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Monday,04-August-2025
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Maharashtra

‘Very Soon, Cabinet Expansion Will Be Done,’ Says Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde

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Mumbai: The much-awaited state cabinet expansion may happen soon, going by the statement of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Pandharpur.

Answering media queries, CM Shinde said, “Very soon, cabinet expansion will be done. Don’t worry about it. The state government will do no injustice to anyone.”

Political experts say that after the setback in the recent Lok Sabha elections, many MLAs of NCP Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena might return to their original parties. To keep the flock together, the ploy of cabinet expansion will be used, it is being said. Such tactics are routinely used by top leaders elsewhere in the country. So, it should be interesting to see what the Mahayuti does in the next two or three months.

Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat On Cabinet Expansion

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MLA and spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat told a news channel that many MLAs could become disappointed should cabinet expansion not take place.

“What is the problem with cabinet expansion? It should be done or else many MLAs will be disappointed. I am sure it will happen soon,” said Shirsat.

State assembly elections are likely to be announced in the next two or three months. All the parties in Maharashtra have begun preparations, reviewing constituencies and checking strengths and weaknesses. But MLAs in ruling parties are keen to be ministers at least once in their lifetime.

CM Shinde and his two deputies, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, have all been to Delhi separately, where they are believed to have held discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the number of ministers each party will induct. Talks of expansion were doing the rounds on Tuesday. But Governor Ramesh Bais was in Raipur on a day-long tour, returning only late in the evening. Speculation is rife over the probable induction of Pankaja Munde, among other names, in the cabinet.

Business

Sensex crosses 81,000 Mark, Nifty Jumps 157 Points On Strong Metal & Auto Stocks

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Mumbai: The Indian stock market ended Monday on a strong note, with the BSE Sensex rising 418.81 points (0.52%) to close at 81,018.72, crossing the key 81,000 mark. During the day, it touched a high of 81,093.19. The NSE Nifty also surged by 157.40 points (0.64%) to end at 24,722.75, after hitting an intraday high of 24,734.65.

Top gainers and losers

Among major gainers on the Sensex were Tata Steel, BEL, Adani Ports, TCS, Tech Mahindra, Bharti Airtel, HCL Tech, Trent, M&M, Reliance Industries, UltraTech Cement and L&T.

On the flip side, Power Grid, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Hindustan Unilever ended the session with losses.

Why the market rallied

The market’s rally was mainly driven by strong performances in the metal and auto sectors. According to experts, a weakening US dollar, strong auto sales, and positive Q1 results from key companies helped boost investor confidence.

Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services, said,

“Consumption-driven companies are showing recovery in volume demand. Also, weak US job data may lead to interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.”

Global cues positive

Asian markets mostly ended in the green with Hong Kong, South Korea, and China posting gains. However, Japan’s Nikkei closed in red.

European markets were trading positively, while US markets had ended lower on Friday.

Oil prices also slipped, with Brent crude falling 1.15% to USD 68.87 per barrel.

Meanwhile, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold shares worth Rs 3,366.40 crore on Friday, as per exchange data.

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Crime

Navi Mumbai: Following A Dramatic Chase Sequence, CBI Detained Senior Customs Official For Receiving ₹10 Lakh Bribe

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Navi Mumbai: In Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, the CBI has arrested Krishna Kumar, a senior Customs officer, for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 10.2 lakh. Kumar, who served as superintendent at Sahar Air Cargo, was apprehended after evading the CBI for about an hour. He reportedly had established a ‘rate card’ for clearing goods and, leveraging his connections with the R&I wing of the Customs, had been halting shipments until he received compensation.

After stalling a firm’s goods, Kumar sent an anonymous email demanding a bribe to release the shipments, claiming that most of the bribe would be shared with senior officials. Following his arrest, he was placed in CBI custody until 6 August for further investigation into the R&I wing’s involvement in the case.

The CBI’s investigation stemmed from complaints alleging that Kumar and other unnamed officers were soliciting bribes at a rate of Rs 10 per kilogram of imported goods, despite the legality of the cargo. One firm owner, pressured by Kumar, sought assistance from the CBI after his goods were deliberately withheld despite having all necessary documents.

The CBI set up a trap, recording conversations between 25 July and 1 August, revealing Kumar’s demands for bribes amounting to Rs 6 lakh for previously cleared goods and Rs 10 lakh for current imports. During this time, he stated that he would only retain Rs 20,000 from the bribe, with the remainder destined for his superiors.

On the day of the arrest, Kumar met the complainant outside his colony, accepted the bribe in his vehicle, and attempted to evade capture by speeding through the area. However, he grew suspicious, discarded a bag containing the money near a dustbin, and was subsequently apprehended by CBI officers, leading to a scene of public commotion. The investigation now focuses on Kumar and the involvement of other Customs officials in this bribery scheme.

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Crime

Mumbai Crime News: 40-Year-Old Man Arrested For Raping & Impregnating Minor Sister-In-Law; Wife Held For Cover-Up

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Mumbai: A 40-year-old man has been arrested by Bandra Police for allegedly raping and impregnating his wife’s minor sister. His wife was also taken into custody for trying to hide the crime and for assisting in the minor’s delivery at home. The case came to light after the girl was admitted to the hospital.

According to the police, the teenage girl lived with her elder sister and brother-in-law in the same house. In her official statement, the minor alleged that her brother-in-law had raped her multiple times between March 2024 and July 2025. When she informed her elder sister about the pregnancy, she allegedly threatened her and did not allow her to seek help.

To cover up her husband’s crime, the elder sister did not let the minor girl visit a doctor or go out for any medical treatment. She conducted the girl’s delivery at home. However, when the girl’s condition worsened, she was rushed to Bhabha Hospital, where medical staff alerted the authorities, as reported.

A police official said, “After the minor’s condition stabilised, we recorded her statement. Based on her account, we booked her brother-in-law and her elder sister. Both were later arrested.” The victim and her baby are currently admitted to the hospital and are said to be in stable condition, according to police.

According to the report, the Bandra police have arrested the man and his wife under the relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for rape and issuing threats.

The police have also charged the victim’s elder sister with concealing information about the offence, causing the disappearance of evidence, and threatening the teenager. The victim gave birth to the baby at the hospital, and both are currently in stable condition.

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