Mumbai: A Mumbai court on Thursday remanded Upendra Pawaskar, who was arrested for allegedly defacing a statue of the late Meenatai Thackeray, wife of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, to police custody till September 20. Police told the court they need time to ascertain the motive behind the act, reportedly committed by a person of “unsound mind.”

According to sources, during police interrogation, Pawaskar claimed that one of his relatives, who is a personal bodyguard of Uddhav Thackeray, is involved in a property dispute with him. Police suspect that personal and political grievances may have motivated the act. Sources also indicate that Pawaskar has displayed signs of mental instability, which is now under evaluation.

The Shivaji Park Police identified the accused through CCTV footage and arrested him on Wednesday night from Khed Galli in Dadar. He was produced before the court on Thursday. The paint can allegedly used in the incident is yet to be recovered.

Prosecutors argued that further custodial interrogation was necessary to determine the motive and trace the missing evidence. The court subsequently granted police custody until September 20.

Police sources further revealed that Pawaskar has a prior criminal record, including assault charges registered at the Dadar Police Station, along with several non-cognizable offenses.

Police stated that Pawaskar had been living alone in the Dadar area for many years and is believed to be “mentally unsound.”

Mumbai: Mumbai woke up to scattered light rain showers on Friday morning. Though the city received rains in the early hours, the weather department has not issued any rain alert for today.

According to the IMD, the city would see an overcast sky with intermittent light showers, while a few areas may receive moderate spells. However, there is no forecast of heavy or widespread rainfall. Maximum temperature is likely to touch 28°C, while the minimum may settle at 25°C. Winds near the coast are expected to remain light to moderate.

Neighbouring Thane and Navi Mumbai are set to experience similar conditions. Residents can expect drizzle to moderate showers through the day, with no significant rainfall activity on the radar. Cloudy skies will persist, and the weather is likely to remain humid. Daytime temperatures are expected to hover around 28°C, while the night temperature will remain between 24°C and 25°C.

In Palghar, skies will stay overcast, and the rainfall pattern is expected to be uneven. While some pockets may only see light drizzle, others could receive moderate spells. The weather confirmed that no weather alert has been issued for the district. Maximum temperature is forecast at 28°C and minimum at 25°C, with conditions expected to remain damp and humid.

Further down the Konkan coast, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts, which witnessed heavy rain over the past few days, are also expected to see a decline in intensity. IMD officials said only light to moderate showers are likely, accompanied by cloudy weather.

The department clarified that there is no threat of heavy rain on Friday. Coastal winds in these regions may blow slightly stronger than in Mumbai and Thane. Daytime temperature could reach 29°C, while the minimum will remain around 25°C.

Mumbai: The number of millionaire households in Maharashtra has grown by 194% to 1.78 lakhs in the last four years, which is the highest in the country. According to a latest wealth report, Mumbai alone hosts 1.42 lakh millionaire households with Maharashtra being the preferred investment destination for 43% of Indian millionaires.

India now has 8.71 lakh millionaire households, families with a net worth of at least 8.5Cr, increasing by 90% from 4.58 lakh in 2021, revealed the ‘Mercedes Benz-Hurun India Wealth Report 2025’ launched on Thursday. The report states that the number of such millionaire families have grown by 445% from 2017 whereas only 0.01% became billionaires. However, these households comprise only 0.31% of the total households in India, highlighting the growing wealth disparity in the country.

Notably, the report revealed that Maharashtra leads the country in terms of millionaire households, 1.78 lakh, recording a 194% growth since 2021. Mumbai, the country’s financial capital, alone hosts 1.42 lakh millionaire families, which is again the highest in the country, followed by 68,200 in New Delhi. The report stated that the economic expansion of Maharashtra, which is home to 471 individuals featured in the ‘Hurun India Rich List 2024’, is underpinned by a 55% increase in its gross state domestic product (GSDP) between 2020-21 and 2023-24, crossing Rs40 lakh crore. Similarly, Mumbai accounts for 80% of the state’s total wealth, backed by 55% GSDP growth.

Maharashtra stood out as the most preferred investment destination in India for millionaires, with 43% of them choosing it over Gujarat, Karnataka and Delhi NCR, revealed the ‘Mercedes-Benz Hurun India Luxury Consumer Survey 2025’, also launched on Thursday. The survey revealed that stocks, real estate, and gold remain the top asset choices for millionaires with 51% expecting Indian real estate to grow in the next two years, while 38% believe it will remain stable.

Anas Rahman Junaid, founder and chief researcher at Hurun India, said, “I am struck by the extraordinary upward mobility we’re witnessing in India. This democratisation of prosperity speaks to the resilience of our economy, with opportunity spreading to millions of new wealth creators. We project India’s millionaires could double to around 1.7 to 2 million households in the next decade. Powered by our young demographic, technology and entrepreneurial spirit, India is poised to become the world’s fastest-growing wealth hub, gradually closing the gap with the leading economies.

Santosh Iyer, MD and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, highlighted that the millionaires are also quickly shifting towards luxury electric vehicles (EVs) in comparison to the overall shift in general EVs. He stated that while the overall shift to EV is around 4%, luxury car owners record an 11% shift. “India’s growth story underscores the resilience and transformation of the economy, driven by a burgeoning domestic market and soaring aspiration of today’s young generation. Mercedes-Benz remains a symbol of social prestige, financial affluence and unmatched desirability,” he added.