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Maharashtra

Sena Minister to SC: Probe NCB, Aryan Khan’s ‘fundamental rights breach’

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In a significant development, a senior Shiv Sena leader urged the Supreme Court to order a probe by a sitting judge of the apex court into the affairs of Narcotics Control Bureau and violation of fundamental rights of Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan.

Making the plea under Article 32 of the Constitution, Kishore Tiwari, accorded the Minister of State (MoS) status, has urged Chief Justice N.V. Ramana’s ‘top priority’ intervention into the manner in which the ‘biased’ NCB is hounding film personalities, models and other celebs since the past nearly two years with ‘malafide motives’.

He said that under Article 32, the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India (CJI) are duty-bound to take cognisance of every matter pertaining to the fundamental rights violation, as guaranteed under Part III of the Constitution, which the NCB is flouting.

Referring to the Special NDPS Court (Mumbai) deferring the verdict in the bail plea of Aryan Khan and other accused till October 20 citing public holidays, the plea said this has subjected the accused “to big humiliation and kept in jail in an undemocratic and illegal way” for 17 nights.

This is in utter disregard to the fundamental Right to Life and Liberty as enshrined in the Constitution and the question of ‘bail is the norm, jail is the exception’, which has been upheld and settled by SC many times, as reiterated by former Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi.

Accusing the NCB and its officials of ‘vendetta’ by targeting select celebs, Tiwari demanded a probe into the role of the central narcotics agency and the Mumbai Zonal Director (Sameer Wankhede), whose wife is a well-known Marathi filmstar, in direct competition with the other stars and celebs being hounded.

Pointing a needle of suspicion at Wankhede, the plea said the officer’s wife is trying to make big in Bollywood, and that’s why only leading names in the film industry, their families, national-international models, producers-directors are brought under the NCB lens.

“Starting with the probe into the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, the probe has been ‘totally diverted in an unrelated direction’ … The alleged NCB seizures are ‘miniscule jokes’ compared to the Mumbai Police achievements, or the DRI which last month seized 3000-kgs drugs from Mundra Port in Gujarat,” Tiwari said in the plea.

When the law has been settled by the highest court of the country, the NCB and the Special NDPS Court have “failed to give due regards” by depriving Aryan Khan and others bail, which could be done right away, even on public holidays, and thus there is ‘total miscarriage of justice’.

“With the recent shocking exposure on NCB by Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik, its high time the NCB Mumbai and all-India must be probed by an SC judge to unravel the rackets and the truth…It’s a fit case for immediate intervention by the SC,” Tiwari demanded, among other things.

Contending the NCB’s grudge and autocratic style are even more glaring, the Sena leader added that no contraband drugs were recovered from Aryan Khan, there was no medical examination proving consumption, etc., yet he has been shunted into different types of custody since October 3, echoing former Attorney General of India Rohatgi.

After the NCB swooped on a luxury cruise ship to bust an alleged rave party on October 2, Aryan Khan, along with 7 others were detained, arrested on October 3 and have remained in NCB and judicial custody since for the past 17 days, with their bail order likely be delivered by Special Judge V.V. Patil on Wednesday (October 20).

Maharashtra

Maharashtra: MNS Workers Assault Attendant At Nanded Bus Stand For Refusing To Speak Marathi

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Nanded: In another instance of vigilantism over language, workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) allegedly assaulted a Hindi-speaking migrant worker at the state transport bus stand in Nanded on Wednesday. The attendant, posted outside the ladies’ toilet, was reportedly targeted for refusing to speak in Marathi when questioned by a local.

The incident came to light after multiple videos surfaced on social media. In one clip, a man is seen confronting the attendant for collecting Rs 5 from women for using the toilet, which is generally free. When asked to respond in Marathi, the attendant allegedly said, “I will not speak Marathi, do what you want to do.” The video was reportedly circulated among local MNS workers, including the party’s Nanded city chief.

Video Shows MNS Workers Assaulting Man

Soon after, another video showed a group of men wearing MNS scarves slapping and punching the attendant. They are heard berating him not only for refusing to speak Marathi but also accusing him of misbehaving with women and being rude.

Under pressure, the man was made to deliver a forced apology on camera, stating in Marathi: “I apologise to Marathi people and to Raj Thackeray. I will not repeat this mistake again.” Despite the videos going viral, no formal FIR had been registered till Wednesday evening.

Growing Incidents Of Violence Involving MNS Workers

This episode adds to a growing list of similar incidents involving MNS workers taking offense over language. Just earlier this month, MNS cadres had allegedly assaulted shopkeepers in Mira Road, Thane and Vikhroli for not speaking Marathi. The party has long positioned itself as a protector of Marathi identity, often using aggressive means.

Party chief Raj Thackeray had previously said he was “proud” of MNS workers for “defending Marathi pride,” while Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had condemned such vigilantism. “No one has the right to assault someone for not speaking a particular language,” Fadnavis had said.

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Maharashtra

Supreme Court Stays Bombay High Court’s Acquittal in 2006 Mumbai Train Blasts Case

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New Delhi, July 24, 2025 — The Supreme Court of India has issued a stay on the Bombay High Court’s recent decision to acquit 12 men previously convicted in the 2006 Mumbai suburban train bombings. The apex court, however, clarified that the accused will not need to return to jail while the legal process continues.

The move comes days after the Maharashtra government filed a challenge against the High Court’s ruling, expressing serious concern over the acquittal of all 12 individuals who had been found guilty nearly a decade earlier. The Supreme Court agreed to examine the appeal and put the acquittal order on hold until further notice.

Background of the Case

On July 11, 2006, a series of coordinated bomb blasts targeted local trains on Mumbai’s Western Railway line during evening rush hour. The attacks resulted in the deaths of around 190 people and left over 800 injured. It was one of the deadliest terror strikes in India’s history.

In 2015, a special court convicted 12 men under anti-terror laws, sentencing five to death and the remaining to life imprisonment. However, the Bombay High Court overturned these convictions in July 2025, citing weak and unreliable evidence, inconsistencies in witness testimonies, and procedural lapses in the investigation.

Supreme Court’s Intervention

Responding to the state’s petition, the Supreme Court noted the seriousness of the matter and temporarily suspended the High Court’s decision. The court stated that although the acquittal order is stayed, the accused who had already been released will not be required to surrender at this stage.

Government’s Stand

The Maharashtra government described the High Court’s judgment as deeply concerning, arguing that the earlier trial had followed due process and that crucial evidence—such as confessions and material recovered—was improperly dismissed. The government urged the Supreme Court to uphold the original convictions in the interest of justice for the victims and their families.

What Lies Ahead

The Supreme Court is expected to conduct a detailed review of the High Court’s findings and the prosecution’s evidence. The final verdict could have a significant impact on how terrorism-related cases are investigated and prosecuted in the future, especially with respect to the handling of confessional statements, forensic evidence, and procedural safeguards.

The case continues to be a matter of national attention due to its historical gravity and implications for the justice system. Families of the victims, legal experts, and civil rights advocates are all watching closely as the country’s top court re-evaluates one of India’s most complex terror cases.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Govt Targets 50 Lakh Homes In 10 Years Under New Housing Policy 2025, Aims For Slum-Free State

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Mumbai: The Maharashtra government introduced the Housing Policy 2025 on Wednesday, a comprehensive plan expected to mobilise investments worth Rs 70,000 crore.

The policy outlines a multi-pronged strategy focusing on slum rehabilitation, affordable housing, and sustainable urban development, with special emphasis on economically weaker sections (EWS), lower-income groups (LIG), and middle-income groups (MIG).

The government has set an ambitious target to construct 35 lakh houses over the next five years, with a long-term vision of delivering 50 lakh homes within a decade. To facilitate this, the MahaAwas Fund will be significantly expanded to Rs 20,000 crore.

“The ultimate target is to build 50 lakh houses in the next 10 years… To achieve this ambitious target, existing provisions under the Development Control and Promotion Regulations/Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations and relevant institutional frameworks will be strengthened and modified as needed. Additionally, active participation from the private sector will be promoted through a range of incentive-based measures,” the policy stated.

A key focus of the policy is transforming Maharashtra into a slum-free state through large-scale rehabilitation and redevelopment projects. The policy prioritises the needs of low-income earners, senior citizens, women, industrial workers, and students.

Affordable housing has been granted infrastructure status, enabling developers to access external commercial borrowing (ECB) and foreign direct investment (FDI). It also qualifies for priority sector lending (PSL) from banks and housing finance companies (HFCs).

The policy advocates for the redevelopment of old buildings to enhance living conditions and optimise land use. It also promotes the development of integrated townships that combine affordable housing with essential services.

“The state-level portal will soon be developed for providing information on housing development through government-private sector partnership, through developers and also through state-run undertakings,” the policy noted.

Recognising diverse housing needs, the policy includes provisions for industrial workers, senior citizens, working women, students, project-affected persons (PAPs), and migrant workers. A notable feature is the ‘Walk to Work’ concept, which reserves 10% to 30% of land in Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) areas for housing.

“Such land should be handed over to the appropriate authority at the applicable acquisition price, so that authority can create adequate housing stock in such areas. The authority can also partner with private industries to provide housing for industrial workers in a public-private partnership model,” the policy explained.

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