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Maharashtra

Shiv Sena ‘completely finished’ in a month as 12 MPs also join Shinde camp

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Exactly a month after a rebellion among 40 Shiv Sena MLAs on June 20, 12 party MPs on Tuesday switched over to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s group, dealing another massive blow to embattled party President Uddhav Thackeray.

The MPs who joined the Shinde camp include Shrikant (Eknath) Shinde, Rahul Shewale, Bhavana Gawali, Hemant Godse, Rajendra Gavit, Sadashiv Lokhande, Hemant Patil, Sanjay Mandlik, Dhairyasheel Mane, Shrirang Barne, Krupal Tumane and Prataprao Jadhav.

Shinde made the announcement in Delhi on Tuesday that 12 Shiv Sena MPs have joined him in the interest of the people, and will work for the progress and development of Maharashtra.

He added that the 12 MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and submitted a letter to this effect as the Shiv Sena Parliamentary Party Group in the Lower House.

“While Rahul Shewale is the new Shiv Sena group leader, Bhavana Gawali is now the chief whip of the party in the Lok Sabha,” said Shinde.

The CM also made it clear that the whips issued by Gawali will now be applicable to all the 18 Shiv Sena MPs in the Lok Sabha.

The development came a month after June 20, when a Shinde-led revolt by around 40 Shiv Sena MLAs plus 10 Independents and others brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress headed by then CM Uddhav Thackeray on June 29.

On June 30, Shinde was sworn-in as the Chief Minister, while ally BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the Deputy CM.

The latest turn of events is considered a massive setback for Thackeray, though the party’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut had repeatedly trashed the upcoming political churning within the party in the past two days.

After offering allegiance to Shinde, the 12 MPs called on Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and submitted a letter with various demands.

One of the MPs, Hemant Godse, told mediapersons that they have requested the Speaker to approve the name of Bhavana Gawali as the new chief whip in Lok Sabha and Rahul Shewale as the new party leader in place of current Shiv Sena party leader Vinayak Raut, who is still with Thackeray.

He added that they urged the Speaker to recognise them as a group and allot the Shiv Sena office in the Parliament House to them.

“The Speaker has assured us that after studying the matter, he will take the necessary steps in the matter,” Godse said.

Shinde lauded the 12 MPs for taking a principled stand and adhering to the ideals of Balasaheb Thackeray and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe.

“We fought the elections together (with BJP) in 2019. We have brought back the ‘natural alliance’ with the BJP and rectified the mistake (of MVA) committed two-and-a-half years ago. That’s why we are getting huge public support,” Shinde asserted.

Earlier on Tuesday, anticipating the political development, the Maharashtra Police and central forces tightened security at the homes and offices of all the 12 MPs who joined the Shinde group.

Maharashtra

Mumbai: SIM card used in cyber fraud, case registered against SIM card agents from Nagpara and Andheri

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Mumbai: The Cyber ​​Cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch has now claimed to have registered a case against such SIM card sellers whose SIM cards were used in fraud. The Crime Branch has registered a case against five SIM card sellers. During the investigation of the Mumbai Crime Branch in the fraud case, it was found that the accused used to procure SIM cards through agents and shopkeepers for cyber fraud and these numbers were used for fraud. These SIM card sellers used to misuse the documents of the customers from their shop and if the customer asked for a SIM card, they would get one, two or three SIM cards issued on his document and then these people used these SIM cards for their own benefit and provided them to the absconding accused in cyber crimes. The Cyber ​​Cell has registered a case against the accused Muhammad Sultan Muhammad Hanif, Zeeshan Kamal, who sold SIM cards from Nagpara under other sections of the ID Act. Similarly, a case has been registered against Daya Shankar Bhagwan Shukla, Pradeep Kumar Burnalwala, Neeraj Shivaram for illegally selling SIM cards. This action has been taken by DCP Cyber ​​Cell Parshottam Karad on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti. The Cyber ​​Cell has appealed to the public to check their mobile number on the Sanchar Saathi app. If they find any other number in their name, they should report it and in this matter, the public can also file a complaint on the Sanchar Saathi app.

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Maharashtra

Large-Scale Land Record Irregularities in Maharashtra Spark Statewide Audit

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Mumbai: ( By Kamar Ansari )

A major irregularity involving land records has surfaced in Maharashtra, raising serious concerns about the misuse of legal provisions and the security of property ownership across the state. The issue is believed to have affected a significant number of families, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.

The controversy centers around the alleged misuse of a provision under the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code that is meant strictly for minor corrections in official land records, such as clerical or typographical errors. Instead, this provision was reportedly used to make substantial and unauthorized changes to land ownership entries.

Officials suspect that in several cases, land ownership details were altered without proper verification or legal procedure, leading to disputes and possible illegal transfers. These actions have caused anxiety among landowners, many of whom fear losing their rightful property due to manipulated records.

In response to the situation, the state government has ordered a comprehensive audit of land record changes carried out under the concerned provision over the past few years. Authorities across districts have been directed to review mutation entries and verify the authenticity of all such changes.

Preliminary assessments indicate that the issue may not be limited to isolated incidents, but could point to a wider pattern of administrative lapses or deliberate manipulation. The audit aims to identify the scale of the problem and fix accountability.

Government officials have assured that strict action will be taken against those found responsible, including possible disciplinary and criminal proceedings. Efforts are also expected to be made to restore original ownership records wherever irregularities are confirmed.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have stated that protecting the rights of affected citizens and ensuring transparency in land administration will remain a priority.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Infra Update: JNPT Linked Expressway Connecting Mumbai-Pune -Goa Routes Moves Ahead, Bids Open April 16

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The proposed Pagote Chouk Expressway in Maharashtra has moved a step closer to execution, with the National Highways Authority of India initiating the process for Coastal Regulation Zone clearance. The development marks a key milestone for the greenfield infrastructure project aimed at strengthening connectivity between Jawaharlal Nehru Port and major national highways.

At the same time, construction bids for the project are scheduled to open on April 16, 2026, signalling progress in the pre-construction phase.

The 29.3 kilometre six lane expressway is designed to provide a direct, access controlled route between JNPT Port and key arterial roads including NH48, the Mumbai Pune Expressway, and the Mumbai Goa highway. The corridor is expected to ease congestion on existing routes and streamline the movement of goods and passenger traffic.

The project is particularly significant for freight movement from the port, offering faster and more efficient connectivity to inland regions.

The expressway will include a mix of complex engineering structures to navigate the terrain. Plans include six major bridges, five minor bridges, four viaducts, and two tunnels measuring 1.9 kilometres and 1.57 kilometres respectively.

These elements are aimed at ensuring seamless travel while maintaining speed and safety standards across the corridor.

The project has a targeted completion timeline of 30 months from the start of construction. Once operational, it is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Mumbai and Pune.

Motorists travelling from Pune will be able to exit the Mumbai Pune Expressway shortly after the Khalapur toll plaza and reach the Chirle interchange of Atal Setu in around 20 minutes. The development is likely to bring both cities closer while boosting regional connectivity and economic activity.

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