Maharashtra
SC shields ex-IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar from arrest
New Delhi, Jan 15: In an interim order passed on Wednesday, the Supreme Court directed that no coercive action be taken against sacked Maharashtra cadre probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who allegedly submitted false OBC and PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) certificates and fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limits provided for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) by faking her identity.
Issuing notice on Puja Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea, a bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and S.C. Sharma asked the Delhi Police and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to file its reply in the matter by February 14.
In the meantime, Justice Nagarathna-led Bench granted protection to Puja Khedkar from arrest.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Khedkar’s pre-arrest bail petition and vacated its earlier order shielding her from arrest.
In its judgment delivered on December 15, 2024, a bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh opined that prima facie, a strong case was made out against Khedkar, adding that custodial interrogation of a person accused of an offence of such nature is required to unearth the facts.
Justice Singh-led Bench, on November 28, 2024, reserved its decision on her anticipatory bail plea after hearing both sides. It was then clarified that till the judgment is delivered, the interim relief granted earlier on August 12 shielding Khedkar from arrest will continue.
Before this, a court here had turned down her anticipatory bail plea and asked the investigating agency to find out if anyone from inside the UPSC had helped Khedkar. Widening the scope of the probe, Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala had asked Delhi Police to investigate if other people recommended by the UPSC have availed quota benefits without entitlement.
The Centre, on September 7, 2024, sacked Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) with immediate effect, a month after the UPSC cancelled her selection in government service.
Khedkar has been found guilty of faking and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits. After cancelling her selection, the UPSC also barred her for life from taking the entrance exam after finding her guilty of faking her identity to take the exam multiple times.
In a status report submitted to the Delhi High Court, the city Police had contended that former Maharashtra cadre probationary IAS officer Khedkar had submitted two separate disability certificates for her UPSC exam. The disability certificates dated 2018 and 2021 citing ‘multiple disabilities’ were purportedly issued by the Ahmednagar District Civil Hospital for her UPSC attempts made in 2022 and 2023. However, as per Delhi Police’s status report, the hospital authorities had denied that the certificates claiming ‘multiple disabilities’ were issued to her by them.
It was found that Khedkar availed relaxed criteria for OBC candidates and persons with disabilities.
It then came to light that her father, a former Maharashtra government officer, had property to the tune of Rs 40 crore and that she did not qualify for the non-creamy layer OBC quota.
he UPSC had said that its Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) “could not detect her number of attempts primarily because she changed not only her name but also her parents’ names”.
Maharashtra
BMC Census 2027 begins… Publicize widely to make it accessible to the general public: Additional Municipal Commissioner

Mumbai: The Mumbai Municipal Corporation system should be well prepared to make the 2027 Census accessible to the general public, which will be conducted on the basis of modern technology. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Dr. Vipin Sharma directed that the department-wise appointed committees should make special efforts for wider publicity and publicity of Census 2027. Publicity should be emphasized with the help of important, influential persons, Bollywood celebrities, sportspersons etc. to increase the participation of common citizens in the census process. Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr. Vipin Sharma gave this information. He was addressing a workshop organized at the Penguin Room of Virmata Jijabai Bhosle Botanical Garden and Zoo today (April 27, 2027). The first phase of the census enumeration will be conducted in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area from May 1, 2026 to May 15, 2026. Apart from this, the house list and house census will start from May 16 to June 14, 2026. Today’s meeting was attended by Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwin Jodi. Abhijeet Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Dr. Avinash Dhakane, all Joint Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners. Keep time free in advance to fill the information of very important, influential people, Bollywood celebrities, sportspersons in your department and fill it by May 1, 2026.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: MLA Abu Asim Azmi has demanded an inquiry from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis into the case of poisoning of watermelons in Pydhuni.

Mumbai: MLA Abu Asim Azmi has demanded an investigation into the deaths of four people due to suspected poisoning after eating watermelon in Peddhoni. He has expressed concern over the suspicious death of four members of the same family, which has created a sensation in Mumbai. Azmi has sent a letter saying that the incident that took place yesterday in the Mughal Building in Peddhoni area is not only sad but also a cause of concern for the entire society. Abdullah Dokadia, his wife and two daughters, four members of the same family, died within a few hours. A happy family was devastated. According to initial information, after eating watermelon, the family members started vomiting and diarrhea and within a few hours, all four lost their lives. The guests who attended the party at night did not suffer any pain, but only the health of the family who ate watermelon deteriorated. An investigation into this suspicious death is necessary. Nowadays, many complaints are coming out that harmful chemicals are being used to ripen fruits quickly or make them look fresh. There is a strong possibility that this incident could also be related to fruits processed with harmful chemicals. Therefore, an inquiry is necessary. Azmi said that an immediate and complete investigation into this matter is necessary through the Food and Drug Administration Department. There is a need to inspect the stock of the place from which this fruit was purchased and obtain the report of the Kalina Forensic Laboratory as soon as possible, so that such incidents can be avoided in the future. Also, since this family has suffered a loss and this huge loss cannot be replaced, they should be provided with compensation and financial support. The Chief Minister should pay personal attention to this and order a strict investigation by the concerned department. He further said that it is necessary to investigate the causes and reasons for the suspected food poisoning. If there was any poisoning in the watermelon, then an investigation should also be conducted and action should be taken against the culprits.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Two clever thieves arrested for stealing Rs 10 lakh from a parking lot in Kandivali, search continues for more

Mumbai: The police have claimed to have arrested the accused in the case of theft of Rs 10 lakh from a Mumbai woman. In Kandivali area, the complainant Nikhil Arvind Shah, 44, a resident of Malad, had taken Rs 10 lakh from Angariya and parked his scooter in the building. Meanwhile, two people fled with the cash in the trunk of the scooter. The police registered a case in this case and examined the CCTV footage to find the thieves. 124 CCTV footage of Kandivali was examined and the police team found the accused. Gujarat reached here and arrested both the accused and claimed to have recovered Rs 7 lakh out of the stolen Rs 10 lakh from their possession. The accused have confessed to the crime. Along with this, the accused have revealed during the investigation that they were helped in this theft by two more people, both of whom are also being searched by the police. Mumbai Police has solved the case by arresting the accused in this case. On the instructions of Police Commissioner Devin Bharti, Additional Commissioner Shashi Kumar Meena and DCP Sandeep Jadhav solved the case.
-
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
-
Maharashtra1 year 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
