Politics
NCB lets off Aryan: MVA feels ‘vindicated’, says its a ‘slap’ for BJP

The ruling 3-party Maha Vikas Aghadi government on Friday said it stands ‘vindicated’ after the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) gave ‘clean chit’ to Aryan Khan and five other accused in the sensational raids on a cruiser in October 2021.
The MVA allies — Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress — had slammed the NCB from day one for the swoop carried out by the agency’s then Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede.
NCP Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik — currently in custody of the ED — had run a major expose-campaign against the NCB city head Wankhede and termed the Cordelia Cruise ship raid as a “farjiwada (fraud)” perpetrated in collaboration with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
NCP Chief Spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said that Malik’s observations of how the entire raid was conducted and selection of witnesses having ‘close affinity with BJP’ was valid and now is laid bare by the NCB.
“We have always maintained that NCB is a very credible organisation with an impeccable track record, but recent actions put a question mark on its reputation. Malik’s serious allegations against Wankhede earned the ire of some powerful people in New Delhi and he is now paying the price for speaking the truth,” said Tapase.
Congress Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe said the cruiser raid and subsequent happenings were part of the “huge conspiracy by the BJP government misusing the central probe agencies to discredit and topple the MVA government” which have failed.
“Now, they have got a slap on their face… Instead of continuing to indulge in such tactics, it will be better if the BJP learns now that it works for the welfare of the people,” Londhe said, terming the development as ‘Satyameva Jayate’.
Sena’s MoS Kishore Tiwari said that his statements in the PIL filed by him stand ‘fully vindicated” that the entire raids was a ‘fake’ perpetrated by Wankhede and his BJP supporters to tarnish the MVA regime and hog publicity.
“I will pursue the PIL and seek criminal proceedings against Wankhede, all the BJP men who were exposed later by Minister Malik, how innocents like Aryan Khan were trapped in their extortion rackets and the fake raids, etc., till its logical conclusion,” said a grim Tiwari.
Following the NCB’s statement giving a ‘clean chit’ to Aryan and others, Malik’s Team demanded to know: “Will the NCB take action against Wankhede, his team and the private army, or will it shield the culprits.”
An NCB official said that it will prosecute only the 14 against whom solid evidence along with circumstantial evidence has been found, and charges will be dropped against the remaining (six).
He also said there was no evidence of any ‘conspiracy’, ‘international drug syndicate’, ‘common intent’, based on WhatsApp chats, etc., as claimed by the previous team led by Wankhede which probed the case.
The matter started a furious debate on social media with the NCB coming under fire for the ship raids and how its credibility lay shattered, though no prominent BJP leaders have reacted so far.
Maharashtra
Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi demands state secretary to pass anti-religious hatred bill in Maharashtra monsoon session

Mumbai: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi has demanded the passing of the Anti-Religious Hatred Bill. Abu Asim Azmi has sent a letter and a draft to the Secretary of the State Assembly, demanding the passing of the Anti-Religious Hatred Bill, which prohibits religious hatred including insulting important persons, religious places, holy places and blasphemy and has demanded strict legal action and law against its perpetrators. He said that the Anti-Religious Hatred Bill should be passed in the monsoon assembly session so that strict action can be taken against those who spread religious hatred in the state. He has drawn attention in his letter that in the case of religious hatred and insulting important persons, attempts are also made to incite communal violence and spoil the atmosphere. In such a situation, the Anti-Religious Hatred Law and Bill should be passed and banned. Azmi has also sent a private draft to the Secretary, suggesting action against those who spread religious hatred and insult important persons. This bill was passed in the same session. Azmi has strongly demanded this.
Maharashtra
Heavy rains fill Powai lake in Mumbai

Mumbai: Mumbai Municipal Corporation’s Powai Lake, an important artificial lake within the Mumbai BMC limits, filled up around 6 am today (June 18, 2025). The water of this lake with a storage capacity of 545 crore liters of water is not potable and is mainly used for industrial purposes and other purposes apart from drinking in Aarey Dairy Colony.
According to the water engineering department of the municipal corporation, the lake filled up due to rains in the catchment area of this lake for the last two days.
Here is a brief information about Powai Lake
This lake is located about 27 km (about 17 miles) from the Mumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters.
The construction of this artificial lake was completed in 1890.
The catchment area of the lake is about 6.61 km. When the lake is completely full, the water area is about 2.23 square kilometers. When the lake is completely filled, it contains 545.5 crore liters of water. (5455 million liters)
After this lake is completely filled, its water goes into the Methi river.
Last year this lake was filled on 8 July 2024.
Maharashtra
Protest in support of Palestine in Mumbai, protesters detained

Mumbai: Demonstration in support of Palestine in Mumbai proved costly for the protesters when the police detained the protesters demonstrating in support of Palestine from midnight. The leaders who had announced to protest in different areas of Mumbai to express sympathy for Palestine were stopped by the police from going to Azad Maidan from midnight. Chunabhatti police detained Miraj Siddiqui, Gurgaon police detained Comrade Prakash Reddy, MIDC police detained Firoz Mithi Borwala.
The protesters had sought permission to protest in support of Palestine, but the police refused to give permission, while the protesters had warned them against protesting. Firoz Mithi Borwala said that the police detained us from midnight to stop us from protesting. He said that after the threat from Hindu extremist organization Vishwa Hindu Parishad Bajrang Dal, the police took this action to crush the protest. Hindu organizations had clearly threatened that if Muslims protest against Israel, they will take to the streets in support of Israel. It was only after this threat that the police took action against the protesters in support of Palestine, which is completely illegal. Mumbai Police said that the permission has been canceled to maintain law and order. Police has issued an alert in Mumbai.
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