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Maharashtra BJP LoP Pravin Darekar is a ‘crorepati labourer’: Sena leader

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BJP

 The Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Pravin Y. Darekar, “is a �crore-pati labourer who has allegedly mis-declared his professional credentials in his election affidavits”, claims a criminal complaint lodged with the Ghatkopar Police Station against the Bharatiya Janata Party leader.

The complainant, Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavalamban Mission (VNSSM) Chairman Kishore Tiwari, accorded a MoS status, raises certain uncomfortable questions to Darekar.

A former Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) MLA from 2009-2014, Darekar is currently a BJP MLC since 2016, appointed Leader of Opposition of Upper House since 2019, and is also shown as the Chairman of Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank (MDCCB) or Mumbai Bank, comprising the categories of representatives of registered cooperative societies.

In the police complaint, Tiwari said Darekar is said to be a member of the �Pratigya Mazur Sahakari Sanstha’ (PMSS) Ghatkopar, a labour cooperative society, on the basis of which he is represented as a director with the Mumbai Bank, and as fulltime Chairman since 2015.

However, in his statutory affidavits in Form 26 for the two elections Darekar has stated on oath his profession and that of his wife Sayli Darekar as �independent business’, Tiwari contended.

“This is blatantly false and a misleading declaration on the basis of which he was elected to the house on both occasions. He is looting the government through full salaries, allowances, honorariums and privileges, and as LoP now even enjoying a Cabinet Minister rank, and at the same time availing the coveted position and perks of Mumbai Bank,” Tiwari said.

Despite repeated attempts by IANS, including a brief questionnaire, there was no response from Darekar or his team in the matter.

Elaborating on the recently-emerged revelations, the Shiv Sena’s farmer face accused Darekar of pretending to be a �labourer’, and through the PMSS as a voter at the MDCCB or Mumbai Bank.

Even his wife and one of his brothers are proclaimed �labourers’ and as the PMSS representatives are voters in the same Mumbai Bank, as per the police complaint.

“Can the honourable LoP explain whether he and his family members are �daily wage earners’, or have they misused the �labour’ tag to snatch positions and swindle the government,” Tiwari pointedly asked.

“This is an extremely serious matter as all positions were gained based on fraudulent or fictitious documents and false declarations. I urge the Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the Union Cooperative Minister Amit Shah, Enforcement Directorate and others to probe and initiate criminal action,” said a grim Tiwari.

He pointed out that as per the Supreme Court, the affidavit of a election candidate or Form 26 filed during the nomination can be used as evidence to prosecute in case of a cognizable criminal offence.

Moreover, the Maharashtra government’s Model Rules for labour cooperative societies define a labourer as a person whose main means of subsistence is manual labour, he pointed out.

“From this it is clear that Darekar is primarily disqualified as a �labourer’ and hence all the pay, perks, facilities, concessions he was given till date amounts to cheating the people and defrauding the government coffers that attracts criminal action,” he said.

Currently, one or more cases are pending pertaining to the alleged scams in the Mumbai Bank since 2014-2015.

Tiwari demanded that Shah and Thackeray order an immediate enquiry through the concerned agencies, book Darekar and conduct the trial in a fast-track court as per the mandate of SC, failing which he would file a PIL int he court.

Maharashtra

Mumbai bus travel becomes more expensive, fares increase

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SOURCE: FREE PRESS JUORNAL

Mumbai : Mumbai citizens have been hit by inflation ahead of the BMC elections. The fare hike for BEST buses has been approved. An additional fare of twice the fare will be implemented from today, which will now mean that BEST passengers will have to pay an additional fare, which will affect the pockets of the passengers. The BEST administration has decided to implement the new fare from May 9. The fare has been increased for distances of 5, 10, and 20 kilometers.

The fare for a distance of 5 kilometers has been doubled. The fare for a distance of 5 kilometers has been increased from Rs 6 to Rs 12. No concession has been given in the fare for a 12-year-old child. The daily pass was previously Rs 60, but now the new fare has been increased to Rs 75. The monthly pass is from Rs 900 to Rs 1,800. The facility of Chalo Bus Pass has been provided for children of the Municipal Corporation. The increase in bus fares and tickets in Mumbai has put a burden on the pockets of the citizens. Shared taxis and auto rickshaws are also operated in Mumbai city and its suburbs, but due to the fare, many passengers are unable to pay for these shared means of transport and travel by buses.

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Maharashtra

The verdict in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case will be announced on July 31

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Mumbai: The verdict in the September 29, 2008 bomb blast in Malegaon will be pronounced on July 31. BJP leader and former MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Lt. Col. Srikant Prasad Purohit, former Major Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Swami Dayanand Pandey, Ajay Rahirkar, and Sameer Kulkarni are accused of being involved in illegal activities. A bomb was planted in Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur’s scooter, after which the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested 13 accused in the case and charged 7 accused. The hearing of the Malegaon bomb blast will be completed in April. The verdict was expected to be pronounced today, but the court gave the reason that more than one lakh pages are under study and therefore the matter has been adjourned till July 31.

A bomb blast in a scooter at Bhakko Chowk killed 7 people and injured 100. In this case, ATS Chief Hemant Karkare investigated and MCOCA was also applied to the accused, but this investigation was later handed over to the NIA in 2011. The NIA has sought death penalty for the accused in this case. Statements of 223 witnesses were recorded in this case and 23 witnesses defected in the court, including 8 witnesses from the army and defense department. The court has ordered all the accused to be present on July 31 and if anyone is absent, action will be taken against him. The court will pronounce its verdict in this case only on July 31 because the hearing of the case has been completed and the court has also reserved its verdict.

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Maharashtra

Digital Rakshak secures money of five complainants who were scammed in the name of Digital Arrest

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Mumbai: Five complainants who were scammed on social media in the name of digital arrest through the Mumbai Police’s Digital Rakshak (Digital Protector) have been protected by the Digital Rakshak. In Mumbai, CBI, ED and police officers send notices on social media and WhatsApp in the name of Digital Arrest, demanding huge money for video calling in the name of investigation and saving them from the case in the name of investigation. Accordingly, Mumbai Police has developed the Digital Rakshak app. The complaint of five victim complainants was processed on this helpline. In Mumbai’s Chembur area, a video call was made to an elderly person on social media calling him Digital Arrest and it was said that he had huge money in his bank account and his documents, Aadhaar card and PAN card were used in illegal activities.

The caller on the call told the elderly person that he was a CBI officer and demanded money without disconnecting the video call. During this, the victim When the daughter entered the house, she found her father scared and then she asked her father why he was scared. On this, the father told her that it was a call from a CBI officer and that he had transferred money in this matter. After that, the victim contacted the Mumbai Police’s Digital Rakshak helpline and then informed the police about this notice. After that, it was confirmed that this notice was prepared by the CBI and ED by creating a fake notice and sending it on WhatsApp. The police have resolved five cases of digital arrest and have appealed to the citizens that no security agency does digital arrest and neither is investigation done on WhatsApp, so be careful of such elements.

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