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Wednesday,17-September-2025
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Maharashtra

Shiv Sena UBT Struggles To Hold Ground Amid Wave Of Defections In Konkan & Marathwada; Key Meeting Held At Matoshree

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Mumbai: Days after witnessing a wave of defections from its traditional stronghold in Konkan, the Shiv Sena UBT held a crucial meeting in Mumbai with its leaders from Rajapur. The party, facing a threat due to local leaders shifting allegiance to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, is now formulating a strategy to regain lost ground in the region. Meanwhile, the desertion trend has also spread to Marathwada, further weakening the party’s organisational strength.

Key Meeting Held At Matoshree

On Saturday, Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray convened a meeting of key leaders at Matoshree, where former MP Vinayak Raut was assigned the task of identifying new leaders for Rajapur. This move comes in the wake of former MLA Rajan Salvi’s defection to the Shinde faction, along with several other local leaders. Salvi had accused Raut of failing to support him, which he claimed led to his electoral defeat.

During the meeting, Raut reassured the leadership that the party still had strong support in Rajapur and the Konkan region. He emphasized the enduring influence of Balasaheb Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray, stating that the people of Konkan remained loyal. Raut also announced plans for a series of public rallies, beginning in Sangameshwar and extending to other areas of Ratnagiri, including Chiplun and Lanja, as part of the party’s outreach efforts.

Row Around Bhaskar Jadhav’s Recent Remarks

Notably absent from the meeting was Bhaskar Jadhav, the Sena UBT’s only remaining MLA from Konkan. His WhatsApp status further fueled speculation about his dissatisfaction with the party leadership, according to the report. The video he shared depicted goats blindly following their shepherd into a river, accompanied by a Marathi film song.

Jadhav, who has long displayed a photograph of himself with Bal Thackeray as his display picture, commented that leaders should be courageous and determined. His remarks were seen as an indirect critique of Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership, particularly regarding his own sidelining for key political positions.

Jadhav had earlier expressed disappointment over not being chosen as the leader of the opposition in the assembly, arguing that the party leadership should be more considerate of its cadre, especially during turbulent times. However, on Monday, he appeared to tone down his stance, clarifying that his previous comments were not aimed at any specific leader or party.

He stated that despite his 43-year political career, none of the parties he had been associated with had given him what he truly deserved. While he acknowledged Uddhav Thackeray’s approach of allowing discontented leaders to leave, he personally felt that such an attitude was not ideal for the party’s stability.

Party Struggling In Marathwada

Meanwhile, the crisis for the Sena UBT is deepening in Marathwada. Suresh Bankar, who had joined the party to contest the assembly elections from Sillod in Jalna, announced his return to the BJP, citing the interests of his constituents. Another assembly candidate from Aurangabad West, who had unsuccessfully contested against the Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Shirsat, is also rumored to be heading back to the BJP. Similarly, in Hingoli, Rupali Patil, who lost to the BJP’s Tanaji Mutkule, is reportedly unhappy with the party and may switch sides.

A Sena UBT leader from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar acknowledged that many local leaders, including Shinde and Rupali Patil, had been discontent for months and were likely to join one of the ruling parties. In the recent assembly elections, the party managed to secure only three out of 46 seats in Marathwada’s eight districts, despite the region being considered one of its strongholds. As defections continue, the challenge for Sena UBT is not only to retain its remaining leadership but also to rebuild its base in the face of an emboldened Shinde Sena and BJP.

Crime

Mumbai Police Bust Fake Goregaon Call Centre Defrauding Foreigners; 13 Held

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The Mumbai Crime Branch Unit 12 has uncovered a major scam targeting foreign nationals, following a raid on an unauthorised call centre in Goregaon. The update was first shared by Mumbai Police on X, highlighting how unsuspecting victims were tricked into paying large sums of money under the pretext of antivirus software renewal.

Investigations revealed that the accused were sending fraudulent emails, posing as legitimate antivirus renewal alerts. Once the victims responded, they were coerced into purchasing gift cards ranging between $250 and $500. These cards were then redeemed and converted into cryptocurrency, making it nearly impossible for victims to track their losses.

The racket primarily preyed on foreign nationals unfamiliar with the setup. Officials said the scam was designed to create panic among users by suggesting that their computer security had expired, pressuring them into making quick payments.

During the raid, police seized 15 desktop computers, 10 laptops, and 20 mobile phones used to run the fraudulent operations. Documents and data recovered from the systems are now being examined to determine the scale of the fraud and to identify additional victims.

Thirteen individuals have been arrested in connection with the racket. This includes two owners who were running the operation, one manager overseeing daily activities, and ten tele-caller agents responsible for contacting and convincing the victims. Police said the arrests mark a significant step in cracking down on cybercrime networks exploiting international victims.

The Mumbai Police emphasised that this bust highlights the evolving nature of cybercrime and the need for continuous vigilance. Authorities added that further investigations are underway to uncover links with larger international fraud syndicates.

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Maharashtra

Protection of religious places in Bhiwandi road expansion project, MLA Raees Sheikh assures protection of religious places after meeting with Municipal Commissioner

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rais shaikh

Mumbai: Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Raees Sheikh has demanded protection of religious places like mosque, temple, gurudwara, and Samaj Mandir in the Bhiwandi road expansion project. He has also demanded rehabilitation and compensation for the victims of the Bhiwandi and Kalyan road expansion project. Raees Sheikh was being accused of supporting the DP plan to benefit the builder lobby, after which Raees Sheikh met the Municipal Commissioner Bhiwandi Nizampur today and made it clear that the road and DP plan and policy are not prepared by the MLA. He said that the road expansion and DP plan should be changed and the protection of religious places should be ensured, on which the Municipal Commissioner Bhiwandi Nizampur assured Raees Sheikh that the protection of religious places will be maintained. If it is an obstacle in the survey, then necessary changes should be made in the project along with ensuring their protection. He said that religious places of any nature will be protected.

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Maharashtra

Insights On Mumbai Redevelopment: How The New MahaRERA Consent Waiver Speeds Up Projects

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On September 9, 2025, the Bombay High Court issued a ruling that removes one of the biggest hurdles in Mumbai’s redevelopment landscape. The Court held that new developers do not need two-thirds consent from allottees of a terminated developer to register with the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA). This clarification could unlock thousands of stalled projects, paving the way for faster redevelopment across the city.

Redevelopment has long been central to addressing Mumbai’s housing crunch. The city faces a shortage of nearly 400,000–450,000 units, with over 19,000 cessed buildings and 25,000 dilapidated structures at risk. Mumbai also leads the country in stalled projects, with more than 2,000 delayed, often because of regulatory bottlenecks. By removing the consent requirement, the Court has created a clearer, quicker pathway for societies and developers to move forward.

The ruling arose from a petition by Tuvin Constructions LLP against MahaRERA’s insistence on consent from allottees of the terminated developer in the Vilas Vaibhav Co-operative Housing Society project.

The society’s original 2014 agreement with Aditya Developer was terminated in 2023 by arbitral award.

In October 2024, the society appointed Tuvin as the new developer.

When Tuvin sought MahaRERA registration in March 2025, consent under Section 15 of RERA was demanded.

The Court, led by Justices Riyaz Chagla and Farhan Dubash, held there was no privity of contract between the new developer and the old allottees, directing MahaRERA to process registration without delay.

The judges emphasized: once an erstwhile developer’s rights are terminated, old allottees cannot extend claims to the new developer.

Consent Not Needed: No two-thirds consent required from old allottees once a termination is legally valid.

Society-Led Decisions: Registration can proceed with the society’s new agreement.

Legal Consistency: Court reaffirmed that there is no contractual link between the new developer and prior purchasers.

Immediate Effect: Request for a stay was declined; registration to move forward promptly.

Redevelopment is already reshaping Mumbai: by May 2024, over 31,000 projects were approved, with 15–25% of registrations tied to redevelopment. Yet, MahaRERA has suspended 4,800 projects for non-compliance, while 7,500 cases remain pending. Many of these stem from consent disputes—the very issue addressed by this ruling.

For societies, the ruling brings:

Faster timelines: Restart projects in weeks instead of months.

Stronger bargaining power: Better terms on carpet area, amenities, and possession timelines.

Legal clarity: Provided the termination is sound (e.g., arbitral award), fresh registration no longer hinges on old allottee consent.

Important: This does not change the rule that 51% member approval is required at the initial redevelopment stage. The ruling applies only to post-termination registrations.

Claims by purchasers under the old developer remain with that developer.

The decision prevents viable projects from being trapped in consent disputes, increasing the supply of redeveloped housing stock.

Yes, where a previous developer’s rights are legally terminated and a new developer is appointed.

Societies must pass a resolution, sign a new development agreement, and file Form A for MahaRERA registration—no old allottee consents needed.

Yes. By removing one of the most contentious hurdles, the ruling should significantly cut timelines for many stalled projects.

Absolutely. Full disclosure, adherence to timelines, and regulatory transparency remain mandatory.

This verdict marks a turning point for Mumbai’s redevelopment journey. By streamlining the consent process, it ensures that societies, developers, and ultimately homebuyers benefit from faster, fairer redevelopment.

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