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Maharashtra

RTI: Modi govt ‘crushes’ hinterland terror, only 7 attacks in 8 years

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 The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come out with flying colours in curbing hinterland terror, with only seven such extremist attacks notched in the past over eight years of the NDA rule, a RTI reply has revealed here.

Besides, there has been minimal loss of lives, 11 civilians and 11 security personnel killed, and injuries sustained by 52 civilians and 44 by security forces, from 2014-till date.

These and other significant revelations came in a RTI reply by the Union Home Ministry to Pune-based activist Prafful Sarda.

“I had sought details of all terror strikes that took place in India, from 2004 till date, implying, during the UPA tenure of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the NDA government of Prime Minister Modi,” Sarda said.

The RTI reply provides startling details of the UPA regime from 2004-2013, a total of 42 hinterland terror attacks killing 853 civilians and 18 security personnel, and leaving 3,147 civilians injured, with zero casualties on the security side.

The data indicates that 2008 and 2006 were the worst years in terms of extremist strikes in the hinterlands, recording 306 and 238 civilian deaths plus 833 and 1,266 civilian injuries, respectively.

In 2008, which includes the dastardly 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, 18 security personnel were killed and 9 terrorists from Pakistan were killed while one Ajmal Kasab was caught alive, tried and secretly hanged on November 21, 2012.

The other major incidents of 2008 include: attacks in Rampur (Uttar Pradesh), Jaipur in May, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad in July, Delhi and Mehrauli, Malegaon and Gujarat, all in September, Agartala, Imphal and Assam, all in October.

The 2006 data comprises the terror strikes in Ahmedabad railway station (February 19), Mumbai 7/11 serial bomb blasts in suburban trains (July 11), and the Malegaon blasts (September 8).

The RTI reply by the Ministry’s Director (CT-I) & CPIO Chanchal Yadav had provided the details pertaining only to terror hits or bomb blasts in the �hinterland’ of India, or the civilian areas.

“Its puzzling why the officer restricted the reply to �hinterland’ regions, and conveniently omitted the crucial terror activities in the border states. So, this doesn’t reveal the true picture of how many times the country was really targeted between 2014-till date both on the borders and interiors,” said Sarda.

The activist pointed out that the Centre has named the state �police’ as the first responder to any terrorist/criminal activities, and thereby appears to “club together terror-crime incidents” in the country.

Sarda said the CPIO has directed the RTI queries for Jammu & Kashmir, Left Wing Extremism (Maoist/Naxalism) and North-East to the concerned departments, but their responses are awaited.

However, the Centre has taken various critical administartive and legislative measures to rein in hinterland terrorism in the past 18 years.

The initiatives are: augmenting the Central Armed Police strength, capacity building of special forces, modernising the (state) Police forces, tighter immigration controls, upgrading intelligence set-up and coastal security, and giving more teeth to the UAP and NIA acts.

Crime

Mumbai Police Bust Fake Goregaon Call Centre Defrauding Foreigners; 13 Held

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The Mumbai Crime Branch Unit 12 has uncovered a major scam targeting foreign nationals, following a raid on an unauthorised call centre in Goregaon. The update was first shared by Mumbai Police on X, highlighting how unsuspecting victims were tricked into paying large sums of money under the pretext of antivirus software renewal.

Investigations revealed that the accused were sending fraudulent emails, posing as legitimate antivirus renewal alerts. Once the victims responded, they were coerced into purchasing gift cards ranging between $250 and $500. These cards were then redeemed and converted into cryptocurrency, making it nearly impossible for victims to track their losses.

The racket primarily preyed on foreign nationals unfamiliar with the setup. Officials said the scam was designed to create panic among users by suggesting that their computer security had expired, pressuring them into making quick payments.

During the raid, police seized 15 desktop computers, 10 laptops, and 20 mobile phones used to run the fraudulent operations. Documents and data recovered from the systems are now being examined to determine the scale of the fraud and to identify additional victims.

Thirteen individuals have been arrested in connection with the racket. This includes two owners who were running the operation, one manager overseeing daily activities, and ten tele-caller agents responsible for contacting and convincing the victims. Police said the arrests mark a significant step in cracking down on cybercrime networks exploiting international victims.

The Mumbai Police emphasised that this bust highlights the evolving nature of cybercrime and the need for continuous vigilance. Authorities added that further investigations are underway to uncover links with larger international fraud syndicates.

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Maharashtra

Protection of religious places in Bhiwandi road expansion project, MLA Raees Sheikh assures protection of religious places after meeting with Municipal Commissioner

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rais shaikh

Mumbai: Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Raees Sheikh has demanded protection of religious places like mosque, temple, gurudwara, and Samaj Mandir in the Bhiwandi road expansion project. He has also demanded rehabilitation and compensation for the victims of the Bhiwandi and Kalyan road expansion project. Raees Sheikh was being accused of supporting the DP plan to benefit the builder lobby, after which Raees Sheikh met the Municipal Commissioner Bhiwandi Nizampur today and made it clear that the road and DP plan and policy are not prepared by the MLA. He said that the road expansion and DP plan should be changed and the protection of religious places should be ensured, on which the Municipal Commissioner Bhiwandi Nizampur assured Raees Sheikh that the protection of religious places will be maintained. If it is an obstacle in the survey, then necessary changes should be made in the project along with ensuring their protection. He said that religious places of any nature will be protected.

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Maharashtra

Insights On Mumbai Redevelopment: How The New MahaRERA Consent Waiver Speeds Up Projects

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On September 9, 2025, the Bombay High Court issued a ruling that removes one of the biggest hurdles in Mumbai’s redevelopment landscape. The Court held that new developers do not need two-thirds consent from allottees of a terminated developer to register with the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA). This clarification could unlock thousands of stalled projects, paving the way for faster redevelopment across the city.

Redevelopment has long been central to addressing Mumbai’s housing crunch. The city faces a shortage of nearly 400,000–450,000 units, with over 19,000 cessed buildings and 25,000 dilapidated structures at risk. Mumbai also leads the country in stalled projects, with more than 2,000 delayed, often because of regulatory bottlenecks. By removing the consent requirement, the Court has created a clearer, quicker pathway for societies and developers to move forward.

The ruling arose from a petition by Tuvin Constructions LLP against MahaRERA’s insistence on consent from allottees of the terminated developer in the Vilas Vaibhav Co-operative Housing Society project.

The society’s original 2014 agreement with Aditya Developer was terminated in 2023 by arbitral award.

In October 2024, the society appointed Tuvin as the new developer.

When Tuvin sought MahaRERA registration in March 2025, consent under Section 15 of RERA was demanded.

The Court, led by Justices Riyaz Chagla and Farhan Dubash, held there was no privity of contract between the new developer and the old allottees, directing MahaRERA to process registration without delay.

The judges emphasized: once an erstwhile developer’s rights are terminated, old allottees cannot extend claims to the new developer.

Consent Not Needed: No two-thirds consent required from old allottees once a termination is legally valid.

Society-Led Decisions: Registration can proceed with the society’s new agreement.

Legal Consistency: Court reaffirmed that there is no contractual link between the new developer and prior purchasers.

Immediate Effect: Request for a stay was declined; registration to move forward promptly.

Redevelopment is already reshaping Mumbai: by May 2024, over 31,000 projects were approved, with 15–25% of registrations tied to redevelopment. Yet, MahaRERA has suspended 4,800 projects for non-compliance, while 7,500 cases remain pending. Many of these stem from consent disputes—the very issue addressed by this ruling.

For societies, the ruling brings:

Faster timelines: Restart projects in weeks instead of months.

Stronger bargaining power: Better terms on carpet area, amenities, and possession timelines.

Legal clarity: Provided the termination is sound (e.g., arbitral award), fresh registration no longer hinges on old allottee consent.

Important: This does not change the rule that 51% member approval is required at the initial redevelopment stage. The ruling applies only to post-termination registrations.

Claims by purchasers under the old developer remain with that developer.

The decision prevents viable projects from being trapped in consent disputes, increasing the supply of redeveloped housing stock.

Yes, where a previous developer’s rights are legally terminated and a new developer is appointed.

Societies must pass a resolution, sign a new development agreement, and file Form A for MahaRERA registration—no old allottee consents needed.

Yes. By removing one of the most contentious hurdles, the ruling should significantly cut timelines for many stalled projects.

Absolutely. Full disclosure, adherence to timelines, and regulatory transparency remain mandatory.

This verdict marks a turning point for Mumbai’s redevelopment journey. By streamlining the consent process, it ensures that societies, developers, and ultimately homebuyers benefit from faster, fairer redevelopment.

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