and on the websites of the state governments.”
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing petitioner Saurav Das, cited the apex court decision Youth Bar Association of India case, where it directed copies of FIRs to be published within 24 hours of their registration on the police websites or on the websites of the state governments.
In connection with publication of FIRs, the bench said this direction was passed looking into the interest of the accused and so that the innocent accused are not harassed and they are able to get the relief from the competent court and they are not taken by surprise.
“Therefore, the directions issued by this court are in favour of the accused, which cannot be stretched to the public at large so far as the charge sheets are concerned,” said Justice Shah, who authored the judgment on behalf of the bench.
Bhushan had cited the scheme of the Code of Criminal Procedure, particularly Sections 207, 173(4) and 173(5) to support his case. He vehemently argued that as per the aforesaid provisions when a duty is cast upon the investigating agency to furnish the copy of the challans/charge sheets along with all other documents to the accused, the same also should be in the public domain to have the transparency in the working of the criminal justice system.
The bench said the relief which is sought in the present writ petition directing that all the challans/charge sheets filed under Section 173 Cr.P.C. shall be put on public domain/websites of the state governments shall be contrary to the scheme of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Citing CrPC sections, the bench added that the investigating agency is required to furnish the copies of the report along with the relevant documents to be relied upon by the prosecution to the accused and to none others.
“Therefore, if the relief as prayed in the present petition is allowed and all the charge sheets and relevant documents produced along with the chargesheets are put on the public domain or on the websites of the state governments, it will be contrary to the scheme of the Criminal Procedure Code and it may as such violate the rights of the accused as well as the victim and/or even the investigating agency,” said the bench.
Citing Section 74 of the Indian Evidence Act, Bhushan argued that charge sheets were “public documents”, which can be accessed.
Dismissing the petition, the bench said: “Documents mentioned in Section 74 of the Evidence Act only can be said to be public documents, the certified copies of which are to be given by the concerned police officer having the custody of such a public document. Copy of the charge sheet along with the necessary documents cannot be said to be public documents within the definition of public documents as per Section 74 of the Evidence Act.”
National News
Thane, South Mumbai & Eastern Suburbs To Face 10% Water Cut From October 7 To 9 | Check If Your Area Is Affected

Mumbai, Thane: Residents across Thane and several parts of Mumbai are set to experience a 10 per cent reduction in water supply as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) undertakes the upgradation of electricity meters at the Pise and Panjrapur power stations. The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) confirmed that the cut will be in effect from Tuesday, 7 October to Thursday, 9 October 2025.
Out of Thane’s total water supply, 85 million litres per day (MLD) comes from BMC’s sources. The ongoing electrical work is expected to impact multiple areas across Thane and Mumbai during the three-day maintenance period.
According to the Thane Municipal Corporation, the areas that will face reduced water supply include Kopri Dhobighat, Kopri Kanhaiya Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Anand Nagar, Indiranagar, Bhatwadi, Tekdi Bangla Water Tank, Gavdevi (Luiswadi) Water Tank, Balkum Pada No.1, Ambedkar Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Kajuwadi, Jijamata Nagar, Jai Bhavani Nagar, Dnyaneshwar Nagar, Ambika Nagar, Karwalo Nagar, Shivshakti Nagar, Janata Slum, Padval Nagar, Shivaji Nagar, Kisan Nagar No.1, Kisan Nagar No.2, Ramchandra Nagar 1, Sainath Nagar, Namdev Wadi, Raghunath Nagar, Luiswadi, Hajuri, Pachpakhadi, and Naupada.
The civic body has appealed to residents to store enough water beforehand and use it judiciously throughout the period to avoid inconvenience. Authorities have also urged the public to cooperate while the upgrade work is completed.
The BMC announced that parts of South Mumbai and the eastern suburbs will also experience a 10 per cent water cut between October 7 and 9. The work includes upgrading 100 kilowatt (KW) electrical meters at the Pise and Panjrapur water treatment facilities in Thane. Maintenance activity will take place daily from 12.30 pm to 3 pm, which is expected to affect supply in several zones temporarily.
A Ward: Fort, Colaba, Marine Drive, Nariman Point
B Ward: Masjid Bunder, Mohd. Ali Road, Dongri, Bhendi Bazar
E Ward: Byculla, Agripada, Nagpada, Dockyard Road, Reay Road
F-South Ward: Parel, Lalbaug, Hindmata, Lower Parel
F-North Ward: Matunga, Sion
M-East Ward: Chembur East, Govandi, Mankhurd, Trombay, Cheeta Camp, Deonar Municipal Colony, Anushakti Nagar
M-West Ward: Chembur West
L Ward: Kurla East
N Ward: Vikhroli, Ghatkopar
S Ward: Bhandup, Nahur, Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli East
T Ward: Mulund
Both civic bodies have requested residents to plan their water usage carefully and avoid wastage during the maintenance period. Supply is expected to return to normal from Friday, 10 October 2025.
Business
PM Modi to inaugurate India Mobile Congress 2025 on October 8

New Delhi, Oct 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025, Asia’s premier telecom and technology event, on October 8 in the national capital, Ministry of Communications said on Monday.
The four-day mega event, themed “Innovate to Transform,” will run till October 11 and is expected to showcase India’s growing leadership in the global digital and telecom space.
Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia visited the IMC 2025 venue to review the final preparations ahead of the Prime Minister’s inauguration.
Scindia also travelled to the venue and back via the Airport Metro, symbolising India’s push for modern and sustainable urban transport.
During his visit, the minister toured the exhibition area, interacted with participating startups and exhibitors, and chaired review meetings with senior officials from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), and other partner agencies.
Speaking to the media, Scindia said that IMC 2025 would mark a new era in global connectivity, where technologies like 5G, 6G, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), the Internet of Things (IoT), and satellite communications would come together to shape the future.
He emphasised that the event reflects Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a self-reliant and innovative India that connects not only within but also with the world.
IMC 2025 is expected to attract more than 1.5 lakh visitors, 7,000 delegates from over 150 countries, and 400 exhibitors spread across 4.5 lakh square feet.
The event will also feature over 1,600 technology demonstrations and 100 sessions with more than 800 speakers discussing the latest developments in telecom and digital innovation.
Highlighting the scale of the event, Scindia said that IMC has grown from being a national platform to becoming a global technology congress that represents India’s digital leadership.
He added that the 2025 edition will include six major global summits — covering 6G research, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, satellite communications, startups, and the Global Startup World Cup — India Edition.
The minister also underlined India’s achievements in the telecom sector, noting that the country now ranks among the world’s top three digital economies with 1.2 billion mobile subscribers, 970 million internet users, and the fastest-ever 5G rollout completed in just 22 months.
Crime
Mumbai Crime: 51-Year-Old Advocate Loses ₹2 Crore In Sextortion; FIR Filed

Mumbai: A 51-year-old advocate from Goregaon West was allegedly defrauded of Rs 2 crore by a 28-year-old woman from Himachal Pradesh who allegedly threatened to file a false rape case against him. The Goregaon police have registered a case against the woman Parul Rana, her parents, sister, and a friend for extortion and defamation.
The advocate Rajeev Ranjan, who filed the complaint on October 3, has represented India as an ambassador at the United Nations, World Trade Organization, G7, BRICS, UNICEF, the Commonwealth, and several other prominent international organisations and summits.
According to the FIR, Ranjan met Rana in May 2024 at his residence through mutual friends, after which they exchanged contact details and social media IDs. In June 2024, while Ranjan was in Geneva for a conference, Rana called him late at night, claiming her relative was unwell and asked for Rs 50 lakh. He transferred Rs 2.5 lakh from his SBI account. Later, when he returned to India, she again sought money under various pretexts, including modelling expenses, and he gave her Rs 2.5 lakh in person.
Ranjan stated in the FIR that despite informing her that he was married with a daughter, Rana pursued a physical relationship with him. Afterwards, she demanded Rs 10 lakh, of which he paid Rs 5 lakh through a friend’s company account. She later sought more money, including Rs 3 lakh at Mumbai airport and Rs 10 lakh during a stay at his residence with her sister, Nidhi Rana. In July, Ranjan and Rana travelled to Bali, a trip he fully funded.
During the visit, she repeatedly demanded more money, including Rs 20 lakh for unspecified reasons. When he refused, she began threatening him using their private photos, warning that she would file a false rape case if he didn’t comply. Ranjan alleged that Rana’s parents – Harvinder and Meena Rana – her sister Nidhi, and a friend, Konika Verma, joined in the threats, calling him and demanding money. Out of fear, he continued sending money until the total reached Rs 2 crore, most of it in cash.
Later, Rana and her family allegedly contacted Ranjan’s wife, revealing the affair and demanding more money, again threatening legal action if he did not pay. Ranjan later approached the police, who registered a case for extortion, cheating, defamation and criminal conspiracy.
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