Mumbai: Senior IAS officer Vivek L. Bhimanwar on Wednesday took oath as the Chairman of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), assuming charge of the state’s premier recruitment authority. The oath of office was administered by Acharya Devvrat at Lok Bhavan in Mumbai.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde congratulated Bhimanwar on his appointment, expressing confidence in his leadership at a time when the commission is handling multiple large-scale recruitment processes.

With this appointment, Bhimanwar takes charge of the constitutional body responsible for conducting competitive examinations and selecting candidates for Group A and Group B posts across various state government departments. The MPSC plays a critical role in ensuring a steady supply of qualified officers to the Maharashtra administration.

An officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), 2009 batch, Maharashtra cadre, Vivek L. Bhimanwar brings with him extensive administrative experience. Born on February 24, 1966, Bhimanwar holds degrees in LL.B. and M.Sc., reflecting a strong academic background alongside his bureaucratic career. He has previously served as the Transport Commissioner in the Government of Maharashtra, among other key assignments.

Bhimanwar is expected to focus on improving transparency, efficiency and timeliness in recruitment processes. Addressing delays in examination cycles, expediting result declarations and strengthening institutional reforms are likely to be among his immediate priorities.

The Maharashtra Public Service Commission is responsible for staffing crucial departments such as revenue, police, public works, education and finance. Any delays or inefficiencies in its functioning have a direct impact on governance and service delivery across the state. In recent years, aspirants have repeatedly raised concerns over examination schedules and prolonged recruitment timelines.

Reports citing sources indicated that Bhimanwar will assume charge with immediate effect and begin reviewing pending recruitment cycles in the coming months. His tenure is expected to bring administrative clarity and procedural streamlining to the commission’s operations.

The appointment is being seen as important, with the state government hoping that Bhimanwar’s experience and administrative acumen will help restore confidence among aspirants and ensure smoother functioning of Maharashtra’s top recruitment body.

Mumbai: After wrapping up a packed schedule of official engagements, French President Emmanuel Macron took time to experience Mumbai up close, making an unscheduled late-night visit to the historic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on Tuesday.

President Macron arrived at the iconic railway station around 10 pm, accompanied by his wife. The couple was seen leisurely walking through the premises, taking in the Gothic architectural details of the heritage structure, which is among the city’s most recognisable landmarks. Commuters present at the station appeared pleasantly surprised to see the French President casually strolling through the bustling transport hub.

The visit came after a day of high-level bilateral engagements, during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted President Macron in Mumbai for extensive discussions aimed at deepening India–France cooperation. The talks focused on key areas including defence, advanced technology, trade, clean energy and global strategic collaboration.

A major highlight of the meetings was the joint inauguration of the India–France Year of Innovation 2026 at the Gateway of India, an initiative designed to strengthen collaboration between startups, researchers, industry leaders and academic institutions in both countries. The leaders also discussed cooperation in defence manufacturing, civil nuclear energy, space exploration, climate action, clean energy solutions and artificial intelligence.

Earlier, President Macron paid tribute to the victims of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, reiterating France’s solidarity with India in the fight against terrorism. His three-day visit is expected to result in further progress on trade, strategic partnerships and defence and aerospace initiatives.

Meanwhile, hours after his arrival in Mumbai, President Macron surprised locals once again by stepping out for a morning jog along the city’s iconic Marine Drive. Dressed in a navy blue athletic T-shirt, black shorts and running shoes, the French leader blended into the morning crowd as he jogged at a brisk pace, with security personnel maintaining a discreet presence.

According to a senior police official, the President began his run shortly after 10.30 am. Adequate police deployment was in place along the route to ensure security. The jog started from the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel near the Gateway of India and continued via Maharshi Karve Marg, passing Churchgate station, Oval Ground and Regal Chowk, before looping back towards the hotel via Marine Drive near the Coastal Road.

Videos of President Macron’s morning exercise quickly went viral on social media, with onlookers capturing the moment on their smartphones. The informal interactions and unscheduled public appearances added a human touch to an otherwise tightly choreographed diplomatic visit, drawing appreciation from Mumbaikars and social media users alike.

Mumbai: A Bandra-based businesswoman has alleged that she was cheated of ₹65.40 lakh in a fraudulent chemical supply deal involving an Ahmedabad-based intermediary and a Vadodara firm. An FIR has been registered against Damnik Rathod, Arvind Ahuja, Hasmukhbhai Shah and Sachin Rajeshirke at the LT Marg Police Station.

The complainant, Nita Abhinav Upadhyay (43), a resident of Bandra (West), is a partner in A.N.N. Finechem LLP, a firm registered in 2024 with the Registrar of Companies (RoC).

The firm deals in the purchase and sale of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), sourcing chemicals from various Indian companies and supplying them to other firms through agents on a 30–90 day payment cycle.

According to the complaint, in July 2025, Punit Prajapati from Ahmedabad contacted Upadhyay regarding the availability of the chemical Pregabalin on behalf of one Dr Manik Rathod. Subsequently, Rathod directly contacted her and placed an order for 3 tonnes of Pregabalin worth ₹95.40 lakh, agreeing to pay 50% advance and the balance within 30 days of delivery.

On July 30, 2025, a purchase order was received from Agaman Chemicals Pvt Ltd, Vadodara, but since the agreed advance payment was not received, the goods were not dispatched.

Later, Rathod informed Upadhyay that due to his company’s bank account being frozen, the payment would instead be made by another firm, Alakhat Business Solutions Pvt Ltd, Vadodara. Initially, Upadhyay refused, citing irregularity in receiving payment from a different company than the one issuing the purchase order. Rathod then cancelled the earlier order and facilitated direct dealings with Alakhat Business Solutions Pvt Ltd.

On August 18, 2025, Alakhat Business Solutions Pvt Ltd placed an order for 1 tonne of Pregabalin worth ₹31.80 lakh, agreeing to pay 50% advance and the remaining amount via post-dated cheque (PDC) within 15 days.

An advance of ₹15.90 lakh was credited via RTGS to A.N.N. Finechem LLP’s HDFC Bank account on August 19, 2025. Trusting the transaction, the complainant procured the material from SBD Healthcare, Bharuch, and handed over the consignment to the company’s vehicle.

Subsequently, further RTGS payments of ₹15.90 lakh each were made on September 1, 8 and 12, 2025, along with ₹30 lakh on September 16, 2025, against additional orders.

Each time, Upadhyay purchased the required material from suppliers including SBD Healthcare (Bharuch), GGC Vadodara and Apex Pharma (Bharuch), making full payments before dispatching the goods.

However, when the first post-dated cheque dated September 21, 2025, was deposited, it was returned with the remark “Account Closed and Insufficient Balance.” Upon confronting Arvind Ahuja, identified as the manager of Alakhat Business Solutions Pvt Ltd, she was repeatedly assured that payment issues were being resolved. Bank officials reportedly informed her that attempts to contact the company’s director, Hasmukhbhai Natwarbhai Shah, were unsuccessful.

Further inquiries revealed that another director, Sachin Rajeshirke, was unavailable due to a family bereavement. Despite repeated follow-ups through calls and emails, no payments were made. When Upadhyay verified the company’s addresses in Vadodara and Roorkee, she allegedly found that no such operational offices existed.

On October 13, 2025, the company emailed stating that payment was delayed due to a “government audit” and technical issues, promising clearance after Diwali. However, no payment was received thereafter.

In October 2025, Upadhyay met Dr Manik Rathod in Vadodara to seek clarification. Rathod allegedly denied responsibility. Later, in January 2026, she received a message through Prajapati that if she paid ₹5 lakh, Rathod would provide updated contact details and the new office address of Alakhat Business Solutions Pvt Ltd.

The complainant stated that this strengthened her suspicion that Rathod, along with Arvind Ahuja and directors Hasmukhbhai Shah and Sachin Rajeshirke, had conspired to cheat her firm.

According to the complaint, goods worth ₹1.59 crore were supplied to the accused company. While ₹93.60 lakh was received through RTGS, the remaining ₹65.40 lakh remains unpaid.

Alleging criminal conspiracy and cheating, Upadhyay has filed a complaint against the accused. Based on her statement, an FIR has been registered at the LT Marg Police Station, and further investigation is underway.