Mumbai, July 10: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has launched a major statewide operation to investigate alleged contacts between individuals in the state and Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti, with the agency questioning 112 people identified so far in connection with the case.

According to an official statement by the Maharashtra ATS, teams from all 14 ATS units across the state began the action at around 7 a.m. on Friday. The teams have been visiting the locations of individuals who were allegedly in contact with Bhatti through social media platforms and are questioning them as part of the ongoing investigation.

The ATS said that several locations across Maharashtra are being searched as part of the operation. Searches and enquiries are underway in areas including Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Mira Road, Sangli, Satara and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, among other places.

The agency is examining possible links between the identified individuals and Shahzad Bhatti, who is suspected of allegedly using social media platforms to influence or encourage young people towards anti-national activities. Based on these inputs, the ATS initiated the statewide action to verify the nature of the alleged contacts and gather further information.

The agency is also collecting details related to their communication patterns, online interactions and any possible association with the Pakistan-based gangster.

The ATS has clarified that the investigation is currently underway and further action will be taken based on the findings of the enquiry.

Since the year 2025, the police have busted nine modules handled by Pakistani national Shahzad Bhatti.

This man, who was once a social media influencer has become the latest headache for the security agencies and would continue to remain for some more time as Bhatti is waiting for complacency to set in so that he can strike India.

Bhatti has emerged as the key figure in the modules that have been busted by the police.

While four separate modules relating to Bhatti have been busted by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), five were shut down by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that a clear pattern has been emerging and the Indian agencies are battling a new type of threat. Usually when nine modules are busted back-to-back by specialised agencies, the ones who are in charge tend to pull back.

Mumbai, July 10: Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Friday launched an attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, accusing his government of running a “mobocracy” and executing a “global-standard corruption scandal” in the Mumbai-Pune Expressway ‘Missing Link’ project.

A scathing editorial in the party’s mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ condemned the aggressive language used by CM Fadnavis against the opposition, questioning if the administration plans to physically silence those raising voices against corruption. The editorial alleged a massive Rs 2,500 crore inflation in the budget of the ‘Missing Link’ project, which was built to bypass the ghat sections on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

According to the editorial, the original estimated cost of the 13-kilometre project — comprising two tunnels, an eight-lane road, and two bridges — was Rs 4,797.55 crore. “Even with standard escalations, it should not have crossed Rs 5,500 crore. However, the final expenditure skyrocketed to Rs 7,180 crore,” it said.

The editorial pointed out that the project cost an astonishing Rs 540 crore per kilometre, calling it a “world record in corruption”. The Thackeray camp mocked the quality of work, stating that the project started leaking profusely during the very first rains of the season. “If someone does research on the corruption of this Missing Link, they could easily earn a doctorate from Cambridge or Oxford University,” it remarked.

The editorial heavily criticised CM Fadnavis for allegedly warning the public and opposition by saying, “Questioning our corruption defames Maharashtra. I will deal with those who defame the state.” It slammed the CM for using words like “hired hands” and “dogs” in the Legislative Assembly to describe citizens and opposition leaders who questioned the state’s spending.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena argued that the language of “dealing with” or “seeing to” opponents is the dialect of gangsters, not statesmen. It questioned what exactly CM Fadnavis intends to do to his critics: “Are you going to cut the tongues of those speaking against corruption, or are you going to shoot them down like Karsevaks?”

The editorial alleged that money minted from such corruption is being funnelled into poaching MLAs and MPs. It claimed CM Fadnavis holds no emotional bond with the state, acting instead like “Mughals and the British” whose only policy was to “loot and leave”.

Drawing a sharp contrast between current rulers and past leaders, the editorial noted that Maharashtra has a rich legacy of cultured Chief Ministers. It invoked the memory of the state’s first Chief Minister, Yashwantrao Chavan, praising his wisdom, intellect, restraint, tolerance, and statesmanship.

The editorial highlighted that former Chief Ministers from various parties, including Vasantrao Naik, Vasantdada Patil, Sharad Pawar, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Manohar Joshi, and Uddhav Thackeray, understood the weight of their words and never used the Assembly floor to shield the corrupt or threaten the opposition.

“Today, the state is not being governed; a ‘Champat Rai’ style cabinet is plundering Maharashtra. If CM Fadnavis and his associates think they are flawless, they are mistaken. Their only major achievement has been running a government by purchasing MLAs and MPs for Rs 50 crore each. This is a mockery of democracy,” the editorial concluded.

Mumbai: The path for the implementation of Uniform Civil Code (UCC) has been paved in the state as well and the Chief Minister has approved a 7-member legal drafting committee to ensure the implementation of the uniform law. After this, a 7-member committee has been formed today which will prepare the draft of UCC and present it in the upcoming Nagpur Assembly. Uttarakhand was the first state to implement UCC, now the state of Maharashtra has made progress in implementing UCC.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has formed a 7-member committee in the state assembly today to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state. This committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Justice Ranjana Desai and it has to submit a report within 6 months. This detail was presented by the state assembly here by the state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. He said that the constitution of the country gives the provincial governments the authority to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). On the same line, many states have also approved the draft of the UCC and the UCC has also been implemented here. Along with this, a 7-member committee has been formed in Maharashtra to ensure the implementation of the UCC. After the analytical and study report of this committee, the UCC will be implemented. This report will be presented within a period of 6 months and it is expected to be presented in the upcoming Nagpur winter session. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier announced the formation of a committee regarding the draft of the UCC. The formation of this committee was approved today. And now this committee will present an analytical report related to UCC.