National News
Maharashtra Civic Body Elections 2026: ‘Democracy Being Bought With Bags Of Cash,’ Says Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut On Unopposed Elections
Mumbai: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday launched a scathing attack over the unopposed election, especially of Mahayuti nominees in municipal polls across Maharashtra, stating that even the big leaders of this country were never elected unopposed.
“Atal Bihari Vajpayee was never elected unopposed, nor were Barrister Nath Pai, Vasantdada Patil, Ram Manohar Lohia, or even Narendra Modi. However, a new trend has started in Maharashtra where ‘Sama, Dana, Danda, Bheda (persuasion, money, punishment, and division)’ are being used to ensure unopposed victories,” he remarked.
He added that journalists, political analysts, and the public were well-aware that such a high number of unopposed candidates is unprecedented, not just in the country’s history, but in the history of the world.
Describing the tactics used, Raut at the press conference alleged that candidates were forced to withdraw not just through the misuse of election machinery, but by “showering” them with money. “Opponents were being paid five crore rupees each to step down,” he claimed.
He cited the example of Kalyan, stating that the amount offered to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) city chief Manoj Gharat to withdraw was “eye-popping.”
Regarding the situation in Jalgaon, he alleged, “Bags containing five crore rupees each were sent to the houses of candidates to force them to withdraw. The candidates were left stunned by the sheer amount of money. Such a massive play of wealth has never been seen before in this democracy.” Raut further alleged that the election machinery was manipulated.
“The election officials had clear instructions. Although the deadline for withdrawal was 3:00 PM, instructions were issued from the offices of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister to accept applications even after that time and backdate them to before 3:00 PM,” he said and demanded an investigation into the communication logs.
“Check the phone calls and records of everyone involved. Investigate who called whom in the last 24 hours — which Guardian Minister, which Minister, or which office made the calls. If this is investigated, the mystery behind these unopposed withdrawals will be revealed,” he said.
Raut expressed deep concern over the state’s image, saying, “These incidents have dragged Maharashtra’s prestige through the dust. The state has been completely defamed. If 60 people are being elected unopposed, what kind of election is this? What are the voters supposed to do?”
He questioned the role of the regulatory body, asking, “Has this question ever occurred to the Election Commission? The Election Commission has become a ‘pet cat’ sitting under the plates of these corrupt individuals.”
Meanwhile, Raut also reacted on NCP chief and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s scathing attack accusing the BJP leaders from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation of reaching the “pinnacle of corruption.”
He further claimed they possess a “monstrous hunger” to enrich their families through illicit means. He reminded the public of the origins of the corruption allegations against the Deputy CM.
“We did not level the ₹70,000 crore irrigation scam allegations against Ajit Pawar. It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who made those charges during a rally in Bhopal. Ironically, just eight days later, Ajit Pawar joined the Cabinet. The BJP must now answer what happened to those allegations,” he said.
Raut suggested that Ajit Pawar’s sudden change in tone indicates a potential shift in political alignment. Commenting on the accusations regarding the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation he said, “It appears Ajit Pawar is looking for a different path. If a sitting Deputy Chief Minister accuses his own ally of looting the state and gathering property through corrupt means, what should the public conclude?”
Questioning Ajit Pawar’s decision to remain in power despite these grievances, Raut suggested that he should return to his mentor. “If Ajit Pawar feels the BJP is so corrupt, why is he still in the government? He should return to Sharad Pawar. The NCP handed to him by Amit Shah is not the original one; the real NCP belongs to Sharad Pawar, and Ajit knows this,” he remarked.
Crime
Two apprehended for firing at house in Nand Nagri to create fear

New Delhi, Sep 14: The Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of North-East District Police worked out a firing incident reported under the jurisdiction of Nand Nagri Police Station by apprehending two accused persons who allegedly fired at a complainant’s house to create fear.
The accused were identified with the help of extensive CCTV footage analysis and technical investigation.
According to police, on September 4, two unidentified persons riding a scooty fired at the complainant’s house in the Nand Nagri area with the intention of creating fear and fled from the spot.
Following the incident, FIR No. 485/26 dated September 4 was registered at Nand Nagri Police Station under relevant Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act, and an investigation was initiated.
Considering the seriousness of the incident, the AATS team of North-East District was tasked with identifying and apprehending those involved.
A dedicated team led by Inspector Deepak Pandey, In-charge of AATS/NED, analysed numerous CCTV recordings and developed clues through technical investigation and other sources. Sustained efforts and detailed examination of the available evidence helped the team identify the suspects.
On September 12, acting on a specific tip-off, the AATS team conducted a raid in the Sunder Nagri area and apprehended Azim Khan. During interrogation, his associate Imran alias Rahul was also apprehended at his instance. Both accused were subsequently handed over to the local police for further legal proceedings.
Police said Imran alias Rahul, 25, son of Ibrahim and a resident of Bhopra Chowk, Siddqi Building, Uttar Pradesh, was previously involved in two theft cases.
Azim Khan, 36, son of Illiyas and a resident of Gali No. 1, Sunder Nagri, Delhi, has nine previous cases registered against him, involving murder, attempt to murder, culpable homicide, robbery, snatching, rape, kidnapping, theft and offences under the Arms Act. He is a Bad Character of Nand Nagri Police Station.
Further investigation into the case by the police is underway.
Business
India okays 18 hours a day power supply to Nepal till Dec 31

New Delhi, Sep 14: India has approved a proposal to supply power to Nepal for 18 hours a day till December 31 this year, following the extensive damage caused to the Himalayan country’s hydropower projects in the devastating flash floods, an official statement said on Monday.
“The Ministry of Power has accorded approval for the export of power, for 18 hours a day to Nepal Electricity Authority till December 31, 2026,” according to the statement.
Approval has been given for up to 600MW of export through Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar 400 kV D/c line and up to 54 MW through Tanakpur-Mahendranagar 132 kV S/c line. The quantum of power to be exported from January 2027 will be reviewed in December, 2026, the statement said.
The recent floods have caused significant damage to hydropower infrastructure in Nepal, reducing its domestic power generation capacity and creating an additional requirement for electricity.
The approval will help Nepal meet its power requirements during this difficult period and further strengthen the close and longstanding energy cooperation between India and Nepal, the statement explained.
“India remains committed to supporting Nepal and strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy sector,” the statement added.
India also intensified its humanitarian assistance to Nepal in the wake of the floods, delivering relief material and deploying personnel to support search, rescue, and forensic operations. Indian Air Force aircraft were used to carry relief and rescue supplies to Kathmandu.
The country also dispatched specialised technical gear, including mud rescue suits, gas detectors, breathing apparatus, inflatable walkways, portable generators, lighting towers, and dewatering pumps. India has provided DNA kits, reagents, and equipment for DNA profiling to aid in victim identification.
Meanwhile, the death toll from flash floods has risen to 1,386, with more bodies recovered from eight affected districts.
The floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, 104 of the recovered bodies have so far been identified and handed over to families. Around 5,130 people are still reported missing.
Security forces continue search and rescue operations. More than 13,700 people have been rescued so far, while 339 people are undergoing treatment in hospitals.
Crime
‘Felt unsafe’: Woman biker alleges car attack after asking occupants to maintain distance in Gurugram

Gurugram, Sep 14: A woman biker in Haryana’s Gurugram has alleged that a car repeatedly followed her before hitting her motorcycle and fleeing the spot, leaving her shaken and raising concerns over road safety in the city.
“I have nothing to say, but today I felt unsafe on Gurugram roads. People like these aren’t afraid of hitting people and running away,” the woman said after the incident.
The rider, who identifies herself as Sia and operates the Instagram page ‘rebelwheels_sia_’, uploaded footage of the incident on social media and described what she said happened before the collision.
According to Sia, the incident occurred on Sunday while she was riding her Aprilia RS 457 sports bike along Golf Course Road with members of her biking group.
In the video, she alleged that the occupants of a car had been following her from the beginning of the ride. She claimed that the people inside the vehicle behaved aggressively and attempted to get close to her motorcycle.
Sia said she asked the occupants to maintain a safe distance, but instead, they allegedly asked her to stop. She also claimed that the men appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
The rider said she continued moving ahead in an attempt to prevent the car from cutting her off. A friend riding behind her also tried to intervene by positioning his motorcycle in a way that prevented the car from repeatedly coming alongside her.
Despite this, Sia alleged, the car continued following her. She claimed that at one point, the driver attempted to cut across the path of her motorcycle, resulting in a collision.
The impact knocked Sia off her bike, while her motorcycle was dragged several metres along the road. The car then reportedly left the area.
The incident was captured on an action camera fitted to Sia’s motorcycle.
She further alleged that one of her friends pursued the car and attempted to stop the driver. The vehicle eventually halted at a traffic signal, where the friend confronted the driver and allegedly told him that he was responsible for the collision.
However, according to Sia, the driver denied causing the accident and subsequently drove away from the traffic signal.
In a social media post, Sia appealed to the Gurugram Police to take action against motorists who allegedly put other road users at risk and flee after causing accidents.
She also shared the vehicle’s registration number and identified the registered owner mentioned in the vehicle’s registration certificate.
The video subsequently gained significant attention online, with social media users expressing support for the rider and calling for action against the alleged driver. Several users tagged the Delhi Police, Gurugram Police, Gurugram Traffic Police and Haryana Police, urging authorities to investigate the incident.
Some users also called for an FIR to be registered, while others highlighted concerns over rash driving and the safety of motorists, particularly on busy roads in Gurugram.
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