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Maharashtra

Maha Story: Shinde ‘most popular’, DyCM Fadnavis next; Shinde-Modi a ‘dream-team’

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Springing a surprise, the ruling Shiv Sena on Tuesday claimed that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was voted as the “most popular” leader in Maharashtra, several notches higher than the ally Bharatiya Janata Party’s Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.

Going a step further, Shinde has been catapulted above Fadnavis and below Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the legend: “Modi in rashtra; Shinde in Maharashtra” (Modi in India, Shinde in Maharashtra), rattling the state BJP.

These are touted as the findings of an undated, purported Voters Survey in which the startling results have emerged.

The Shiv Sena proclaimed that as far the popular choice for the post of CM was concerned, Shinde had bagged 26.1 per cent of the voters’ nod, piping Fadnavis – by a margin of 2.9 per cent – to play the second fiddle by securing 23.2 per cent.

The shocks for the BJP continued. The ad contends that Modi and Shinde are getting huge affection from the people in the survey, virtually making them a “dream-team”.

“The partnership of Modi-Shinde that has resulted in many public welfare projects has got the top position in a recent survey,” said the ad, rattling BJP circles.

“Accordingly, 49.3 per cent of the people in Maharashtra have selected the partnership of Shinde-Fadnavis. We thank the masses for their support,” said the Shiv Sena, patting itself.

As many as 30.2 per cent of the voters rooted for BJP and 16.2 per cent preferred the Shiv Sena – or a total of 46.4 per cent – in the survey, details of which are not disclosed.

The survey results come with a large photo of Modi looking and grinning at Shinde who reciprocates, but the anticipated usual picture of Fadnavis conspicuously missing from the ads.

Though the Shiv Sena’s name symbol of Bow-and-Arrow figures at the top right, there is no reference to the party’s founder the late Balasaheb Thackeray, (the father of former CM Uddhav Thackeray) to whom Shinde and his supporters regularly pay lip-service.

The ad has created more than mere ripples in political circles, with many speculating whether Shinde is flexing his muscles vis-A-vis the aggressive Fadnavis and showing him his place.

It may be recalled that in the 2014 and 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP had fought the polls on the plank of “Narendra (Modi) in India, Devendra (Fadnavis) in Maharashtra”.

However, now Shinde has ejected Fadnavis from that slot as per the survey results, and he has perched himself there with the brand new slogan of ‘Modi in rashtra, Shinde in Maharashtra’.

The full-paper ad figures in many leading Marathi papers and comes days after a row was kicked up over the CM’s son and Thane MP, Dr Shrikant Shinde’s threat to quit, and the bickering over the much-delayed cabinet expansion plans.

The ad comes barely a fortnight ahead of the first anniversary of swearing-in of Shinde-Fadnavis regime on June 30, 2022, after the Maha Vikas Aghadi government of Shiv Sena (UBT)-Congress-Nationalist Congress Party led by Thackeray was toppled.

Maharashtra

Mumbai Cyber Fraud: 31-Year-Old IIT Engineer Defrauded Of ₹14.95 Lakh In Online Loan Scam; FIR Registered

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Mumbai: An IIT engineer lost ₹14.95 lakhs in an online fraud. The scammer gained access to his mobile phone, took loans from various financial companies, and used his ICICI Bank credit card to defraud him. A case was registered against an unidentified individual for allegedly committing the fraud on May 28.

According to the FIR, the complainant, Deepak W, 31, resides in Powai and works as a Senior Project Engineer at IIT Powai. On February 20, he received a call from Credito Twenty Four, a financial company. An employee of the company informed him that he had taken a loan of ₹13,500 and had failed to pay the EMI (Equated Monthly Instalment). When he replied that he had not taken any such loan, the company cross-checked his Aadhaar card, PAN card, and other details—which all matched his personal information.

Deepak grew suspicious and checked his CIBIL score, which reflects an individual’s creditworthiness. He discovered that, in his name, the scammer had taken loans from three financial companies. Two of them were identified as Poonawalla Fincorp, from which a loan of ₹3 lakhs was taken, and Kissht Financial Services, from which a loan of ₹80,000 was drawn. Additionally, the scammer had used his ICICI Bank credit card for unauthorised transactions.

The complaint mentioned that his phone had not been hacked, he had not received any suspicious messages, and he did not recall clicking on any link or downloading any app by mistake. He believes the scammer somehow accessed his mobile, took loans in his name, and used his credit card, defrauding him of ₹14.95 lakhs. The fraudulent transactions reportedly occurred between January 8 and January 19.

He filed an online complaint with the Cyber Police. The Western Cyber Police registered an FIR under Sections 318(4) (cheating) and 319(2) (cheating by personation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the Information Technology Act.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Ghatkopar dispute over Qurbani, police security increased, situation tense after objections to Qurbani, police monitoring

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Mumbai: A controversy has arisen over the Qurbani in Damodar Society in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area. So far, the BMC has not granted permission for a temporary slaughterhouse in the society. Society member Bharatiya has alleged that before the sacrifice, goats are brought into the society and spread dirt and an atmosphere of fear is created here during the sacrifice because Hindus are migrating from this society while the sacrifice process has been going on in the society for the past twenty-five years. Society member Ishtiaq said that all festivals are celebrated in the society but only two women have objection and they are spoiling the atmosphere here because they have a personal issue with the society and therefore this issue is being given a Hindu-Muslim color.

He said that for the sacrifice, a canopy is prepared in the ground and the sacrifice is performed and cleanliness is also taken care of. Along with this, the meat is taken covered. He said that after the announcement of the mischief of Kirit Somaiya and the announcement of not allowing the sacrifice in the society, these two women have also complained here while the BMC society has contacted and if the society does not get permission, it will approach the court because the court has allowed the sacrifice before too. Muslims say that these two women are spoiling the atmosphere here due to the sacrifice issue. While there is peace and order and Hindu-Muslim unity here, only these two women have objections to the sacrifice. We will also knock on the door of the court to perform the sacrifice legally. After this controversy, the Vikhroli Park Site Police have tightened security arrangements.

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Crime

BMW-Borne Dacoity Foiled In Bhiwandi; 4 Held With Weapons, Arms Worth ₹17 Lakh Seized

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Mumbai: The Shantinagar Police arrested four dacoits before they could execute a planned dacoity in Bhiwandi. The police seized a pistol, a knife, an iron rod, four country-made revolvers, a rope, three masks, chili powder, and a BMW car from their possession. The accused have been identified as Soeb Shaheed Shaikh (23), Naushad Maqsood Alam Khan (22), and Aftab Afsar Shaikh (21), all residents of Bihar, while Shahabuddin Ansari (20) is a resident of Bhiwandi.

According to officials, on May 31, a patrolling team was on duty from the Shantinagar area to Shandar Market. Police Constable Prashant Barve received information that four to five men were seated inside a BMW car parked in an isolated spot at Shandar Market in Bhiwandi, and that they were carrying weapons.

Barve alerted his senior officials, who rushed to the location. Upon questioning the suspects, the police discovered weapons and other tools typically used for dacoity. The items seized included a car, country-made revolvers, an iron rod, a knife, and other items valued at over ₹17 lakh. The accused were brought to the police station after it was learned that they were preparing to commit a dacoity, which was foiled thanks to the alertness of Constable Barve.

An FIR has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. All four have been arrested and produced in court, where they were remanded to police custody for further investigation.

Vinayak Gaikwad, Senior Police Inspector of Shantinagar Police Station, stated, “We arrested the owner of the BMW car on Saturday night. During the investigation, it was revealed that a bodily offence had already been registered against Shahabuddin a year ago. He was released on bail. Further investigation is ongoing.”

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