Maharashtra
‘Fight Of Ideologies…Together We Will Win’: Rahul Gandhi Sounds Poll Bugle At Massive Rally In Maharashtra’s Nagpur
Nagpur: Addressing a massive rally under the banner ‘Hai Taiyaar Hum’ on Congress’s 139th foundation day in Maharashtra’s Nagpur on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological mentor RSS as the grand old party gears up for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Rahul highlighted that the upcoming Lok Sabha polls would represent a clash of two distinct ideologies.
“You do not fear anyone…this is a fight of ideologies…together we are going to win elections in Maharashtra and the country,” said Rahul.
Distinguishing ideologies, Rahul stated that the BJP’s ideology revolves around top-down orders, contrasting it with the Congress, where even a party worker can question decisions. He reiterated the Congress ideology, envisioning a country run by the people, emphasising that the fight for independence was not just against the British but also against the collaboration with Rajas and Maharajas.
Sense of enslavement in the BJP: Rahul
He shared insights from a former Congress member now in the BJP, who mentioned the challenges of survival within the BJP. According to the member, there is a sense of enslavement in the BJP, where orders come from the top, leaving little room for dissent.“A BJP MP, who was earlier with the Congress, recently told me that it is difficult to survive in BJP…he told me that …BJP me “gulami chalti hai”… orders come from top and we have no say… we have no choice but to follow the orders”Speaking further at the rally, the Congress leader emphasised that the party aims to empower people, citing examples like the white revolution led by women, the green revolution by farmers, and the IT revolution by youth. He criticised the BJP for benefiting a few billionaires and accused the RSS of taking India back to the pre-Independence era.
Party president, Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking on Congress’s 139th foundation day talked about the commitment to parliamentary democracy and equality. He said, “There are two ideologies in Nagpur. One ideology is progressive, which belongs to Baba Saheb Ambedkar. On the other side is RSS, which is destroying the nation.”
Kharge, along with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, hoisted the national flag at the party headquarters in Nagpur.
Nana Patole likened the Congress ideology to that of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Shahu-Phule-Ambedkar, expressing the intention to oust the BJP, drawing parallels to ending British rule. Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar echoed the call to “Save Congress, save India” at the rally.
Bollywood
John Abraham Says He’s Never Touched Drugs, Urges Students Not To Smoke Or Drink At Navi Mumbai Event
Actor John Abraham recently attended the Nasha Mukt Navi Mumbai program, an anti-drug awareness campaign launched by Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. While addressing the students present, the actor made a surprising revelation, stating that he has never touched drugs in his life. Further, the Pathaan actor urged the students to be role models, good citizens, and to train hard to build strong muscles, setting a positive example.
He said, “I want to say to students, I have personally not touched drugs ever in my life, also no smoking, no drinking, but no drugs is very important. Be very disciplined in life, be a role model to your friends, colleagues. Be a good citizen of Maharashtra, India, and train hard to get some good muscles.”
John further congratulated Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for the initiative. “This is a very important initiative for Maharashtra and the youth of Navi Mumbai,” he added.
On the work front, John was last seen in Vedaa, which was released in 2024. The film also starred Sharvari, Tamannaah Bhatia, Abhishek Banerjee, Ashish Vidyarthi, Kumud Mishra, Rajendra Chawla, Tanvi Malhara, Anurag Thakur and Urvashi Dubey, among others.
The film clashed with Shraddha Kapoor’s Stree 2 and Akshay Kumar’s Khel Khel Mein at the box office on Independence Day, August 15, 2024.
Next, John has Tehran in his pipeline alongside Manushi Chhillar, which is produced by Dinesh Vijan. The film is reportedly based on real-life events on the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Crime
Maharashtra: Nashik Cops Nab Drug Smuggler After Hour-Long Dramatic Car Chase On City Roads
The Nashik City Police on Tuesday shared a dramatic high-speed car chase video on their X handle. According to the police, a drug smuggler was apprehended after an hour-long chase on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.
In their post, the Nashik Police stated that the chase began when a red MH-02 registered car, traveling from Dhule to Navi Mumbai, attempted to breach the Adgaon Stop & Search checkpoint. A total of eight police vehicles were involved in the pursuit, the post added.
The video shared by the Nashik Police shows multiple police vehicles chasing a speeding red car. The red car can be seen evading the police vehicles whenever they got close.
“On suspicion of illegal weapons, narcotics, explosives, or similar prohibited items, the control room was alerted within seconds. Nashik City Police’s eight CR mobiles immediately took action and launched a dramatic chase throughout the city. The suspect driver drove on main roads to avoid capture, but our teams successfully apprehended him using skilled strategy without causing harm to others,” the Nashik Police stated in the post.
“The entire team involved in the chase was honored by the Nashik City Police Commissioner. Special appreciation goes to the alert staff who initiated the immediate pursuit, particularly Bhaurao Gangurde and Balkrishna Pawar!” it added.
The video shared by the Nashik Police has garnered widespread attention on social media, with many users praising the police for their daring attempt to nab the culprit.
Business
Torres Company Scam: ₹1000 Crore Fraud, 1.25 Lakh Investors Duped, Three Arrested, Kingpins Flee To Ukraine, Case Transferred To EOW
Mumbai: A massive investment scam by the foreign-based Torres Jewelry company has left over 1.25 lakh investors defrauded of ₹1,000 crore. The company, which promised high returns on jewelry and diamond investments, has collapsed, with its directors shifting the blame to Indian executives. The Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) has taken over the investigation, and an FIR under the Maharashtra Protection of Depositors Act and various BNS sections has been registered.
Three individuals—Sarvesh Ashok Surve, Tanya Casatova, and Valentina Kumar—have been arrested, while the alleged masterminds, Ukrainian nationals John Carter and Victoria Kowalenko, fled the country. Lookout Circulars (LOCs) have been issued for their arrest. Torres Company launched operations in Mumbai in February 2024, opening a flagship showroom in Dadar and branches in Navi Mumbai, Kalyan, Borivali, and Mira Road. The company offered an alluring investment plan.
Investors purchased jewelry or moissanite diamonds and received official receipts. A digital account and unique customer ID were created for each investor. A weekly return of 6% was promised, amounting to triple the investment value over 52 weeks.
Sarvesh Surve, a local resident with no prior business credentials, was appointed as the director to provide a local face to the foreign venture. Surve’s digital signatures were used for all official documents, while John Carter and Victoria Kowalenko controlled operations from the shadows. Tanya Casatova, an Uzbek national, managed stores, and Valentina Kumar, a Russian citizen married to an Indian, oversaw retail operations.
Police sources revealed that Surve was unaware of the larger conspiracy, making him a convenient scapegoat. Before fulfilling the promised 52-week term, Torres stopped payments in December 2024, citing technical issues. On January 1, 2025, the company abruptly shut down its showrooms.
When irate investors gathered outside the Dadar office on January 6, Tanya and Valentina were confronted and detained by Shivaji Park police. Surve was also arrested. Preliminary investigations estimate that over 1.25 lakh investors were defrauded, based on the highest customer ID numbers issued. The total fraud amount could exceed ₹1,000 crore. Police stations in Shivaji Park, APMC (Navi Mumbai), and Mira Road witnessed long queues of investors filing complaints, with many FIRs registered in just two days.
Authorities are now coordinating with international agencies to apprehend Carter and Kowalenko. Meanwhile, the EOW has urged investors to file complaints to strengthen the case.
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