Maharashtra
Maharashtra: Sharad Pawar Frowns At Congress Ahead Of Seat-Sharing For Assembly Election, Rakes Up Cross-Voting In MLC Polls

Pune: NCP founder Sharad Pawar criticised the Mahayuti government, and especially Cabinet Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, on Wednesday alleging that the government did not take any assistance from the opposition in the initial stages of the Maratha agitation and now, is suddenly holding the opposition responsible for the tension in various parts of the state.
Sharad Pawar was speaking to the media in Pune and also openly targeted the Congress party, explaining how there was cross-voting in the recent MLC polls and how his party was disappointed to see Congress votes getting split.
NCP (SP) Chief Sharad Pawar Openly Expresses His Disappointment
This is the first time Sharad Pawar has openly spoken about his disappointment with his alliance partners post-Lok Sabha polls and observers feel this was done so to put the state Congress leadership on the defensive ahead of seat-sharing talks for the assembly polls.
Pawar had some observations to make about the recent Maharashtra Legislative Council polls, where Jayant Patil, the candidate he had supported lost the contest because of cross-voting by Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) members. It has now transpired that as many as seven votes of the Congress party may have gone to the ruling Mahayuti.
“We had expected that some Congress votes would go to Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Milind Narvekar and some would come to Jayant Patil of the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), whom we had supported. But the Congress could not ensure this vote transfer to Patil. We are disappointed. They must find out what happened,” Pawar said.
Buzz About NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar Preparing To Put State Congress Leadership On The Defensive
Inside the Sharad Pawar NCP, there is buzz about how Pawar is now preparing to put the state Congress leadership on the defensive, ahead of the state assembly poll seat-sharing talks. Pawar is comfortable with the discussions between him and the central leadership of the Congress party but he is extremely uncomfortable with the state Congress leadership, as he considers the leaders to be his juniors and he has had issues with them in the past.
Pawar’s remarks on Monday are seen as part of his strategy to present a picture that the Maharashtra Congress cannot put its house in order and there are differences among the leaders to such an extent that they could not even prevent cross-voting by Congress party MLAs in the MLC polls. It seems that Pawar wants Rahul Gandhi to send a message to the state Congress leadership that in the upcoming assembly poll campaign, he should generally hold the command of MVA in the state and also be given seats of his choice, especially in western Maharashtra including Pune and Satara districts, where NCP (SCP) wields political power.
Pawar also used the opportunity to target the BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra over its alleged ‘failure’ in handling the Maratha agitation issue.
“The agitation restarted last year. The state government sent various delegations to discuss solutions with agitators. The state sought to create the impression that it had found a solution. There was a celebration. All along, the opposition was never included in the process. No opposition leader was invited to any talks. Now that the government has discovered that its solution has not worked and there is tension in parts of the state, at this point, it wants the opposition to get involved. Cabinet Minister Chhagan Bhujbal met me and said I should take the initiative to convince the agitators. Why has the government thought of involving us at the last minute, like this. Why should we now be held responsible for the tension in some parts of the state?” Pawar asked.
Business
Sensex crosses 81,000 Mark, Nifty Jumps 157 Points On Strong Metal & Auto Stocks

Mumbai: The Indian stock market ended Monday on a strong note, with the BSE Sensex rising 418.81 points (0.52%) to close at 81,018.72, crossing the key 81,000 mark. During the day, it touched a high of 81,093.19. The NSE Nifty also surged by 157.40 points (0.64%) to end at 24,722.75, after hitting an intraday high of 24,734.65.
Top gainers and losers
Among major gainers on the Sensex were Tata Steel, BEL, Adani Ports, TCS, Tech Mahindra, Bharti Airtel, HCL Tech, Trent, M&M, Reliance Industries, UltraTech Cement and L&T.
On the flip side, Power Grid, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Hindustan Unilever ended the session with losses.
Why the market rallied
The market’s rally was mainly driven by strong performances in the metal and auto sectors. According to experts, a weakening US dollar, strong auto sales, and positive Q1 results from key companies helped boost investor confidence.
Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services, said,
“Consumption-driven companies are showing recovery in volume demand. Also, weak US job data may lead to interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.”
Global cues positive
Asian markets mostly ended in the green with Hong Kong, South Korea, and China posting gains. However, Japan’s Nikkei closed in red.
European markets were trading positively, while US markets had ended lower on Friday.
Oil prices also slipped, with Brent crude falling 1.15% to USD 68.87 per barrel.
Meanwhile, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold shares worth Rs 3,366.40 crore on Friday, as per exchange data.
Crime
Navi Mumbai: Following A Dramatic Chase Sequence, CBI Detained Senior Customs Official For Receiving ₹10 Lakh Bribe

Navi Mumbai: In Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, the CBI has arrested Krishna Kumar, a senior Customs officer, for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 10.2 lakh. Kumar, who served as superintendent at Sahar Air Cargo, was apprehended after evading the CBI for about an hour. He reportedly had established a ‘rate card’ for clearing goods and, leveraging his connections with the R&I wing of the Customs, had been halting shipments until he received compensation.
After stalling a firm’s goods, Kumar sent an anonymous email demanding a bribe to release the shipments, claiming that most of the bribe would be shared with senior officials. Following his arrest, he was placed in CBI custody until 6 August for further investigation into the R&I wing’s involvement in the case.
The CBI’s investigation stemmed from complaints alleging that Kumar and other unnamed officers were soliciting bribes at a rate of Rs 10 per kilogram of imported goods, despite the legality of the cargo. One firm owner, pressured by Kumar, sought assistance from the CBI after his goods were deliberately withheld despite having all necessary documents.
The CBI set up a trap, recording conversations between 25 July and 1 August, revealing Kumar’s demands for bribes amounting to Rs 6 lakh for previously cleared goods and Rs 10 lakh for current imports. During this time, he stated that he would only retain Rs 20,000 from the bribe, with the remainder destined for his superiors.
On the day of the arrest, Kumar met the complainant outside his colony, accepted the bribe in his vehicle, and attempted to evade capture by speeding through the area. However, he grew suspicious, discarded a bag containing the money near a dustbin, and was subsequently apprehended by CBI officers, leading to a scene of public commotion. The investigation now focuses on Kumar and the involvement of other Customs officials in this bribery scheme.
Crime
Mumbai Crime News: 40-Year-Old Man Arrested For Raping & Impregnating Minor Sister-In-Law; Wife Held For Cover-Up

Mumbai: A 40-year-old man has been arrested by Bandra Police for allegedly raping and impregnating his wife’s minor sister. His wife was also taken into custody for trying to hide the crime and for assisting in the minor’s delivery at home. The case came to light after the girl was admitted to the hospital.
According to the police, the teenage girl lived with her elder sister and brother-in-law in the same house. In her official statement, the minor alleged that her brother-in-law had raped her multiple times between March 2024 and July 2025. When she informed her elder sister about the pregnancy, she allegedly threatened her and did not allow her to seek help.
To cover up her husband’s crime, the elder sister did not let the minor girl visit a doctor or go out for any medical treatment. She conducted the girl’s delivery at home. However, when the girl’s condition worsened, she was rushed to Bhabha Hospital, where medical staff alerted the authorities, as reported.
A police official said, “After the minor’s condition stabilised, we recorded her statement. Based on her account, we booked her brother-in-law and her elder sister. Both were later arrested.” The victim and her baby are currently admitted to the hospital and are said to be in stable condition, according to police.
According to the report, the Bandra police have arrested the man and his wife under the relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for rape and issuing threats.
The police have also charged the victim’s elder sister with concealing information about the offence, causing the disappearance of evidence, and threatening the teenager. The victim gave birth to the baby at the hospital, and both are currently in stable condition.
-
Crime3 years ago
Class 10 student jumps to death in Jaipur
-
Maharashtra10 months ago
Mumbai Local Train Update: Central Railway’s New Timetable Comes Into Effect; Check Full List Of Revised Timings & Stations
-
Maharashtra10 months ago
Mumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City
-
Maharashtra10 months ago
False photo of Imtiaz Jaleel’s rally, exposing the fooling conspiracy
-
Crime10 months ago
Baba Siddique Murder: Mumbai Police Unable To Get Lawrence Bishnoi Custody Due To Home Ministry Order, Says Report
-
National News10 months ago
Ministry of Railways rolls out Special Drive 4.0 with focus on digitisation, cleanliness, inclusiveness and grievance redressal
-
Maharashtra9 months ago
Maharashtra Elections 2024: Mumbai Metro & BEST Services Extended Till Midnight On Voting Day
-
National News11 months ago
J&K: 4 Jawans Killed, 28 Injured After Bus Carrying BSF Personnel For Poll Duty Falls Into Gorge In Budgam; Terrifying Visuals Surface