Maharashtra
Maha ATS lawyers to track Malegaon-2008 blast case hearing
Alarmed by witnesses turning hostile in the Malegaon-2008 blasts case, the Maharashtra government lawyers shall now remain in the Special NIA Court where the trial is being conducted on a daily basis, Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil said here on Saturday.
He told the media persons that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had taken over the case (from the state ATS), but the state government is perturbed at the manner in which several critical witnesses have become hostile in the Special Court.
The significant development came two days after the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally Congress had raised the issue and drawn the attention of the Home Ministry and the ATS.
Congress state Working President M. Arif Naseem Khan had submitted a memorandum to the Additional Director-General of Police and ATS chief Vineet Agrawal urging necessary measures to monitor the case closely.
“We are thankful to Home Minister Walse-Patil for accepting our demand for a team to keep a track on the court proceedings. The presence of the ATS lawyers will help in a free and fair trial,” Khan said in a statement.
An ex-minister, Khan reiterated that the NIA is allegedly ‘weakening’ the Malegaon-2008 case and not pursuing it with ‘honesty and sincerity’.
In his memorandum to the ATS Chief Agrawal, Khan contended that the witnesses turning hostile are invoking the names of Bharatiya Janata Party-RSS leaders to “malign the Maharashtra government and ATS” for gaining political mileage in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections.
The September 29, 2008 (Malegaon 2008) bomb blast was allegedly engineered in this minority-dominated Nashik town by Hindu fundamentalists, killing 6 and injuring over 100 others, during the Ramadan month when Muslims were breaking their fast.
The Maharashtra Police and then the ATS probed the case till 2011 when it was taken over by the NIA, and the trial is going on daily before the Special NIA Court in Mumbai.
Of the 223 witnesses examined, 16 have turned hostile, claiming that the ATS tortured them to give evidence against the accused, said Khan, urging the need for the presence of the ATS in the court to protect the image of the Maharashtra government.
Among the accused in the sensational Malegaon 2008 case are BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Swami Amritananda Dev Teerth, Dayanand Pandey, Lt. Col. Prasad S. Purohit, and others.
Khan said that the ATS was being sought to be tarnished as an ‘anti-Hindu’ agency with the witnesses, allegedly influenced by the accused, deliberately naming BJP-RSS people ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls for political gains.
“The NIA is not prosecuting all the accused with honesty and sincerity. Out of 223 witnesses who deposed so far, 16 important ones have turned hostile and over a 100 more are still left to be examined. These witnesses are crucial and need to be protected. The NIA has not challenged any orders passed in favour of the accused which shows their intentions clearly,” Khan said.
Some of the witnesses in Malegaon 2008 case even went beyond their recorded statement mentioning names like Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but the NIA’s Special Public Prosecutor took no objection, and another witness claimed he was tortured and threatened by the ATS to take names of Yogi and 4 RSS leaders.
Maharashtra
Byculla Redevelopment Site Accident Claims Two Lives

Mumbai: A tragic incident occurred on saturday afternoon at the proposed redevelopment site of Habib Mansion in Byculla (West). During piling work, the ground suddenly caved in, resulting in the death of two labourers on the spot.
Two to three other workers suffered serious injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital. The accident took place at the Sundar Galli stretch between Haines Road and Tank Pakhadi Road, where redevelopment work is being undertaken by Ibrahim Jusab Sopariwala & Others. The project is linked to architects A2 Associates and Rajpurkar Associates, with ZZ Consultants reported as the structural advisors.
Local residents claimed that adequate safety measures were missing at the worksite, raising concerns about negligence. Police and BMC officials have cordoned off the area and launched an investigation.
Authorities said a detailed probe will determine whether safety protocols were violated during the redevelopment work.
Maharashtra
NCB seizes city drugs, sets them on fire

Mumbai: The Mumbai Zonal Unit of the Mumbai Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has disposed of about 1835 kg of Mephedrone along with 341 kg of other substances which were seized from various places in Maharashtra and Delhi. 16 persons were arrested in this case. A thorough investigation into the massive drug seizure led to the arrest of several persons including foreigners from various places, resulting in the elimination of close associates of the drug peddlers with international links.
As per the guidelines prescribed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, a high-level Drug Disposal Committee was constituted comprising Deputy Director General (SWR) of NCB, Additional Director, NCB Mumbai Zonal Unit and Additional Commissioner of Pune Police. The case was reviewed and it was selected to dispose of the drug hoard. Accordingly, all legal conditions were complied with after which the seized drugs along with other chemicals were finally destroyed by incineration in the presence of HLDCC on 14th November 2025 at Maple, Ranjangaon, Pune, Maharashtra.
This significant seizure of drugs followed by disposal of the sub-judices, indicates the continuous efforts of NCB in dismantling organised drug syndicates and targeting drug offenders who pollute the drug ecosystem. The Bureau is steadfast in its mission to protect public health and uphold the vision of “Nisha Mukt Bharat” by 2047.
NCB is firmly committed to ensuring a drug-free society under the guidance of which it has curbed drug trafficking, broken financial nexus and curbed inter-state and international drug syndicates.
Citizens are urged to play their role by reporting any information related to drugs through the MANS – National Narcotics Helpline (Toll Free Number: 1933). The identity of the informants is kept strictly confidential.
Maharashtra
Three men accused of robbing a youth have been arrested The main accused was apprehended in Titwala.

Mumbai: A young man returning home on a motorcycle in the Asalpha area of Ghatkopar was attacked and forcibly robbed by three men who brandished a chopper. A case was registered at the Ghatkopar police station under sections 309(4), 3(5) of the Indian Penal Code, sections 4, 25 of the Indian Penal Code, and sections 37(1) and 135 of the Indian Penal Code.
The complainant, Suraj Mahadev Dethe (24), and his friend, Yash Kamble, were passing near the Home Guard Training Center at approximately 1:30 a.m. on November 12th when three unidentified individuals in a three-wheeled tempo stopped them. The accused, using the chopper as a pointer, assaulted them, abused them, and stole their Honda Dio scooter and mobile phone.
As soon as the case was registered, the Assistant Commissioner of Police and Senior Police Inspector of the Ghatkopar Division inspected the scene. Based on technical and traditional investigations, the accused identified Hussain Aslam Memon, alias Genda. Upon receiving information that he was hiding in the Titwala area, the police apprehended him. During interrogation, he revealed the names of his accomplices – Munna Ramvilas Sharma and Dilshaduddin Sitabuddin Shaikh – who were subsequently arrested.
On November 13, the three accused were produced in court, where they were remanded to police custody until November 17. The investigation also revealed that Genda is a notorious criminal with more than 13 cases registered against him in various police stations.
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