Connect with us
Sunday,31-August-2025
Breaking News

Maharashtra

Maharashtra: Government moves HC against MAT orders regarding transgenders applying for police department

Published

on

 The Maharashtra government moved the Bombay High Court on Monday, challenging an order passed by the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal directing it to create a provision for transgenders in the application form for posts under the home department.

The petition was mentioned before a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Abhay Ahuja, seeking an urgent hearing to stay the tribunal order.

The bench said it would hear the matter on November 30. A transgender person, Arya Pujari, who aspired to be a police constable, had approached the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT).

After an advertisement was issued for the recruitment of police constables, Pujari applied online. However, in the application, only two genders were mentioned—male and female—and no third gender was mentioned, because of which Pujari could not fill out the online form.

The MAT on November 14 directed the state government to create a third option for transgender people after the two options of male and female, in the application form for all recruitment under the home department.

The tribunal had also said the government should fix criteria for physical standards and tests for transgender people.

The government claimed in its petition that it was “extremely difficult” to implement the tribunal’s direction as the state government has not yet framed any policy regarding special provisions for the recruitment of transgenders.

“The acceptance of the forms has already been scheduled for September 11, and November 30,” it added.

The petition sought for the HC to quash the tribunal’s order as it was illegal and against the law. It said the tribunal failed to consider that the process was a “herculean task and a lengthy process.”

In its order, the tribunal had directed the government to make necessary changes to its advertisement and display the same on its website by November 23.

On November 25, the MAT extended the deadline for accepting transgender forms until December 8 after being informed by Chief Presenting Officer SP Manchekar, representing the state, that the government was still in the process of developing a policy for the employment of transgender people in public positions.

General

Thane Tragedy: Environmentalist-Lawyer Sarita Khanchandani Dies By Suicide In Ulhasnagar, Family Alleges Harassment By Shiv Sena (UBT) Leader

Published

on

Thane: In connection with the death of environmentalist-activist-lawyer Sarita Khanchandani, who allegedly died by suicide on Thursday after jumping from the seventh floor of Roma Building where she lived in Ulhasnagar, her husband Purshottam Khanchandani has leveled serious allegations against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and his associate accusing them of harassing his wife and trying to implicate her in a fabricated case.

He claimed that the harassment drove her to suicide and demanded that the case be probed by a senior officer under judicial supervision.

Purshottam, along with other family members, addressed a press conference to present his side of the story. He said Sarita had been helping Jiya Goplani, a woman whose domestic case she was handling. After being ousted by her in-laws, Goplani had no shelter, and Sarita allowed her to live in one of her homes for six years, providing food and support.

Although the court awarded Goplani a monthly maintenance of Rs 15,000, Sarita eventually asked her to vacate the house. Goplani assured her that she was looking for a house in Badlapur and would leave within two months.

According to Purshottam, on Wednesday, Goplani called Sarita claiming she was unwell. When Sarita went to meet her around 11:45 p.m., she found nearly 20 people present. Purshottam alleged that this was a conspiracy to trap Sarita, and a video of the incident later surfaced on the social media.

Although the police were called to the spot, both Sarita and Goplani told officers they had no complaints, after which Sarita returned home.

However, Purshottam alleged that later the same night, Goplani, along with a politician and others, went to the police station and registered a case against Sarita. Shocked by the development, Sarita went to the police station on Thursday but later returned home and jumped to her death from the terrace.

He also accused the Vithalwadi police station of facilitating the conspiracy to falsely implicate her. He clarified that Goplani was not a tenant but was staying at their residence purely on humanitarian grounds.

Purshottam linked the incident to an earlier dispute, alleging that the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and his associate had encroached upon a government toilet block. Sarita had filed a petition in the High Court against the encroachment, after which the Shiv Sena Shakha on the premises was shut down and the property handed back to the municipal corporation.

In response to Purshottam’s allegations, Jiya Gopalani refused all allegations and stated that she was his wife’s tenant and that Sarita forced her to work according to her instructions; otherwise, she would not fight her domestic case in court.

“On Wednesday, Sarita came to my home because I was not picking up her call. Sarita arrived at my home and assaulted me badly, after which I visited the police station and filed a case against her.”

DCP Sachin Gore of Ulhasnagar said “Based on Jiya Goplani’s complaint, we filed a case of trespass and assault against Sarita. In Sarita’s suicide matter, no note was found. So far, we have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) . We will record the statements of witnesses. Further investigation is underway, and if anyone’s role emerges, action will take accordingly.”

Sarita Khanchandani, a practicing lawyer, was known for her environmental activism and had played a significant role in getting DJs banned in Maharashtra.

She also ran the Heerali Foundation, an organization dedicated to cleaning up the Ulhas and Waldhuni rivers that flow through Ulhasnagar. She was a prominent figure in pollution activism in the city, petitioning police to act against violators and raising awareness of environmental issues affecting the rivers.

Continue Reading

Crime

Maloney arrested with 7.2 million worth of ganja and pistol, five others

Published

on

Mumbai Maloni Police has claimed to have arrested five accused including ganja worth Rs 72 lakhs and a country-made pistol and live cartridges. In Maloni, the police had arrested Ashiq Hussain Khan with 1 kg 60 grams of ganja. He said that he buys this drug from Nashik. After that, Santosh More of Nashik was arrested. After that, a total of four accused were arrested in this case and a case was registered against them under the NDPS Act. A car was searched in Maloni Madh in which a country-made pistol and ganja were recovered. This operation was carried out by DCP Sandeep Jadhav on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti. The police is investigating the matter further.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

The application date for Mumbai students’ education scholarship should be extended till September 1: Abu Asim Azmi

Published

on

Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi has written a letter to the state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Minister of Minority Affairs demanding extension of the application date for scholarship 2025-26 for students pursuing higher education abroad through the Minority Department and Ministry of Minority Affairs. The last date is August 28, 2025. Azmi has demanded an extension till September 1. He said that there is a three-day holiday in Maharashtra in view of Ganpati festival and other festivals, so students will have difficulty in submitting applications. Therefore, keeping in mind the convenience of the students, the date for submission of applications should be extended till September 1 and the government should take a positive decision on this.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending