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.
Crime
Thane: 27-Year-Old Man Thrashed By Mob For Objecting To Public Urination In Kalyan

Thane: A 27-year-old man was brutally assaulted by a group of around 15 people after he questioned a drunk man for urinating in a public place near Murbad Road in Kalyan. The shocking incident occurred around 10:30 pm on Friday near Mhaskar Hospital Chowk.
The victim, Kaustubh Mahendra Yerpude, a resident of Murar Bagh, sustained serious injuries after one of the attackers struck him on the head with a beer bottle, causing heavy bleeding.
Kaustubh, who works at an insurance company in Mumbai, was returning home from Kalyan railway station on his two-wheeler along with his friend Sachin Dombe. When their bike stalled near Bhagwan Medical, they pushed it to a nearby repair shop. Exhausted and sweating, Kaustubh stepped into a dark corner near Rohit Wine Shop.
There, he encountered a 35-year-old drunk man urinating in public. When Kaustubh questioned the man’s behaviour, the man became aggressive and slapped him. An argument followed, but the drunk individual left shortly after, only to return with around 15 men, some reportedly under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The group surrounded Kaustubh, verbally abused him, and then began beating him. One man smashed an empty beer bottle on Kaustubh’s head during the attack, as reported. Bleeding and injured, Kaustubh tried to fight back, but was overwhelmed by the mob. The attackers fled the scene after the assault.
This disturbing incident has sparked concern among residents, who are urging the Mahatma Phule Police to take swift and strict action. Citizens are demanding that police immediately check CCTV footage from the surrounding area, identify the attackers, and ensure their arrest without delay.
Maharashtra
Traffic Update: Attention Commuters! Mumbai-Pune Expressway To Be Shut Today Near Bhatan Tunnel; Check Out Timings & Alternate Routes

Mumbai: Due to essential work by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) on the Mumbai-Pune expressway near the Bhatan tunnel, vehicular movement will be completely halted on both carriageways for one hour on Tuesday from 2 PM to 3 PM.
The deputy engineer of MSEDCL, Motiram Rakh, clarified that the task involves installing a feeder and transmission line between the distances of 9.600 km and 9.700 km near Kon village, in Panvel taluka. To facilitate motorists during this interruption, alternative routes have been arranged.
Vehicles traveling from Mumbai to Pune will be redirected from Kalamboli Circle towards JNPT road to reach D-Point at Palaspe junction along NH-48. Additionally, vehicles will be diverted at the Khalapur toll plaza (32.200 km) and at Magic Point (41.200 km).
Vehicles heading from Pune to Mumbai will be rerouted from Shedung exit, allowing them to connect to the Mumbai-Pune highway (NH-48) at the Khopoli exit, enabling continued travel toward their respective destinations.
The traffic notification from the Office of the Additional Director General of Police (Traffic) confirms that all vehicular movement, encompassing both light and heavy vehicles, will be banned between KM 9.500 and KM 10.000 near Kone Bridge during the specified timeframe. The closure will affect traffic in both directions, from Mumbai to Pune and from Pune to Mumbai.
To alleviate anticipated congestion, specific diversions have been proposed:
– For vehicles heading from Mumbai to Pune:
– Utilize the route via Konkanbhumi Circle → JNPT Road → D Point → Palaspe Phata to merge onto NH-48.
– Alternatively, exit at Shedung (KM 20.200) and join NH-48.
– For vehicles from Pune to Mumbai:
– Exit at Khopoli (KM 39.900) and proceed on NH-48 towards Mumbai.
– Exit at Khalapur Toll Plaza (KM 32.500) and use the Pali Bridge route to connect to NH-48.
Re-entry onto the expressway will be allowed at Khalapur Toll Plaza (KM 32.200) and Majik Point (KM 41.700). This advisory, enforced under the Motor Vehicles Act, will remain effective until the completion of the scheduled electricity work, as confirmed by Additional Director General of Police (Traffic) Praveen Salunkhe.
Additionally, on September 16, 2025, another traffic block in the Hadapsar–Dive Ghat segment will occur from 11 AM to 2 PM, necessitating further alternative routes for that section due to road widening activities involving blasting. Commuters are encouraged to plan their journeys to avoid delays during these periods.
Crime
Mumbai: 62-Year-Old Man Arrested For Molesting 19-Yr-Old Woman At Dadar Railway Station

Mumbai: The Dadar Railway Police arrested a 62-year-old man for allegedly molesting a 19-year-old woman while she was alighting at Dadar railway station.
The incident occurred on Saturday at 12.30 p.m. The accused has been identified as Darshankumar Makhan, a resident of Delhi.
According to the police, the victim was travelling with a male friend on a Kalyan–CSMT fast local train in the fourth general compartment from the Kalyan side. As they were getting off at platform number 12, Makhan allegedly touched the woman inappropriately, leaving her scared. She later filed a complaint with the Dadar Railway Police Station.
The police registered an FIR against Makhan under Section 74 (assault or use of criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita the same day and subsequently arrested him.
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