As per the directions of the Union Home Minister to break the financial backbone of Mumbai drug smugglers, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has achieved a major breakthrough. The competent authority and administrator in Mumbai under SAFEMA and NDPS Act have confirmed the freezing/attachment of several properties. These properties include 5 bank accounts, 1 immovable property, cash, jewellery, and 2 vehicles, totaling Rs 3,78,24,124. These properties belong to Danish M and his key accomplice, Hina S, an accused in a major drug smuggling case. The case pertains to the seizure of 502 grams of Mephedrone from a carrier named Nitin Ji in Pune on November 18, 2025. Subsequent operations led to the recovery of 839 grams of Mephedrone from the house of Hina S, and his accomplice, M.Z. Sheikh, was also arrested in September 2025. Danish M and Hina S later changed locations and absconded. However, based on close surveillance and intelligence, he was identified at a resort in Goa, from where he was arrested in October 2025. Furthermore, another key associate Sheikh alias Danish Pappi, who was working as a drug distributor in Byculla, Dongri and Nagpada, was arrested on 25 April 2026 while entering Mumbai. The NCB is committed to completely dismantle the drug trafficking network through seizures, arrests, financial investigations and legal action under a comprehensive, 360-degree investigative strategy. Further investigation of the case is underway, and other financial links are also being probed. This action reflects the full commitment of the NCB to dismantle drug trafficking networks and seize their illicit assets. NCB is dedicated to creating awareness along with strict law enforcement in line with the vision of the Government of India of a “Drug-Free India”. NCB has appealed to the citizens to cooperate in the fight against drug trafficking. Anyone can share information related to drug trafficking on MANAS – National Narcotics Helpline (Toll-Free No.: 1933). The identity of the informant will be kept confidential.

New Delhi, May 1: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs on Friday claimed that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has “panicked” before the Assembly election results on May 4 and is looking for an “excuse” for defeat.

The response came after the Bengal CM, on Thursday night, stormed the Sakhawat Memorial Government Girls High School, the venue for a strong-room storing the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) for the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency in South Kolkata and stayed there past midnight, alleging EVM tampering.

BJP national spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain remarked that the Trinamool Congress is “panicking” due to the fear of defeat.

“In panic and confusion, they are going to the strong room. The public has already made its decision. The Bharatiya Janata Party is going to come with full strength,” he told media.

He mentioned that the exit polls too have given an edge to the BJP.

Hussain also echoed: “Trinamool Congress is looking for an excuse. It wants to blame the Election Commission for its defeat.”

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called the Trinamool Congress members as “people belonging to mafia culture”.

He said, “Trinamool has adopted the triple D approach. Denial, Diversion and Drama. They are even threatening people now. The party leaders also abuse the Constitutional establishments like the Election Commission.

Poonawalla referred to a viral video in which Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee is purportedly heard making objectionable remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

He said, “More than the exit polls, his statement is proof that Trinamool is going to exit.”

Bihar BJP President Sanjay Saraogi termed Banerjee’s visit to the strong room as her “frustration”.

“It is coming across as if she (Banerjee) is also losing from Bhabanipur. The kind of activity she is doing, even the law does not approve of that. Panic is clearly visible on her face. People used to call Bihar as ‘Jungle Raj’, but for the past 15 years, there has been ‘Maha Jungle Raj’ in Bengal. People are fed up there,” he said.

About the exit polls, he said: “Most of them have given the BJP an edge, which is why she is more panicked.”

BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said that the losing side seems to have no other “excuse left”.

“After ruling for 15 years, if a party is now doing politics over SIR and strong rooms, what does that indicate? It suggests the party has already accepted defeat and is now searching for some excuse,” he told reporters.

BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal accused CM Banerjee of not taking responsibility for her actions.

“She (Banerjee) has lost the election, and the people have shown her the way out of Bengal, so she is blaming EVMs,” he said.

Pimpri-Chinchwad: Heavy traffic congestion brought vehicular movement to a near standstill on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway on Friday morning, with long queues reported on the Khandala Ghat stretch and in the Lonavala area. Commuters remained stuck for hours, raising fresh concerns over recurring bottlenecks on one of Maharashtra’s busiest highways.

The traffic jam occurred on the day when the much-anticipated Mumbai-Pune Missing Link project was set to be inaugurated. The project is expected to reduce travel time and ease congestion in the Ghat section. However, the situation on the ground told a different story, as vehicles remained stranded even before the formal opening.

Several travellers reported delays of over two hours. Commuters reported that traffic was heavy in both lanes towards Lonavala. After the Lonavala area and the ghat were passed, the traffic congestion situation was better. Visuals from the scene showed long lines of vehicles stretching across the hillside, with no clear signs of traffic easing.

Among those caught in the jam was Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) MP from Baramati, Supriya Sule, who was travelling from Mumbai to Pune. She recorded a video from her car showing the extent of the congestion. In the footage, vehicles can be seen lined up across lanes with little to no movement.

Speaking about the situation, Sule said that people, including children and senior citizens, had been stuck for hours. She noted that from her vantage point in the Ghat, not a single vehicle appeared to be moving. She added that while the view might look scenic, it was causing serious inconvenience to commuters.

Sule said it was unclear whether the inauguration event of the Missing Link project had contributed to the traffic jam. She pointed out that congestion in the Ghat is a daily issue, but the scale of the delay on Friday was severe, with people stranded for nearly two hours without movement.

She also highlighted that such delays have become routine for travellers on this route. According to her, the time taken to cross the Ghat varies widely, sometimes taking just 20 minutes and at other times extending to two hours or more.

Sule urged the government and police authorities to take immediate steps to manage the situation. She called for better traffic control and deployment of additional personnel if needed. She stressed that the issue affects thousands of daily commuters and requires a long-term solution.

Authorities are yet to officially confirm the exact cause of the congestion. However, netizens on social media have claimed that as this is a long weekend due to Labour Day, many people are going to Lonavala and Khandala for a trip. Meanwhile, commuters continue to face delays, underlining the urgent need for effective traffic management on the expressway, especially during peak travel periods.