Crime
SC junks pleas alleging illegal construction at Jagannath temple by Odisha govt
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain petitions claiming illegal construction and excavation at the Shree Jagannath temple in Puri by the Odisha government.
A vacation bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and Hima Kohli criticised the PIL petitioners for wasting court’s time with frivolous petitions and also pointed out that in the recent past there has been a mushrooming growth in the PILs. “We deprecate the practice of filing such PILsa. It’s a waste of judicial time and it needs to be nipped in the bud so that development work is not stalled…,” said the bench.
The bench added that many such petitions are either publicity interest litigation or personal interest litigation.
During the hearing senior advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani, representing the petitioner, submitted before a vacation bench that no construction can be carried out in the prohibited area at the temple and the state government got NOC from the National Monuments Authority (NMA) and carried out the construction. She argued that only director archaeology either at central or state level could grant a valid certificate, and not the NMA.
Advocate General (AG) for Odisha Ashok Kumar Parija contended before the bench that NMA is the authority under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act. He added that the state government’s director culture is the competent authority, which gave the permission, and the government plans to provide amenities and beautification of the temple. Parija pointed out that renovation of an existing structure or building, or maintenance and cleansing of drains and similar conveniences, and maintenance of works meant for providing supply of water for the public do not fall under the ambit of construction.
After hearing the detailed arguments in the matter, the top court on Thursday said it will pronounce the order on Friday. Petitioner Ardhendu Kumar Das and others have moved the top court alleging illegal excavation and construction work carried out by the state government at the temple. The plea alleged that the state government is carrying out unauthorised construction work, which is a threat to the structure of the temple.
Crime
Couple facing family opposition commits suicide in UP’s Saharanpur

Saharanpur, July 2: A laboratory technician and his paramour allegedly committed suicide at a rented accommodation in Sadar Bazar area in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur, police said on Thursday.
Preliminary police investigation suggests that the two may have died by suicide due to family opposition to their relationship. However, police said the exact cause of death will be confirmed only after the post-mortem report and forensic evidence are examined.
Saharanpur ASP Manoj Yadav said: “We received information that a person had locked his room from inside and was not opening the door despite repeatedly being asked to do so. Upon reaching the place we looked in from the window and since the situation was suspicious, we broke open the door in the presence of the neighbours.”
Forensic experts were called at the spot and detailed examination of the place was carried out, he said.
The man has been identified as 39-year-old Sam Kamanish, a native of Kerala, who had been working as a laboratory technician at Medigram Hospital in Saharanpur for the past ten years. The woman, 24-year-old Aastha, was a resident of the Gagalheri area and worked as a teacher at a private intermediate college.
“The man slit his wrist and partially hung himself from the window of the room while the woman had most probably consumed a poisonous substance. There are no wounds on the female’s body,” ASP Yadav said.
According to police, Sam and Aastha first met around four years ago when Aastha’s mother was undergoing treatment at Medigram Hospital. Their acquaintance gradually developed into a romantic relationship. Police said Sam was already married, but his wife had moved to Delhi several years ago for work.
Aastha’s family had reportedly opposed to their relationship.
On Wednesday morning, Aastha left home for college but did not reach her workplace. When she failed to return by evening, the family began searching for her and informed the police. Aastha’s father expressed suspicion that Sam might be involved, prompting police to launch an investigation.
CCTV footage from the hospital reportedly showed the two leaving together in a car. With the help of the car driver, police traced them to Sam’s rented accommodation later that night.
Police said the both bodies were sent for post-mortem examination. Aastha’s body has been handed over to her family, while authorities are waiting for Sam’s relatives to arrive from Kerala before releasing his body.
Officials said all possible angles are being investigated, and the exact circumstances surrounding the deaths will become clear after the investigation and post-mortem findings.
Crime
Ketan Agarwal murder case: Old video shows accused Siya Goyal abusing on phone at pub

Pune, July 2: An old video purportedly showing Siya Goyal, the prime accused in the alleged murder of her fiancée Ketan Agarwal, abusing on the phone at a pub, has surfaced online, adding a fresh dimension to the high-profile case that has drawn nationwide attention.
The video, believed to have been recorded in December 2025, allegedly captures Siya inside a pub while holding what appears to be a beer bottle and talking on the phone.
During the conversation, she is heard using abusive language and saying, “First he cheats on me, then he calls me.”
The clip has since gone viral across social media platforms, prompting renewed public interest in the investigation.
Apart from this video, several older photographs and clips featuring Siya and co-accused Chetan Chaudhary have also resurfaced online.
One such video reportedly shows the two attending a cricket league match together months before the alleged crime. Investigators, however, have not officially linked these videos to the murder case.
The case pertains to the death of 26-year-old Pune-based real estate businessman Ketan Agarwal, who allegedly died after being pushed from a cliff at Lohagad Fort in Pune district on June 18. Ketan and Siya were engaged and were reportedly planning to get married in November this year.
According to the Pune Rural Police, Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary are accused of conspiring to murder Ketan. Both were arrested following the incident and remain in police custody until July 3 as investigators continue to gather evidence and verify multiple aspects of the case.
Meanwhile, investigators have also focussed on Ketan’s mobile phone during the course of the probe. Police have confirmed that the victim’s phone remained in Siya’s possession for some time after his death before it was eventually handed over to Ketan’s family.
However, officials have not disclosed whether any data on the device was accessed, altered or deleted during that period. Authorities have also not confirmed whether either of the accused attempted to tamper with the phone or its contents.
As part of the ongoing investigation, Pune Rural Police on Wednesday recreated the alleged crime scene at Lohagad Fort. During the exercise, officials used a fibre dummy matching Ketan’s approximate height and weight and dropped it into a gorge estimated to be over 300 feet deep to understand the sequence of events surrounding the incident.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Lonavala Division) Gajanan Tompe said the reconstruction was carried out in accordance with the details gathered during the investigation.
“Today, we took the accused to Lohagad and conducted a reconstruction of the crime scene. The exercise was performed based on the facts available in the investigation. The probe is still underway, and all relevant findings will be placed before the court. We are also recording statements of everyone connected with the case and will continue to do so,” he said.
Earlier this week, police also carried out a gait analysis of co-accused Chetan Chaudhary to assist the investigation.
On Monday, the Vadgaon Maval court extended the police custody of Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary by five days after investigators sought additional time to examine evidence, question witnesses and complete pending forensic procedures in the alleged murder case.
Crime
Fake marriage racket busted in Delhi; three arrested for cheating groom of Rs 6 lakh

New Delhi, July 2: Delhi Police’s West District on Thursday busted a fake marriage racket that allegedly targeted unmarried men by arranging fraudulent marriages and cheating them of large sums of money. Three accused have been arrested for allegedly duping a Rajasthan resident of Rs 6 lakh on the pretext of marriage, while efforts are underway to nab the remaining members of the gang.
According to the police, the case came to light after a missing report regarding a woman identified as Lovely alias Lalita was lodged at Police Station Khyala on June 18.
A dedicated team comprising SI Dharam Singh, HC Shree Krishna and W/HC Chameli was constituted under the leadership of SI Kishor, In-charge of Police Post Raghubir Nagar, under the direction of SHO Vinod Kumar and the supervision of ACP Tilak Nagar Dr. Garima Tiwari.
During the investigation, police relied on technical surveillance and local Intelligence, which revealed that the missing woman was staying in Rajasthan’s Pali district. Acting swiftly, the team reached Takhatgarh Police Station in Pali district, where the woman was traced.
During questioning, Lovely allegedly disclosed that she had been married to Kamal Lohra for the past 18 years and that the couple had four children. She further revealed that she, along with her husband and associates Deepu alias Rakesh Ekka, Ankit Verma, Deepika and Gopal, had been running a fake marriage racket targeting unmarried men.
Police said the accused allegedly presented Lovely as an unmarried woman and arranged her marriage with Shravan Vaishnav, a resident of Jalore, Rajasthan, on June 1. The gang allegedly collected Rs 6 lakh from the victim and distributed the money among themselves. Investigators said the group had planned to flee with cash and other valuables from the matrimonial home after the marriage.
Based on the victim’s complaint and evidence collected during the investigation, FIR No. 326/2026 was registered at Police Station Khyala on June 29 under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police subsequently arrested three accused — Lovely alias Lalita, her husband Kamal Lohra and Deepu alias Rakesh Ekka. The remaining accused have been identified, and raids are being conducted to apprehend them.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed that they repeatedly targeted unmarried men by posing married women as eligible brides, collecting money in the name of marriage and later planning to escape with cash and valuables.
The arrested accused include Lovely alias Lalita and Kamal Lohra, both residents of Gumla, Jharkhand, and Deepu alias Rakesh Ekka, a resident of Raghubir Nagar in Delhi.
Police said further investigation is underway to trace the remaining accused and ascertain whether the gang was involved in similar frauds in other states.
-
Crime4 years agoClass 10 student jumps to death in Jaipur
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMumbai Local Train Update: Central Railway’s New Timetable Comes Into Effect; Check Full List Of Revised Timings & Stations
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City
-
Maharashtra2 years agoFalse photo of Imtiaz Jaleel’s rally, exposing the fooling conspiracy
-
National News2 years agoMinistry of Railways rolls out Special Drive 4.0 with focus on digitisation, cleanliness, inclusiveness and grievance redressal
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMaharashtra Elections 2024: Mumbai Metro & BEST Services Extended Till Midnight On Voting Day
-
National News2 years agoJ&K: 4 Jawans Killed, 28 Injured After Bus Carrying BSF Personnel For Poll Duty Falls Into Gorge In Budgam; Terrifying Visuals Surface
-
Crime2 years agoBaba Siddique Murder: Mumbai Police Unable To Get Lawrence Bishnoi Custody Due To Home Ministry Order, Says Report
