Mumbai, June 30: Immediately after filing his nomination papers for the post of Maharashtra Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson, ‘rebel’ legislator Sachin Ahir sent his official resignation letter to Uddhav Thackeray, stepping down from all key responsibilities within the Shiv Sena (UBT), including his leadership roles in influential labour unions.

In his letter, Ahir, who defected and shifted his loyalty to Shiv Sena chief leader and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, cited “unavoidable circumstances” for his sudden departure.

“I am writing to respectfully inform you that I, Sachin Ahir, am currently serving as the General Secretary of the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena and the President of the Brihanmumbai BEST Kamgar Sena. I am deeply grateful to you and the party for the trust you reposed in me and for providing me the opportunity to work in these capacities. However, due to certain unavoidable circumstances, I am resigning from my posts in the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) party,” said Ahir.

He further added, “I humbly request you to accept my resignation. I pray that the trust and affection you have always shown toward me remain unchanged. My best wishes will always be there for the bright future of the party.”

Ahir’s exit robs the Thackeray faction of a vital face in Mumbai’s urban politics and trade union leadership. As the head of the BEST labour union and a key figure in the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena, Ahir held immense sway over Mumbai’s working-class vote bank.

Insiders suggest that shifting ground realities within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition made future prospects look bleak for Ahir under the UBT banner, prompting his switch to the ruling alliance to secure his political future. Ahir’s move is being seen as a crushing blow to Shiv Sena(UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray, given that Ahir was considered a shadow-like confidant to Aaditya.

Until Tuesday morning, intense speculation was underway within the ruling Mahayuti alliance regarding who the Shinde-led Shiv Sena would field for the Deputy Chairman position.

However, the political landscape shifted dramatically when visuals emerged of Sachin Ahir filing his nomination form. The high-profile filing took place in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Dy CM Eknath Shinde, former Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe, and State Minister Chandrakant Patil.

Shiv Sena minister and spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat clarified that this was not merely a tactical crossover for an election, but a formal induction into the party. “Sachin Ahir has not just changed sides; he has officially entered the Shiv Sena,” he announced.

Sachin Ahir, early this morning, contacted Aaditya Thackeray and explained his stance regarding leaving the party.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Ambadas Danve told reporters, “Sachin Ahir messaged me in English at 11:30 a.m. today saying that he was making some decisions to protect his political existence. We were together until last night and left this place together. We will have to see why he took such a decision. Worli belongs to the Shiv Sena; Sunil Shinde became an MLA only after defeating Sachin Ahir. Under such circumstances, his departure won’t make any difference. UBT has filed the nomination of J.M. Abhyankar for the post of Deputy Chairperson,” he stated.

Political analysts view this as the second phase of Dy CM Shinde’s strategy to dismantle the Thackeray faction’s base. This move follows closely on the heels of Dy CM Shinde successfully poaching six Lok Sabha MPs from the Thackeray camp, an offensive dubbed Operation Tiger. Ironically, this latest blow lands just as Uddhav Thackeray wrapped up a regional tour intended to consolidate his base against those rebel MPs.

Meanwhile, Senior BJP leader and State Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule launched a blistering attack on Uddhav Thackeray, attributing the collapse of his faction to internal arrogance. “Uddhav Thackeray’s party has decayed solely because of his arrogant language. He and his people need to shed this ego,” Bawankule told reporters.

Responding to allegations of poaching, Bawankule explicitly distanced the BJP from the strategy. “The Bharatiya Janata Party has absolutely nothing to do with this operation. Eknath Shinde is expanding his own party, and Uddhav Thackeray needs to learn how to manage his own people instead of blaming others.”

Bawankule also took a sharp swipe at Thackeray’s chief spokesperson, Sanjay Raut, blaming the camp’s daily morning press conferences for shifting focus away from actual party management.

“They are only interested in hogging media space every morning. Nobody actually cares about holding the party together. Their core ideology has been sold out, and these defections are the direct consequence of that,” he added.

As Uddhav Thackeray travels across the state rallying support through his ‘Operation Tiger’ campaign, Shinde’s counter-strike right inside the Thackeray bastion of Worli has fundamentally altered the political calculus ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

Patna, June 30: The investigation into the alleged Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) paper leak has gathered pace with the arrest of Suman Kumari, the wife of the alleged mastermind, Bijendra Gupta, from Patna.

Police are questioning her over her suspected role in the examination paper leak and related financial transactions.

According to information shared by the Maharashtra Police and Patna Police sources, Suman Kumari was arrested in Patna and is currently being interrogated.

Investigators suspect that Suman Kumari played a role in handling financial transactions linked to the alleged paper leak operation.

Police also believe she remained in contact with her husband, Bijendra Gupta, and other members of the alleged network after the TET question paper was leaked.

Her interrogation is expected to help investigators trace the flow of money and identify other individuals connected to the case.

Before Suman Kumari’s arrest, Maharashtra Police had taken three other accused, Rajiv Shah and Akash Kumar from Patna, and Dheeraj Kumar from Panipat, Haryana, into custody.

According to investigators, interrogation of these three accused pointed to Bijendra Gupta as the alleged mastermind behind the operation.

Police teams are conducting raids in Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, and Agra to apprehend Bijendra Gupta, who is originally from Sherpur village under the Vidyapati police station area of Samastipur district in Bihar.

Investigators believe he played a central role in organising the alleged paper leak network.

Bijendra Gupta’s father, Baleshwar Gupta, said the family had lost contact with him years ago after he left the village for further studies in Begusarai.

According to his father, the family was unaware of the nature of Bijendra’s work and was deeply distressed after learning that his name had surfaced in connection with the alleged paper leak case.

Police records indicate that Bijendra Gupta has previously been linked to criminal cases.

According to investigators, he was the prime accused in a murder case registered in 2003 and has also been associated with investigations into alleged paper leak cases involving examinations such as NEET-UG and the Odisha Staff Selection Commission examination.

These allegations form part of the ongoing police investigation, and the case remains under inquiry.

Maharashtra Police teams remain in Bihar as part of the operation to arrest the alleged mastermind.

Investigators are examining financial records, communication details, and the roles of other suspected members of the network.

Police have indicated that further arrests are possible as the investigation progresses and additional evidence is collected regarding the alleged examination malpractice.

New Delhi, June 30: A 24-year-old woman has accused a man of sexually harassing her inside a moving car in East Delhi’s Mandawali area.

According to her complaint, the accused (known to the victim) allegedly lured her out on the pretext of eating momos and later insisted on stopping for CNG before diverting the vehicle to a deserted stretch.

The woman alleges that the man began making obscene remarks and pressured her into having sex. He touched her inappropriately and wouldn’t let her get out of the car. She recorded the entire incident on her mobile phone and reported the matter to the police. Based on the complaint, Mandawali police registered an FIR against the accused under relevant sections of the BNS. The accused has been caught. Further investigation is underway.

In a disturbing video, the woman could be heard pleading with the man to let her go. The man, as seen in the video, makes unwanted sexual remarks, pushing the woman to a breaking point, NDTV reported.

She recorded the incident on her mobile phone during the alleged assault.

“If you even touch me, I’ll jump in front of a vehicle and end my life,” the woman is heard saying in the shaky video that is replete with cuss words and sexually suggestive remarks.

A month ago, a similar incident came to light in Pune. A female lawyer was sexually assaulted in a moving car. Police arrested three suspects in this case. Now, a similar incident has surfaced in the national capital, Delhi.

The man who sexually assaulted the woman is known to her. According to the complaint, he lured her out on the pretext of offering her momos and then attempted to exploit her in a secluded area. However, the woman recorded the entire incident on her mobile phone.

Earlier on June 29, the Delhi High Court cancelled the bail granted to a 57-year-old private school caretaker accused of raping a three-year-old girl on the premises in west Delhi’s Janakpuri area, and asked him to surrender on July 1.