Politics
PAAS members level graft allegations against Hardik Patel, misuse of platform
Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener and former Gujarat Congress working president, Hardik Patel is under attack from his one time associates and fan followers. They have also accused him of indulging in corruption. Hardik is not reachable for comment.
The latest allegation has been made by Hardik Patel’s one time associate Bhavesh Somani from Bhavnagar, who said that he had hurled ‘Chappal’ on Hardik Patel’s instruction on the then Union Minister of State Mansukh Mandaviya.
Somani has also levelled serious allegations of corruption against Hardik Patel. He said that Hardik took Rs 23 lakh bribe to give ticket for the Gariyadhar assembly constituency election in 2017. “Rs 10 lakh cash was delivered to his father Bharatbhai at his Ahmedabad flat and the rest was paid through Angadia services in two instalments,” Somani said.
Hardik Patel is tight-lipped on the issue. When IANS contacted him over phone and through text message, he did not respond.
While Hardik is cornered with various allegations, his one time associate Vandana Patel has come out in his support. She has appealed Patidars and PAAS workers to stop making allegations against Hardik Patel in public. She cited the unwritten rule of the tribal community, where no one makes allegations against their leaders if they switch sides. She said Ashwin Kotawal and Keval Joshiyara joined BJP, but the tribal community did not criticise them.
“These allegations can’t be termed baseless,” said Rajendrasinh Gohil, president of the Bhavnagar District Congress Committee. Gohil said, “I know Bhavesh Somani was one of the trustworthy and confidant of Hardik Patel in Bhavnagar. I have heard about him demanding money to organise Hardik’s public meeting in Bhavnagar district, in the run up to the elections. Gariadhar Congress candidate Paresh Kheni was a party worker as well as the PAAS worker too.”
People will question and make such allegations, argues Dhanji Patidar, PAAS worker from Unava in the Mehsana district, and said, “why is Hardik Patel not disclosing his family’s annual income before and after he headed PAAS movement. What is his source of income? Does he do a job anywhere? Does he have investment in any industry? How is he meeting his expenses and living a lavish lifestyle?”
“Once a Patidar leader joins politics, such allegations will keep cropping up,” said Varun Patel, PAAS convener and now BJP leader, on specific corruption allegations against Hardik Patel. He said, “It is difficult to either call it baseless or true, but one thing is sure, where there is a smoke, there is a fire.”
Maharashtra
Mumbai Police arrests 367 absconding and wanted accused

Mumbai: Police has claimed to have arrested 367 wanted criminals, including 18 who were wanted for 20 years. All these wanted criminals were declared absconders. In this, an accused wanted since 1987 has also been arrested in Azad Maidan police station, similarly an accused wanted since 1988 has also been arrested in MN Joshi Marg. These accused have been arrested from January 1, 2026 to March 31, 2026. The police have arrested these accused in this special operation to search for the absconding criminals, which is highly successful. This operation has been carried out on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti.
Maharashtra
Public representatives should cooperate for effective implementation of SIR program in Mumbai: Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide

Mumbai: As per the instructions of the Commission of India, the Special In-depth Review (SIR) programme is being implemented for the electoral rolls in Mumbai city and suburban districts of Mumbai. District Election Officer and Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide has appealed to the public representatives and political parties to cooperate in implementing this programme in Mumbai in a very effective manner.
In connection with the Special In-depth Review (SIR) programme, a meeting was held with representatives of various political parties at the Mumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters today (April 24, 2026). Leader of Opposition Kishori Pednekar, group leaders of various parties, representatives of various political parties were present at the Mumbai Municipal Corporation House. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Dr. Vipin Sharma, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini Joshi, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijeet Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Dr. Avinash Dhakne, District Collector (Mumbai City) Aanchal Goel, Joint Commissioner of Municipal Commissioner (Mumbai City) and Local Government Commissioner etc. were present.
At the beginning of the meeting, detailed information about the Special In-Depth Review Programme was provided to the representatives of political parties through a computer presentation. Apart from this, various issues were discussed in detail.
District Election Officer and Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said that earlier a Special In-Depth Review was conducted in Maharashtra in the year 2002, i.e. about 24 years ago. The change in the voter list is necessary due to migration, double registration, illegal registration of dead voters or foreign nationals. In this regard, a Special In-depth Review (SIR) programme is being implemented in the Brihanmumbai region along with other parts of Maharashtra. This Special In-depth Review (SIR) programme will be implemented in a total of six phases, namely, pre-review period, counting period, preparation of AASD (Already Enrolled, Absent, Transferred, Dead) list, publication of draft voter list, claims and objections period and publication of final voter list. The work of voter mapping in the Brihanmumbai region (Mumbai city and Mumbai suburbs) is underway under the pre-review period. Accordingly, voters in the Special In-depth Review 2002 electoral roll are being mapped in the BLO app by searching the details in the 2024 electoral roll. Meanwhile, the cooperation of political parties is important for more effective implementation of the Special In-depth Review (SIR) programme in the Mumbai region. The Municipal Corporation has appointed Polling Station Level Officers (BLOs) for this work. On this basis, Mrs. Ashwini Bhide also appealed to the political parties to appoint Polling Station Level Assistants (BLAs) in the respective local bodies so that the revision process can be completed more efficiently, transparently and expeditiously.
Crime
Goa Cyber Police Arrest Maharashtra Man In ₹61.84 Lakh Digital Arrest Scam Case

Panaji: The Goa Cyber Police apprehended a 48-year-old man from Maharashtra for his alleged involvement in a major cyber fraud case amounting to Rs 61.84 lakh, police officials said on Friday.
The accused, identified as Dayanand Baburao Devalkar, a resident of Ajara in Kolhapur, was traced following an in-depth technical investigation, the office of the superintendent of police (cyber crime), Raibandar, said in a statement.
Police officials said that the funds were transferred into Devalkar’s bank account before being routed to multiple accounts belonging to his associates.
An investigation was initiated after a complaint filed by a resident of Quepem on April 13. According to the police, the fraudsters, acting as Mumbai Crime Branch officers through a WhatsApp number, allegedly threatened the complainant with fabricated allegations of money laundering linked to the banned organisation, PFI.
The accused shared fake documents, including a fraudulent bank statement and an arrest warrant, to intimidate the victim, the police said.
The complainant was subjected to a ‘digital arrest’ and coerced into transferring Rs 61,84,200 to settle the alleged case, the police statement said.
A team led by Sub-Inspector Navin Naik, alongside constables Sidaramaiyya Math and Vinay Amonkar, conducted the raid in Ajara to secure the arrest of the accused.
The investigation is being conducted by Inspector Deepak Pednekar under the supervision of Assistant Superintendent of Police BV Sridevi and Superintendent of Police (Cyber Crime) Raju Raut Desai.
This arrest follows a surge in ‘digital arrest’ scams across the coastal state.
In February, a Porvorim resident lost nearly Rs 15 lakh in a similar ruse involving fake narcotics officials. In late 2023, the Goa Police issued a public advisory after several professionals reported being held on video calls for hours by individuals posing as officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The arrested accused is being produced before the court to seek police custody.
The police are currently tracking the secondary bank accounts to identify the wider network involved in the syndicate.
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