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Tuesday,05-August-2025
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Maharashtra

Shinde govt, dethroned MVA to clash for Speaker’s election on Sunday

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The stage is set for the first major battle, the election of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker to be held on Sunday, with the Shinde government and Maha Vikas Aghadi candidates filing their nominations here on Saturday.

The Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led government, which took office on June 30, has fielded Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Rahul Narwekar while the Opposition MVA alliance has nominated Shiv Sena MLA Rajan Salvi for the crucial post.

The Congress, which had claim to the post in the previous regime, has given it up in favour of the Shiv Sena after holding discussions among the three allies including Nationalist Congress Party.

“We have filed the nomination of Sena MLA Salvi and the decision was reached after consultations among the three parties,” said Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat.

On Friday, the Congress had strongly objected to the Speaker’ election on the basis of a letter by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari stating it could not be held due to a case pending in the court.

“We don’t understand the urgency to call a Special Assembly Session on Sunday. There is a case pending in the Supreme Court. When we were in the (MVA) government, the Governor kept telling us for months that since the matter is sub-judice, he cannot allow the Speaker elections. Then, how has he permitted it for the new government,” Thorat demanded.

BJP MLC Pravin Darekar expressed confidence that given the numbers, the party nominee Narwekar will easily win the Speaker elections.

Congress leader Nana Patole was the last Speaker, who was elected late in 2019 after the MVA government headed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray took over.

However, Patole quit the post in Feb. 2021 after he was appointed as the state Congress President and since then, NCP’s Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal was officiating.

Maharashtra

Thane Motor Accident Claims Tribunal Compensates ₹49 Lakh To Victim’s Parents, Blaming Truck Driver 75% For 2019 Mishap

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Thane: The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Thane granted Rs 49.46 lakh to the parents of 24-year-old IT engineer Swapnil Suresh Gulvi, who lost his life in a road accident in 2019. The tribunal, chaired by member RV Mohite, assigned 75% of the blame to the truck driver and 25% to Gulvi for contributory negligence.

Gulvi was on his motorcycle on Ghodbunder Road when he tried to pass a bus close to a bus stop. The bus driver reportedly stopped abruptly, leading Gulvi to crash into the bus and later be struck by a truck. The tribunal determined there was no evidence of negligence from the bus driver, indicating that both the deceased and the truck driver did not keep a safe distance, resulting in the collision.

The truck was considered to be going too fast. The overall compensation was determined to be Rs 65,94,700, considering future income loss and emotional distress damages. Following the 25% deduction for Gulvi’s contributory negligence, the granted sum was established at Rs 49,46,025.

The tribunal instructed the truck owner and its insurer to compensate the claimants jointly and severally, with an yearly interest of 9% starting from the petition date.

Similar Incident

The Thane Motor Accident Claim Tribunal has ordered Oriental Insurance Company Limited and a Nagpur-based company to pay ₹29,86,000 in compensation to the family of Dyaneshwar Gawade, a 21-year-old employee of Wellness Forever, who died in a 2020 road accident.

The Tribunal found that Gawade’s non-wearing of a helmet did not contribute to the accident. It concluded there was no negligence on his part as police records showed no fault from the deceased. The container that struck his motorcycle was driven recklessly, establishing the driver’s negligence. Gawade, the sole earner in his family, had a monthly salary of ₹22,036. The Tribunal rejected the respondents’ claims that Gawade was liable, and mandated compensation, with ₹25 lakhs to be fixed for five years and the rest paid as interest.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: BMC Yet To Begin Work On ₹17-Crore Housing Project For Conservancy Staff; Ex-BJP Corporator Urges Action

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Mumbai: As Ashray Yojana, the housing project for the BMC’s conservancy staff, continues to be stuck in limbo, former BJP corporator Makarand Narwekar has urged the civic body to expedite works else he will be “compelled” to take legal recourse.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the project, located at Cochin Street in Fort, was conducted in October 2024. Estimated at a cost of Rs17 crore, the plan envisages 54 houses, each measuring 238 sq ft. However, even 10 months after the ceremony, no construction work has begun.

Former BJP Corporator Makarand Narwekar’s Letter To Civic Chief Bhushan Gagrani

In a letter to civic chief Bhushan Gagrani, Narwekar said, “If immediate steps are not taken to commence the project on a war-footing, we will be compelled to raise this matter vigorously across all appropriate platforms, including the courts.” He pointed out that beyond their vital role in keeping Mumbai clean, the conservancy staff also play an important part in initiatives like deep clean drives.

“It is deeply disheartening that the project is yet to commence. There is a growing perception that projects only gain momentum before elections to secure votes,” said Narwekar.

He added, “The work has been sanctioned for the redevelopment of buildings 1 and 2. However, the silence and inaction following the tender process indicate a lack of seriousness from the departments concerned.”

Such negligence sends a dangerous message that the welfare of conservancy workers is not a priority for the BMC, Narwekar asserted. He urged the BMC to address the issue with urgency or face legal consequences. Kiran Dighavkar, deputy municipal commissioner (solid waste management), was not available for comment.

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Maharashtra

Anil Ambani Reaches ED Office In Delhi; Reliance Chairman To Be Quizzed Over Alleged ₹17,000 Crore Loan Fraud Case

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Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to question Reliance Group Chairman and Managing Director Anil Ambani on Tuesday, August 5, in connection with a multi-crore money laundering and loan fraud case. The probe involves financial irregularities amounting to a staggering Rs 17,000 crore, with a specific focus on a Rs 3,000 crore loan fraud linked to Yes Bank.

Anil Ambani has already reached the ED office in Delhi for questioning. Visuals of his car reaching the investigation agency’s office have surfaced on the internet. The interrogation comes days after the agency intensified its investigation into financial dealings linked to companies associated with Ambani’s Reliance Group.

Recently, the ED had earlier issued a lookout circular against Anil Ambani on August 1, effectively restricting his international travel without prior approval from the agency. Officials confirmed that Ambani could be detained at any Indian airport if he attempts to leave the country.

ED Searches On Multiple Locations Linked To Anil Ambani

The latest development follows an extensive crackdown by the ED last week, during which over 50 locations linked to Anil Ambani, including offices and premises in Mumbai and Delhi, were raided. The operation was conducted under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). More than 25 individuals were also questioned as part of the ongoing probe.

The case reportedly centres around loans disbursed by Yes Bank to various firms under the Reliance Group between 2017 and 2019. Preliminary findings suggest that a major portion of the funds were allegedly diverted to shell companies or siphoned off to other entities within the group. Investigators are also probing potential kickbacks paid to top officials at Yes Bank during the loan disbursement process.

The ED’s probe aims to uncover whether these funds were used for legitimate business activities or laundered through a web of fake firms. The agency is also looking into possible violations of banking norms and financial misappropriation on a large scale.

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