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Maharashtra

Losing cool over criticism, Shinde-Fadnavis govt slaps cases against Sena (UBT) leaders

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Under siege from the continuous onslaught of the Opposition Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), several of its leaders have been targeted with police cases by the government of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.

Among them are a Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant, a deputy leader Sushma Andhare and MLA Bhaskar Jadhav, besides other leaders, following complaints by Dattaram Gavas, an activist of Shinde’s Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena.

Sawant has been booked for ridiculing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane whom he referred to as ‘kombdi chor’ (chicken thief) at a public rally in Thane this week, ruffling feathers.

Jadhav has been slapped with a case for aping Shinde’s style of reading out a prepared speech at his October 5 Dussehra Rally in Bandra Kurla Complex.

Andhare, has also been booked — for mimicking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promises of giving employment to two crore youths — at a Thane meeting.

In a statement on the October 9 meeting, the Naupada Police Station (Thane) has named other local level leaders and activists like Anita Birje, Madhukar Deshmukh, Sachin Chavan, and Dharmarajya Party’s Rajan Raje.

Accordingly, the police have charged them under various sections of Indian Penal Code for inflammatory speech, using objectionable language, attempts to incite passions and sullying the image of CM Shinde, etc.

Sena (UBT) leaders have cried foul over the police action, terming it as a ‘political vendetta’ intended to “silence and destroy the Opposition”.

Senior farmers leader of the Sena (UBT) Kishore Tiwari said that the Shinde-Fadnavis government is “selectively targetting” party’s leaders who raise their voice against the regime to demoralise the party rank-and-file.

“Does the government have the courage to throw them in jail like other Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders? How many Opposition leaders will they imprison… This is blatant misuse of power and harassment of those who oppose them,” said Tiwari grimly.

Condemning the development, Nationalist Congress Party Chief Spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said that “the validity of this (Shinde-Fadnavis) government is still pending before the Supreme Court”, and the Opposition leaders have a fundamental right to criticise the government’s shortcomings.

“Under such circumstances, such police actions are anti-democracy and the government is trying to brow-beat the Opposition and silence them from speaking out,” Tapase added sharply.

Strongly flaying the police cases, veteran Sena (UBT) union leader Dr. Raghunath Kuchik said that the Shinde-Fadnavis government has “crossed all limits of political decency” by targeting political opponents.

“When the BJP was in the Opposition, they used foul language against the Maha Vikas Aghadi CM (Uddhav Thackeray), other ministers and party leaders, but we did not hound them with flimsy cases… The government should withdraw these police cases,” demanded Dr. Kuchik.

Congress state G.S. Sachin Sawant said this was another example of how the BJP muzzles the Opposition parties all over India.

“Although the language used by the BJP leaders is extremely derogatory and abusive, no action is taken against them. Two sets of laws are vividly seen currently, one for the bjp leaders and the other for the opposition which is extremely unfortunate,” rued Sawant.

An unfazed Andhare said that if speaking the truth is an offence, then she was ready to face all the consequences of the police case lodged against her, but would continue to raise her voice against any injustice to the people.

Though both Andhare and Jadhav said they had received no communication from the police, they said whatever they spoke is in the public domain, even as the Thane Police continues its probe.

Earlier, Thane MP Rajan Vichare had alleged that the police were under pressure from CM Shinde and even people who attended Thackeray’s Dussehra Rally (October 5) at Shivaji Park last week were being served notices or facing cases.

Crime

Mumbai: 11 Months On, No Action Against Cops Who Planted Drugs On Innocent Man In Kalina

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Mumbai: There has been no significant progress in the drug planting incident in Kalina involving four police personnel, even after almost 11 months.

The Vakola police have neither taken any action against the four accused police personnel, nor have they filed the chargesheet or properly recorded eyewitness statements. They have also not added additional NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) sections to the case, applying only bailable sections instead. As a result, the accused were granted anticipatory bail.

About The Case

On August 30, 2024, four policemen allegedly planted drugs in the pocket of 31-year-old Dylan Estbeiro, an innocent man working at a livestock farm in Kalina, Santacruz East. The entire incident was captured on CCTV, exposing the four police personnel.

The incident dates back to August 30, 2024, when PSI Vishwanath Omble and three constables – Imran Shaikh, Sagar Kamble, and Yogendra Shinde (also known as Dabang Shinde) – in plain clothes from the Khar police station visited Shahbaz Khan’s livestock farm in Kalina, Santacruz East, where Dylan Estbeiro was working. They allegedly frisked Dylan and planted 20 grams of mephedrone in his pocket during a staged search, later accusing him of drug possession.

The entire incident was captured on CCTV, which was later reviewed and shared publicly by Shahbaz Khan. Following the release of the footage, Dylan was released by the Khar police. The video sparked public outrage, prompting then-Deputy Commissioner Raj Tilak Roushan to suspend all four officers on August 31. Nearly three and a half months after the incident, the case was filed under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

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Crime

Mumbai Crime News: Father, Brother-in-Law Booked Under POCSO For Sexually Assaulting Minor Girl; One Arrested

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The Sewree Police have registered a case against the victim’s father and brother-in-law under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and rape charges for sexually abusing a minor girl. While the police have arrested the brother-in-law, the father remains absconding after the case was filed. Authorities are conducting a search for the accused.

The victim, a 16-year-old girl, alleged in her complaint that in April 2024, her father covered her face with a cloth while she was sleeping at home and sexually assaulted her. He also threatened to kill her mother if she disclosed the incident, leaving the victim too terrified to speak out. Later, in March (year unclear—needs verification), when the girl was alone at home, the accused allegedly molested her again.

After the victim recently approached the police, a case was filed under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for rape and the POCSO Act. The brother-in-law has been arrested, while the father is still at large.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai News: KEM Hospital Deploys Anti-Flooding Workers After Bombay HC Rap Over Waterlogging In Paediatric Ward

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Mumbai: After Bombay High Court pulled up BMC-run KEM hospital in Parel for water logging in its pediatrics section, the hospital administration for the first time has deployed workers for anti-flooding measures.

Anti-Flooding Workers Deployed Since Mid-June

“The deployment of works started from mid-June. Per shift five workers are on anti-flooding duty. While storm water drains department has also two dewatering pumps. In total six pumps are installed,” an official from KEM hospital told the FPJ.

May 26 Rainfall Caused Paediatric Waiting Area Flooding

Due heavy downpour on May 26, the waiting area of the hospital’s paediatric department witnessed waterlogging, risking the patients treatment and their family members too who were seen waiting in the corridor with ankle-deep water.

However, the hospital administration claimed that it was ‘water accumulation’ and not water logging. Fortunately, the department’s services were not majorly affected.

Following this incident, the Bombay High Court expressed serious concern and directed the BMC to urgently inspect the hospital and suggest remedial measures. The court heard the matter following media reports highlighting patients sitting in ankle-deep water inside the hospital premises.

HC Expressed Serious Concern Over Hygiene

“This is a hospital. There has to be hygiene. Management cannot allow this to happen inside hospital premises. This cannot become a recurring situation. KEM was once among the top hospitals in India,” the court observed.

Labourers Hired for Daily Drain Cleaning

“There are rare incidents when water accumulate in the hospital premises. The city experience very heavy rainfall on May 26, quite early the usual arrival of monsoon. However, we have implemented anti-flooding measures to ensure such incidents is not repeated. The labourers are hired on monthly basis and deployed to clean drains everyday. The dewatering pumps are installed near by the pediatrics department specially.

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