Politics
Interim order for ‘Shivling’ protection to continue, suit transferred to district judge: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Friday said its interim order of May 17, directing protection of the ‘Shivling’, which was purportedly discovered during the survey in Varanasi’s Gyanvapi mosque, without impeding the right of Muslims to offer namaz there, would continue, pending disposal of application challenging maintainability of the suit by Hindu parties, and thereafter for a period of 8 weeks.
A bench, headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justices Surya Kant and P.S. Narasimha, said taking in view of complexity of the issues involved in the suit and the sensitivity, the suit before Civil Judge, Senior Division, Varanasi should be tried before a senior and experienced judicial officer of the Uttar Pradesh Higher Judicial Service.
The top court directed the transfer of the case pending before Civil Judge, Senior Division to the District Judge Varanasi for trial.
The top court also asked Varanasi’s District Magistrate to consult with parties to ensure that appropriate arrangements are made for ‘wuzu’ (pre-prayer abolutions).
Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, representing the Committee of Management Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Varanasi, contended that the status quo of 500 years had already changed by sealing the premises and added that the status quo, which existed before, must continue.
Crime
Two arrested for raping minor after taking her on bike trip in MP’s Satna

Satna : Two youths have been arrested for allegedly raping a minor girl in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh after taking her to a secluded area on the pretext of giving her a motorcycle ride, police said on Wednesday.
The incident was reported from the Nai Basti area under the Kolgawan police station limits. The police action followed a complaint lodged by the minor along with her family members.
According to the police, the minor had come in contact with one of the accused, Sanju alias Anshul Sahu (24), through Instagram on July 14. The two subsequently remained in contact through social media and phone calls.
Sahu, a native of Khamhariya in Rewa district, is currently residing in the Hanuman Dhara-Nai Basti area of Satna, police said. On August 17, Sahu allegedly reached the minor’s house along with his friend Sachin alias Vivek Rawat (19). Rawat is a native of Gangev in Rewa district and currently resides in the Hanuman Nagar-Nai Basti area.
The two allegedly took the minor on a motorcycle to Nai Basti, telling her that they were taking her for a ride. Police said Sahu allegedly sexually assaulted the minor at the location.
When she resisted, he allegedly intimidated and threatened her. The accused later dropped the girl back at her home.
“After returning home, the minor narrated the incident to her family members and approached the Kolgawan police station on Tuesday.
Based on her statement, a case was registered and both accused were arrested,” police said.
The police registered a case under Sections 74, 75(1), 64(2)(m), 65(i), 127(2), 351(3) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The investigation into the case is underway, and police are examining the circumstances surrounding the incident and the communication between the accused and the minor before the alleged offence.
Maharashtra
Metro to reach Vasai-Virar, Pune Ring Road East extension to relieve city traffic congestion: Maha CM

Mumbai, Aug 18: In a major push to boost transportation across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and ease severe traffic congestion in Pune, the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Tuesday approved two major infrastructure projects: Metro Line 13 (Mira Bhayander to Vasai‑Virar) and the eastern extension of the Pune Ring Road (Sortapwadi to Varve‑Shivare).
Passing through Thane and Palghar districts, Metro Line 13 (Mira Bhayander to Vasai‑Virar) will be executed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) at an estimated total cost of Rs 17,724.99 crore. The line is 25.03 km long, comprising 21.78 km of elevated tracks and 3.25 km of underground tracks. Out of 16 proposed stations, 13 will be elevated and three underground.
The project includes a 4.92 km integrated double‑decker structure over Vasai Creek connecting Panju Island, featuring a six‑lane (3+3) road alongside the metro line. A metro depot is proposed at Chikhal Dongri. The line will connect key areas including Mira Road, Vasai, Nalasopara, Naigaon, and Virar.
The metro line will seamlessly integrate with the Naigaon, Nalasopara, and Virar suburban railway stations, while offering an interchange with Metro Line 9 at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Stadium. Feeder bus services are planned at all stations. The project requires 24.84 hectares of land acquisition and is scheduled for completion within five years from approval.
CM Fadnavis instructed officials to complete land acquisition and access road construction within the next six months. Daily ridership on Metro Line 13 is projected to reach approximately 4.49 lakh passengers by 2031.
The project is expected to cut travel time by 50 pc compared to road transport, reduce private vehicle usage and highway congestion, lower carbon emissions, and strengthen connectivity between industrial, logistics, and suburban centres.
Further, to mitigate traffic congestion in Pune, the government granted administrative approval for the revised cost proposal of Rs 10,502.36 crore for the eastern extension of the Pune Ring Road. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will implement the project.
A 31.805 km access‑controlled expressway will stretch from Sortapwadi (Valti) on the Pune‑Solapur Road to Varve Budruk (Shivare) on the Pune‑Satara Road. The project aims to divert interstate and intrastate transit traffic away from Pune city limits to ease urban bottlenecks.
Once integrated, the entire 168.981 km Ring Road network will form a continuous access‑controlled bypass. Land acquisition is 80 pc complete, with project completion targeted for June 2029. The expressway will feature six lanes (three on each side) with a design speed limit of 120 km/h.
Key structural features include one interchange, three major bridges, five minor bridges, 18 elevated structures or flyovers, and four tunnels, along with roadside afforestation and landscaping at interchanges, said the government release.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: ANC Worli unit raids Bandra, arrests Bihari auto-rickshaw drug smuggler with 10 kg hashish

Mumbai: Anti-Narcotics Cell has claimed to have arrested a Bihari rickshaw driver-drug smuggler who was running a drug trafficking network in Mumbai. The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) received information about a 31-year-old Bihari rickshaw driver that a drug smuggler from Mumbai was going to come here to buy and sell drugs, on the basis of which the ANC Worli unit laid a trap and arrested a suspect from Bandra. When he was searched, 10 kilograms of drugs worth Rs 10 crore were recovered from his possession. The above accused had come here to sell drugs in Mumbai. After his arrest, the ANC has become involved in tracing his associates and drug network. He also has three children and is a resident of Bihar, so the police are investigating every aspect related to his connection to Bihar and Mumbai. This operation has been carried out by ANC DCP Pranima Chogle on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti.
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