Nagpur, March 18: After violent clashes between two groups, curfew has been imposed in ten police station limits in Maharashtra’s Nagpur, officials said on Tuesday.

The areas fall in the police station jurisdictions of Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, Lakadganj, Pachpaoali, Shantinagar, Sakkardara, Nandanvan, Imamwada, Yashodhara Nagar and Kapil Nagar.

The city Police Commissioner Dr Ravinder Kumar Singhal issued an order which said that the curfew, which has been imposed since midnight, will remain in force until further orders.

The police have been given the power to block roads in the affected areas to maintain law and order. Anyone violating the curfew will be punishable under Section 223 of the Indian Penal Code.

“The situation is calm at present. A photo was burnt, after which people gathered. We tried to disperse this crowd. We have also taken action in this regard. Action will be taken against the accused,” said the police commissioner.

The police have appealed to the citizens to cooperate with them in the restoration of peace, law and order.

The police sources said that they have launched a massive combing operation and so far detained 50 people allegedly involved in stone pelting, vandalism and attack on police and fire brigade personnel. A large contingent of police, SRPF and RAF personnel have been deployed. More than a dozen policemen, including the deputy commissioner of police, were injured.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who has been constantly monitoring the situation, has already appealed to the people to cooperate with the police to maintain law and order and peace. He has also urged the Nagpur citizens not to believe in rumours and not to take the law into their own hands. “Nagpur is a peace-loving city and participates in each other’s happiness and sorrow. In such a situation, do not believe in any rumours, and cooperate with the administration,” he said.

“Whatever has happened in Nagpur’s Mahal area is very inappropriate. It is very wrong for a crowd to gather and throw stones like this. I request all the people of Nagpur to follow law and order. Nagpur city is a city where people will live in harmony. Therefore, no one should disturb the peace. I myself am keeping a close eye on the situation,” he said. “I have clearly told the Nagpur Police Commissioner that strict action should be taken against those who are indulged in violence,” he added.

The chief minister has warned that “If anyone is attacking the police, it will be taken very seriously. Therefore, I request everyone to maintain peace.”

Meanwhile, the opposition has slammed the state government over Monday’s violent clashes in the city. Shiv Sena UBT legislator Aaditya Thackeray sais on his X handle, “The law and order of the state has collapsed like never before. Nagpur, the home city of the CM and Home Minister, is facing this.”

Mumbai: In a relief for Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and managing director Rajesh Adani, the Bombay High Court on Monday discharged them in a case of alleged violations of market regulations amounting to nearly Rs 388 crore observing that no case of cheating or criminal conspiracy was made out.

In 2012, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) initiated a case against Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL) and its promoters, Gautam Adani and Rajesh Adani. It filed a chargesheet accusing them of criminal conspiracy and cheating.

Later, in 2019, Gautam Adani and Rajesh Adani approached the High Court, seeking to quash a sessions court order from the same year that refused to discharge them from the case. In December 2019, the High Court granted an interim stay until January 13, 2020, which was subsequently extended from time to time.

Justice RN Laddha discharged the two industrialists saying that after evaluating the submissions and the records it is “evident that the complaint fails to satisfy the essential ingredients of the offence of cheating”. The judge said that when the offence of cheating itself is not made out then even the charge of criminal conspiracy becomes unsustainable.

In a detailed order, the HC said: “A fundamental requirement for an offence under section 420 of the IPC (cheating) is the presence of an element of deception, which leads to the victim suffering from loss while the accused gains wrongfully.” It added that in the present case, there is a “conspicuous absence” of any such allegations from an affected party, it added.

“Merely by asserting that the accused has made a wrong gain without demonstrating the corresponding wrongful loss or deception suffered by a specific victim does not suffice to attract the offence of cheating,” the court underlined.

The court turned down SFIO’s request to stay the order to allow them the approach the Supreme Court.

The SFIO had filed a chargesheet in 2012 against 12 accused, including the Adani’s, for allegedly providing funds and shares to Ketan Parekh to facilitate illegal activities in the capital market. They were accused of cheating and criminal conspiracy. However, a local magistrate discharged them from the case in May 2014.

Following an appeal by the SFIO, the sessions court, on November 27, 2019, set aside the magistrate’s order. The sessions court observed that the SFIO had prima facie established a case of “unlawful gain” by the Adani Group promoters and Parekh, amounting to approximately Rs388 crore and Rs151 crore, respectively.

The Adani’s approached the High Court against this order, claiming that the sessions court’s decision was “arbitrary and illegal.” Their plea contended that “except for bald and general allegations of criminal conspiracy, no offence of cheating is disclosed against the petitioners, and the allegations are groundless.”

The case involved allegations of market regulation violations amounting to nearly Rs 388 crore. It stemmed from concerns over regulatory compliance and financial transactions flagged during an investigation.

Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has arrested Arunachalam Nathan Muruthovar (age 62), a wanted accused in the New India Cooperative Bank (NICB) embezzlement case. Arunachalam, who was absconding for the last one month, surrendered at the Economic Offences Wing office in Mumbai this morning.

It is alleged that Arunachalam Muruthovar had received around Rs 30 crore from the misappropriated funds of NICB from the main accused Hitesh Mehta. The EOW had deployed several teams in various parts of India while Arunachalam was absconding.

After the surrender, Arunachalam Muruthovar was arrested and produced in the court. The court sent him to police custody till March 18 for further investigation.

Further investigation in the case is underway. So far 6 accused have been arrested. The EOW has also claimed progress in the investigation in this case.