Maharashtra
Maha power bills arrears – Central/State Ministers, MPs/MLAs equal sinners!
As Maharashtra reels under a heat wave, coal shortages, and resources crunch with over Rs 76,000 crore in unpaid power bills, it has emerged that even VVIPs and politicians across the political spectrum have blatantly defaulted in clearing their electricity consumption dues.
While some have piled up bills worth lakhs of rupees, others have small amounts – but that also remain unpaid for years or decades, shocking the departments and officials concerned.
Among the powerful ones who have yet to clear their power consumption bills are Union and State Ministers, their families, MPs, MLAs from various political parties and certain organisations linked to them.
The revelations come against the backdrop of the Andhra Pradesh power distribution companies admitting before the Andhra Pradesh High Court this week that they are unable to pay monthly bills of power plants since January 2022.
The AP discoms also requested for a one-year time to pay up their dues – against the high court’s order of March 15 to clear the outstanding within 6 weeks – as they are unable to arrange funds/loans from anywhere.
In the Maharashtra case, a total of 372 VVIP consumers and some organisations, spread across 36 districts, together owe the government an amount of Rs 1.27 crore, for electricity consumption at their residential or commercial premises.
“The question is not about the amount that is pending from them… Its also about how they have not paid up for many years even if the dues are very small, and the kind of example such VVIPs set among the common masses,” rued an official, requesting anonymity.
Contacted by IANS, Power Minister Dr. Nitin Raut declined to comment on the VVIPs who have defaulted on power bills, but said he “humbly requested all the people in the state” to pay up their dues to help the power companies.
“Against all odds, among the 17 most affected states, Maharashtra has managed to eliminate load-shedding after the power-cuts experienced for 14 days in April. We are doing our best in public interest and I appeal to the people to please pay up their outstanding bills for common benefit,” Dr. Raut told IANS.
The honourables in the “power hit-list” are Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Dadarao Danve-Patil with two bills of Rs 25,000 (2009) and Rs 10,000 (2013) unpaid in his home and farms in Jalna, besides the bills of other family members.
Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane has a bill of Rs 2,000 not paid since 1987, well before he became the state Chief Minister for a year!
Another big-shot is Nationalist Congress Party’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar with two commercial bills not paid – Rs 14,000 (2020) and Rs 9,000 (2021).
State Health Minister Rajesh Tope also figures with just Rs 340 unpaid since 2009, as well as his wife Manisha Tope’s dues of Rs 19,000 from a commercial premise, besides other kin who also have to pay up.
Congress’ ex-Chief Minister and currently Revenue Minister Ashok S. Chavan has a bill of Rs 1,900 pending since 1991 and an another unpaid bill of 2005 for Rs 2,500.
Congress’ MoS Agriculture Vishwajeet P. Kadam has two pending farm bills – Rs 18,000 (2012) and Rs 24,000 (2016).
All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP from Aurangabad, Syed Imtiaz Jaleel has yet to cough out Rs 2,700 for his residential connection since 2017!
Maharashtra Assembly’s ex-Speaker and BJP leader Haribhau K. Bagade is sitting on a bill of over Rs 31,000 since 1980 – for the past 42 years!
There’s an outstanding bill of Rs 20,000 since 1996 in the name of the late Union Minister Gopinath Munde, besides his widow Pradnyatai, who has to clear two bills – Rs 850 (2016) and Rs 2,700 (1994).
Congress MP Rajani S. Satav has to pay up Rs.21,000 on a residential bill, due since 1982.
Shiv Sena MP from Mumbai South Arvind G. Sawant has not paid Rs 425 for his residential connection in Sindhudurg, and MP Bhawana P. Gawali from Yavatmal-Washim has to pay up a residential bill of Rs 22,000 since 1974 and one more pending bill of Rs 7,600 since 2021.
Former Leader of Opposition and now BJP leader Radhakrishna E. Vikhe-Patil has to clear an agriculture bill of Rs 11,000 since 2011.
BJP MPs Ranjitsinh H. Naik-Nimbalkar has pending commercial, agriculture and residential bills of Rs 1,600 (2016), Rs 300 (2012) and Rs 210,000 plus Rs 88,400 (2013-2014), respectively and Ranjitsinh V. Mohite-Patil has to pay up two agriculture bills – Rs 171,000 (1989) and Rs 14,000 (1997).
Ex-home minister of NCP Anil V. Deshmukh has not paid two farmland bills – Rs 111,000 and Rs 122,000 – since 1997.
Shockingly, there are around 10 bills that remain unpaid since the 1960s – including the oldest dated March 1961 in the name of Pandurang N. Patil for Rs 196 !
Among the lowest dues are a bill of Rs 107 for Ramesh K. Karad (1999) among his many other bills, and Sunil S. Shelke’s residential bill of Rs 106 (2011) at the bottom of the heap.
At the top is the biggest debtor, BJP legislator Jaykumar B. Gore, who has a staggering unpaid bill of Rs 7.03 lakh, pending since 2008.
Maharashtra
Rakhi Sawant Social Media Post Triggers Public Debate

Mumbai: Actress and television personality Rakhi Sawant has sparked widespread discussion after sharing a social media post related to the ongoing student protests in the country.
The post featured a symbolic red sanitary pad, which many users interpreted as a gesture of support for the protesting students. The image quickly went viral, drawing mixed reactions across social media platforms.
While several users appreciated the symbolic message and described it as an expression of solidarity, others criticised the post, calling the imagery controversial and inappropriate. The incident has reignited debate over the role of celebrities in expressing views on social and political issues.
The controversy has generated significant public attention, with supporters defending freedom of expression and critics questioning the use of symbolic imagery in sensitive matters.
As of now, Rakhi Sawant has not issued an official statement responding to the controversy surrounding her post. There has also been no official confirmation of any legal action specifically related to her social media activity.
The issue continues to attract attention online, with discussions focusing on freedom of expression, public responsibility, and the influence of celebrities on national conversations.
Maharashtra
Peaceful tricolor rally from Amjadiya Road to Shanti Nagar led by Bhiwandi Samajwadi Party MLA Raees Sheikh concludes

Mumbai: Citizens of Bhiwandi on Friday spontaneously organised a ‘Tiranga Pail Yatra’ (Tricolor March) to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the ‘NEET’ paper leak scandal and to express solidarity with the nationwide student protests. Led by Samajwadi Party MLA (Bhiwandi East) Rais Sheikh, the foot march was attended by a large number of local citizens as well as opposition party workers and leaders. The march covered the route from Amjadiya Road in Bhiwandi to Shanti Nagar and was concluded in the evening. No flags of any political party were hoisted during the rally, but citizens held the tricolor in their hands and expressed the spirit of unity. The peaceful procession demonstrated the spirit of unity ‘One Nation, One Passion’. Many participants raised slogans demanding Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, including “Inqilab Zindabad” (Long Live the Revolution) while others held placards protesting against the Modi government. The march ended with the presentation of a memorandum to the Bhiwandi Sub-Divisional Officer.
Speaking to the media during the event, MLA Raees Sheikh said that the ‘Tiranga March’ was not affiliated with any specific political party but was a spontaneous initiative by the citizens of Bhiwandi. He noted the growing nationwide anger against the central government over the ‘NEET’ paper leak and the brutal lathicharge on protesting students. The aim of the march was to support the student movement and demand an end to corruption in the examination system. The participants demanded that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign, holding him responsible for the ‘NEET’ paper leak incident. The memorandum issued by the ‘Tiranga Rally’ has put forward four demands: a judicial inquiry into the brutal lathicharge on student protesters at Delhi’s ‘Jantar Mantar’; a financial assistance of Rs 1 crore to the families of students who committed suicide following the NEET paper leak; and withdrawal of police cases registered against student protesters in Delhi as well as all states and union territories.
Maharashtra
Mumbai Shivaji Park student protest: Public anger after video of misbehaving with woman goes viral on social media, demands for four-pronged action

Mumbai: After the shameful act of a police officer during a protest in Shivaji Park Dadar in Mumbai came to light, the Mumbai Police has defended the constable Deepak and said that the video that has gone viral on social media is irresponsible. The officer did not intend to misbehave or flirt with the woman. When the officer went to arrest a man during the protest, the woman protester came in the middle and this is the video. After the investigation in this case, the senior officers of the police department have given a clean chit to the above-mentioned police officer after carefully examining the video footage. This is causing resentment among the citizens. The police have said in their denial statement that there is no mistake on the part of the constable who controlled the protesters. He did not touch the woman intentionally. It is certain that he was controlling the protesters.
In this case, advocate Nitin Satpute has expressed surprise at the clean chit given to the police constable and has appealed to the victim to register a case against the official himself. If a case is not registered in this case, he will approach the court to register a case. He said that the videos of violence against students in Mumbai and other places that are going viral are worrying. In this, many videos have also come to light that are based on extreme brutality. In one video, a constable is threatening to implicate two students in a false drug case, while in the other video, this shameful act of a police constable has come to light. After this video, many political leaders have also tweeted it and demanded action. While the police have given a clean chit to the constable in this case, this has also affected the image of the police department. This video has tarnished the Mumbai Police. The public is angry with the police’s behavior and is also surprised by the police’s latest stance that the constable is innocent and has done nothing wrong.
-
Crime4 years agoClass 10 student jumps to death in Jaipur
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMumbai Local Train Update: Central Railway’s New Timetable Comes Into Effect; Check Full List Of Revised Timings & Stations
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City
-
Maharashtra2 years agoFalse photo of Imtiaz Jaleel’s rally, exposing the fooling conspiracy
-
National News2 years agoMinistry of Railways rolls out Special Drive 4.0 with focus on digitisation, cleanliness, inclusiveness and grievance redressal
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMaharashtra Elections 2024: Mumbai Metro & BEST Services Extended Till Midnight On Voting Day
-
National News2 years agoJ&K: 4 Jawans Killed, 28 Injured After Bus Carrying BSF Personnel For Poll Duty Falls Into Gorge In Budgam; Terrifying Visuals Surface
-
Crime2 years agoBaba Siddique Murder: Mumbai Police Unable To Get Lawrence Bishnoi Custody Due To Home Ministry Order, Says Report
