Mumbai: In the wake of the unavailability of train tickets for North Indians from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Samajwadi Party legislator Raees Sheikh on Saturday demanded that the Railways run special trains from Mumbai to these states. Sheikh made the demand after images of crowding of people on train tracks and railway platforms and lack of basic civic amenities went viral on social media. A large number of people from the North Indian community are upset due to the lack of proper train services.

In his letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vishnu, Sheikh said that railway stations like Bandra Terminus, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) and Dadar are crowded with passengers for tickets. A large number of North Indians travel to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar during the summer, which coincides with the wedding season. Lack of sufficient trains and resulting overcrowding are causing severe hardship to the North Indian community in Mumbai, said MLA Raees Sheikh, who demanded that the Railways immediately run special trains from Mumbai to Gorakhpur, Patna and other places in Purvanchal, departing from Bandra, LTT and CST stations. Sheikh added, “The Railways should also set up proper help desks and GRP assistance booths at major stations in Mumbai to manage the crowd and assist passengers.” He further stressed on the need to add additional general and sleeper coaches in all trains going to UP to accommodate the rush. He also urged the Railways to take all necessary steps to ensure better coordination with the authorities concerned.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Cyber ​​Cell has claimed to have arrested a youth from Bhosari area of ​​Pune for harassing Environment Minister Pankaja Munde. According to details, the accused used to harass the minister continuously through several messages and personal mobiles and also made derogatory comments. After that, the Cyber ​​Cell department received a complaint and when the above number was traced, it was found in Bhosari, Pune. A case was registered under the provisions of the Cyber ​​​​Technology Act and BMS and in this case, the accused Amol Chhagan Rao Kale has been arrested. He is an engineering graduate and is also a resident of Beed district. The accused was produced in the court where an order was issued to keep him on remand. The accused used to harass the minister repeatedly. In this case, the police have also claimed to have seized the mobile phone and other devices used in the crime.

Along with collecting digital evidence, an investigation is also underway to find out who else is involved in this matter. The cyber department takes immediate action on complaints related to women and if someone misuses social media platforms to target women, strict action is taken against them. If someone is found involved in the crime of defaming or threatening women by disclosing their personal information, the cyber department takes strict action against them. The cyber cell has appealed that if any woman is a victim of harassment, she can contact the cyber cell immediately.

Mumbai: The producer and host of the reality show ‘House Arrest’ on the ‘ULLU’ streaming app have been charged under sections related to the indecent representation of women after a clip in which contestants were made to depict ‘sex positions’ went viral. 

The clip shows the programme’s host Ajaz Khan, who is a former ‘Bigg Boss’ contestant, putting pressure on contestants, including women, to act out intimate situations. Mr Khan also asks the participants some vulgar questions, persisting with his line of inquiry despite the participants being visibly uncomfortable. 

Based on a complaint by an activist from the right-wing group Bajrang Dal, the police in Mumbai’s Amboli on Friday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Mr Khan and the producer of ‘House Arrest’, Rajkumar Pandey. 

The FIR has been registered under sections related to obscene acts in public places and others under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Information Technology Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act. 

The case was registered on a day that the show was taken off the app and the National Commission of Women took note of the controversy and summoned Mr Khan and the CEO of the Ullu app, Vibhu Agarwal.

“NCW takes suo motu cognisance of obscene content on Ullu App’s show House Arrest. Viral clips show women being coerced into intimate acts on camera. NCW slams the platform for promoting vulgarity and violating consent. CEO and host summoned on May 9,” the commission said in a post on X. 

On Thursday, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi had objected to the clip and wondered why apps that stream such obscene content have not been banned. 

“I have raised this in the standing committee that apps such as this, namely, Ullu App and Alt Balaji have managed to escape the ban by I&B ministry on apps for obscene content. I am still awaiting their reply,” Ms Chaturvedi, who is a Rajya Sabha MP and member of the Standing Committee on Communications and IT, wrote on X. 

“On March 14, 2024, the I&B Ministry had blocked 18 OTT platforms, which were found to be streaming obscene and pornographic content. The apps blocked by the government were primarily platforms distributing explicit material. The following 18 apps were banned… Surprisingly 2 of the biggest apps were kept out- Ullu and Alt Balaji, will I&B tell the country why they were left out from this ban,” she said in another post, sharing the names of the 18 apps. 

The clip also caught the attention of BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who shared a post complaining of obscenity “being served” through shows like ‘House Arrest’.

Mr Dubey, who is the chairman of the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, tagged the handle of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and wrote, “This will not do @MIB_India. Our committee will take action on this.”