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Maharashtra

‘Hounded’ by ED, Shiv Sena Dy. Leader flees to Eknath Shinde camp

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 Under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Maharashtra ex-minister and Shiv Sena Deputy Leader Arjun Khotkar announced that he is joining the rebel faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, here on Saturday.

Declaring his intentions at a crowded media conference, Khotkar said that he held detailed discussions with Shiv Sena President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray and Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut on his decision.

“I have explained to them the compulsions – which all are aware – behind my decision, the harassment to my family… I am forced to make certain decisions… And they (Thackeray-Raut) have understood my predicament,” said an emotional Khotkar, without naming the ED.

To a query, he said that when a person is facing a crisis, he will seek protection from somewhere – an indirect indictment of the central agency which is probing him and his family since the past over two years.

On the central agency probe against him, Khotkar reeled off figures of financial deals pertaining to the alleged illegal auction sale of the Jalna Cooperative Sugar Factory Ltd. by the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) and claimed he was innocent.

A couple of days ago, Raut lauded Khotkar for displaying courage and admitting to the harassment by the ED which had compelled him to take the decision (to switch sides to Shinde camp).

Seven months after he was raided in November 2021, last month (June 2022), the ED attached Khotkar’s properties under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the FIR lodged by the Economic Offences Wing of Mumbai Police.

Among other things, the investigators claimed that the sugar mill was fraudulently sold by the MSCB to the relatives or associates of the bank’s officials and directors flouting norms.

Khotkar’s move came after he called on Shinde, another rebel ex-minister Abdul Sattar and a union minister in the past couple of days.

Maharashtra

Lack of general civic amenities in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, rehabilitation should be done after civic amenities are provided to the victims of Dharavi Rehabilitation Project: Abu Asim

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Abu Asim Azmi opposed the development of more waste management for waste disposal in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, Mumbai, in the winter session of Nagpur and said that Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar is a slum area. There is already a dumping ground here. There is also a waste management company, which is causing a lot of problems to the citizens. Pollution has increased due to waste disposal. The air here is toxic. On the one hand, a dumping ground is being shifted from Malind and a golf course is being built, and on the other hand, the residents of the slums of Dharavi are being rehabilitated here. There is a lack of civic amenities in Govindi. Until schools, colleges, grounds and religious places, mosques, temples and other places of worship are built, no one should be rehabilitated here. Along with this, the dumping ground and other waste management companies should be removed from here. There is already a waste management company here. Now more such companies are destroying human life. It should be banned immediately, this demand was made by Azmi.

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Crime

Mumbai Professor Seeks Anticipatory Bail After Molestation Case, Claims Mental Illness And Attempt To Tarnish Image

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Mumbai: A guest professor, booked for molesting female students at the annual function of St. Xavier’s College in south Mumbai, has approached the sessions court for an anticipatory bail, claiming he is suffering from a mental ailment and the case had been lodged to ruin his image. The court has reserved the plea for order next week.

As per the FIR lodged with the Azad Maidan police station, the professor was invited at an event of National Hindi Parishad, held on November 24, wherein he allegedly sexually harassed nine students and one retired teacher. It is claimed that he exhibited obscenity during the festival.

While seeking protection from the arrest, the professor has claimed he is suffering from depression and other health issues, and has on several occasion attempted to commit suicide. He claimed he is currently admitted in the hospital due to his mental ailment. The professor claimed he is ready to appear before the officer through video conferencing after he is discharged from the hospital.

The plea was opposed by the prosecution on the ground that from the statements taken from the victim women, the accused appears to be of “a perverted nature”, and the possibility of him behaving indecently with other women cannot be ruled out. The police have also raised an apprehension of communal tension as the accused and the victims are of different religions.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Accused wanted in Kurla Methi River irregularities arrested, accused of cheating crores of rupees and creating fake AMU

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Mumbai: Economic Wing AOW has claimed to have arrested the wanted accused and contractor in the case of Mithi Nadi cleanliness and irregularities. The AOW has arrested the absconding wanted Sunil Shyam Narayan SM Infrastructure, Mahesh Madhav Rao Purohit. During the investigation of the Mithi Nadi contract and irregularities worth crores of rupees, the police had registered a case. Earlier, three accused were arrested. According to the EOW, from 2013 to 2023, fake MAUs were prepared and bills worth crores of rupees were approved in collusion with BMC officers. A proposal to purchase a machine to remove garbage from 2021 to 2024 was also approved and under the guise of the same, a fraud of crores of rupees was committed for cleaning the garbage. In this case, the police have arrested the accused agents Ketan Kadam, Jay Joshi and Mithi Nadi contractor Sher Singh Rathore. By preparing fake documents, the accused also prepared fake AMUs and also signed fake signatures. The accused were produced in court and remanded in custody until December 16.

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