Hammad’s father, Jalaluddin Siddiqui, who was arrested on charges of conspiring to shake Mumbai and Delhi, declared him innocent, calling all the allegations baseless and saying that Hammad was certainly active on his mobile phone, but he could not be involved in such illegal activities. He was active on a gaming app on his phone. 18-year-old Hammad lived with his parents and brothers in an old building near Kurla station. Jalaluddin Siddiqui has expressed ignorance about who his son was in contact with and which group he was in contact with on social media. He is not aware of it. He was in contact on the phone, but he is innocent. My thin, weak, frail child stayed away from all evil. He can be inclined towards evil even through his mobile phone. If there is any mistake in this, then he should be forgiven. He said that Hammad has never even seen the police station. The father cried and said that my child should be protected and the police and agencies should have mercy on my child. He said that I have faith in the court. He said that my son is being trapped. My son cannot travel to Mumbai alone, so how can he go to Delhi or any other province? The news of his arrest has shaken us. The ground has shifted under my feet. I work as a daily wage worker and did not have enough money to pay my son’s college fees, so he was trying to give a private exam. My son was good in studies and he was eager to become a lawyer and judge to serve the country after studying, but unfortunately he has been arrested. The arrest of Hammad from Kurla has created a sensation. Hammad was in touch on social media and was a participant in jihadi chats and groups. This allegation has been made by the ATS and Delhi Special Cell, while the father has denied all these allegations. Currently, Hammad is on remand in the NIA’s toy bomb blast case and Mashid Ahmed has also been arrested from Kalyan in this case.

Patna, April 6: Abdulmajid Hakim Elahi, Representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader to India, has said that the Strait of Hormuz has historically remained under Iranian control for thousands of years and that disruptions began only after the recent conflict involving the United States and Israel, which he described as a personal war driven by President Donald Trump against Iran.

The US and Israel carried out joint strikes on February 28, resulting in the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting Israel, as well as US bases in neighbouring Gulf countries, leading to a broader regional escalation that has led to the Strait of Hormuz crisis and disrupted significant oil and energy supplies.

Speaking to media, Abdulmajid Hakim Elahi said, “This war is President Trump against Iran. Everyone knows that, because this war is not in the interest of Americans. This was his personal war, and now Americans are handling it. And they want out, but they don’t know how they can get out of it.”

On the question of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, he emphasised Iran’s longstanding control over the strategic waterway and blamed the ongoing crisis on the conflict.

“The Strait of Hormuz has been there for thousands of years; it’s under control and dominated by Iran. Iran will continue to do the same now. There wasn’t any crisis or problem before this war. But now they (the US and Israel) have created this war, and they have created a lot of crises and problems through the Strait of Hormuz. We hope that it will finish very soon,” he said.

Elahi also underlined the historical ties between Iran and India, describing the relationship as deeply rooted and longstanding.

“We have a very tight relationship and friendship with India, which dates back over 5000 years,” he said.

Recalling the global response following Khamenei’s death, he said the Iranian leader was respected across communities and faiths.

“Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was a spiritual leader not only for Muslims but also a religious figure and a voice for the voiceless. He is not just for Shia people but also those from other communities, including many Hindus and Christians, who also respected and admired him. When the news of his martyrdom spread, everyone came out in respect and paid their respects and shed their tears, mourning his death,” he added.

Mumbai: The Indian National Congress on Sunday announced Akash Vijayrao More as its candidate for the upcoming Baramati Assembly by-election, setting up a direct contest against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.

More, currently serving as secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, has a political lineage. His father, Vijayrao More, was a former Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. A lawyer by profession, More had previously contested the Assembly elections in 2014 and is known for his alignment with Congress ideology. His candidature has been approved by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

According to reports, More is expected to file his nomination on Monday. His selection is being viewed as a calculated move by the Congress, particularly with an eye on mobilising support from the Dhangar community in the constituency.

The Baramati seat, located in Pune district, is widely regarded as a stronghold of the Pawar family. The by-election was initially expected to be uncontested, with senior NCP leader Sunil Tatkare indicating that efforts were underway to reach out to Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, to avoid a direct contest.

However, the political dynamics appear to have shifted. Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut earlier dismissed reports of confusion within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance over seat-sharing for the bypolls. He maintained that Baramati traditionally belongs to Sharad Pawar and stated that elections are a matter of political self-respect.

Raut also noted that the final call on Shiv Sena UBT’s participation would be taken by party chief Uddhav Thackeray. Meanwhile, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), in alliance with the BJP, fielded Sunetra Pawar for the Baramati contest.

The by-election was necessitated following the sudden demise of former Maharashtra Deputy CM and Baramati’s sitting MLA Ajit Pawar. As per the schedule announced by the Election Commission of India, polling will be held on April 23, 2026, with counting slated for May 4. The Baramati bypoll is expected to witness a keen contest, marking a key political battle in one of Maharashtra’s most high-profile constituencies.