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Maharashtra CM Post Talks: Eknath Shinde Calls First Meeting With Amit Shah & JP Nadda ‘Positive’; Decision To Be Made In Mumbai

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New Delhi: After meeting with Union Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda, Maharashtra caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde described the meeting as “good and positive.” He added that another meeting would be held, which is expected to decide who will assume the role of Chief Minister.

“The meeting was good and positive. This was the first meeting. We had a discussion with Amit Shah and JP Nadda…There will be another meeting of the Mahayuti. In this meeting, a decision will be taken about who will be the Chief Minister. The meeting will be held in Mumbai,” he said.

Eknath Shinde, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, NCP chief Ajit Pawar and other Mahayuti leaders met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda in Delhi on Thursday. After the meeting, Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar left the national capital at late night. The leaders gathered to deliberate on the formation of the new government in Maharashtra.

‘There Are No Obstacles Regarding The CM’s Post,’ Says Eknath Shinde

Earlier, Shinde reiterated that there were no obstacles regarding the Chief Minister’s post and that “Ladla Bhai” is a title that holds more significance for him than anything else.

“I cleared my role in the press conference yesterday that there are no obstacles regarding the Chief Minister of Mahayuti. This ‘ladla bhai’ has arrived in Delhi and the ‘ladla bhai’ is a designation higher than anything else for me,” Shinde told the meeting.

Shinde had stated on Wednesday that he would accept any decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the CM face for the state.

“I have told the Prime Minister that if my presence creates any obstacle in forming the government in Maharashtra, there should be no hesitation in making a decision. Whatever decision you take will be acceptable to me,” Shinde said during a press conference in Mumbai.

‘Mahayuti Alliance Has No Internal Differences,’ Says Devendra Fadnavis

Fadnavis also asserted that the Mahayuti alliance had no internal differences and that a decision on the Chief Minister would be made soon after consulting the leaders.

Speaking to the media, Fadnavis said, “In our Mahayuti alliance, there has never been a difference of opinion. We have always made decisions collectively. Before the elections, we announced that the decision regarding the Chief Minister’s post would be taken collectively after the results. A few people had doubts, but Eknath Shinde ji has clarified those today. We will soon meet our leaders and finalise the decision.”

The Maharashtra Assembly election results were declared on November 23, but the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has yet to finalise its choice for Chief Minister.

The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats in the 280-member Maharashtra Assembly, while its allies–the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, and the NCP, led by Ajit Pawar–won 57 and 41 seats, respectively.

Bollywood

John Abraham Says He’s Never Touched Drugs, Urges Students Not To Smoke Or Drink At Navi Mumbai Event

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Actor John Abraham recently attended the Nasha Mukt Navi Mumbai program, an anti-drug awareness campaign launched by Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. While addressing the students present, the actor made a surprising revelation, stating that he has never touched drugs in his life. Further, the Pathaan actor urged the students to be role models, good citizens, and to train hard to build strong muscles, setting a positive example.

He said, “I want to say to students, I have personally not touched drugs ever in my life, also no smoking, no drinking, but no drugs is very important. Be very disciplined in life, be a role model to your friends, colleagues. Be a good citizen of Maharashtra, India, and train hard to get some good muscles.”

John further congratulated Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for the initiative. “This is a very important initiative for Maharashtra and the youth of Navi Mumbai,” he added.

On the work front, John was last seen in Vedaa, which was released in 2024. The film also starred Sharvari, Tamannaah Bhatia, Abhishek Banerjee, Ashish Vidyarthi, Kumud Mishra, Rajendra Chawla, Tanvi Malhara, Anurag Thakur and Urvashi Dubey, among others.

The film clashed with Shraddha Kapoor’s Stree 2 and Akshay Kumar’s Khel Khel Mein at the box office on Independence Day, August 15, 2024.

Next, John has Tehran in his pipeline alongside Manushi Chhillar, which is produced by Dinesh Vijan. The film is reportedly based on real-life events on the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war.

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Crime

Maharashtra: Nashik Cops Nab Drug Smuggler After Hour-Long Dramatic Car Chase On City Roads

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The Nashik City Police on Tuesday shared a dramatic high-speed car chase video on their X handle. According to the police, a drug smuggler was apprehended after an hour-long chase on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.

In their post, the Nashik Police stated that the chase began when a red MH-02 registered car, traveling from Dhule to Navi Mumbai, attempted to breach the Adgaon Stop & Search checkpoint. A total of eight police vehicles were involved in the pursuit, the post added.

The video shared by the Nashik Police shows multiple police vehicles chasing a speeding red car. The red car can be seen evading the police vehicles whenever they got close.

“On suspicion of illegal weapons, narcotics, explosives, or similar prohibited items, the control room was alerted within seconds. Nashik City Police’s eight CR mobiles immediately took action and launched a dramatic chase throughout the city. The suspect driver drove on main roads to avoid capture, but our teams successfully apprehended him using skilled strategy without causing harm to others,” the Nashik Police stated in the post.

“The entire team involved in the chase was honored by the Nashik City Police Commissioner. Special appreciation goes to the alert staff who initiated the immediate pursuit, particularly Bhaurao Gangurde and Balkrishna Pawar!” it added.

The video shared by the Nashik Police has garnered widespread attention on social media, with many users praising the police for their daring attempt to nab the culprit.

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Business

Torres Company Scam: ₹1000 Crore Fraud, 1.25 Lakh Investors Duped, Three Arrested, Kingpins Flee To Ukraine, Case Transferred To EOW

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Mumbai: A massive investment scam by the foreign-based Torres Jewelry company has left over 1.25 lakh investors defrauded of ₹1,000 crore. The company, which promised high returns on jewelry and diamond investments, has collapsed, with its directors shifting the blame to Indian executives. The Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) has taken over the investigation, and an FIR under the Maharashtra Protection of Depositors Act and various BNS sections has been registered.

Three individuals—Sarvesh Ashok Surve, Tanya Casatova, and Valentina Kumar—have been arrested, while the alleged masterminds, Ukrainian nationals John Carter and Victoria Kowalenko, fled the country. Lookout Circulars (LOCs) have been issued for their arrest. Torres Company launched operations in Mumbai in February 2024, opening a flagship showroom in Dadar and branches in Navi Mumbai, Kalyan, Borivali, and Mira Road. The company offered an alluring investment plan.

Investors purchased jewelry or moissanite diamonds and received official receipts. A digital account and unique customer ID were created for each investor. A weekly return of 6% was promised, amounting to triple the investment value over 52 weeks.

Sarvesh Surve, a local resident with no prior business credentials, was appointed as the director to provide a local face to the foreign venture. Surve’s digital signatures were used for all official documents, while John Carter and Victoria Kowalenko controlled operations from the shadows. Tanya Casatova, an Uzbek national, managed stores, and Valentina Kumar, a Russian citizen married to an Indian, oversaw retail operations.

Police sources revealed that Surve was unaware of the larger conspiracy, making him a convenient scapegoat. Before fulfilling the promised 52-week term, Torres stopped payments in December 2024, citing technical issues. On January 1, 2025, the company abruptly shut down its showrooms.

When irate investors gathered outside the Dadar office on January 6, Tanya and Valentina were confronted and detained by Shivaji Park police. Surve was also arrested. Preliminary investigations estimate that over 1.25 lakh investors were defrauded, based on the highest customer ID numbers issued. The total fraud amount could exceed ₹1,000 crore. Police stations in Shivaji Park, APMC (Navi Mumbai), and Mira Road witnessed long queues of investors filing complaints, with many FIRs registered in just two days.

Authorities are now coordinating with international agencies to apprehend Carter and Kowalenko. Meanwhile, the EOW has urged investors to file complaints to strengthen the case.

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