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Maharashtra

Who Is Ashwini Bhide? Mumbai’s ‘Metro Woman’ Appointed As BMC Commissioner

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Mumbai: Senior IAS officer Ashwini Bhide has been appointed as the first woman Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), marking a historic moment in the city’s administrative landscape. She succeeds Bhushan Gagrani, who completes his tenure on March 31, 2026.

A 1995-batch IAS officer, Bhide is currently serving as Additional Chief Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office under Devendra Fadnavis. Known for her firm, results-driven administrative style, she was selected over other senior bureaucrats, including Sanjay Mukherjee and Aseem Gupta, owing to her extensive experience and track record in executing large-scale projects.

Bhide has previously played a key role in shaping Mumbai’s infrastructure growth. As Managing Director of the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, she led several critical metro projects, including complex underground corridors. She is also known as the ‘Metro Woman’ of Mumbai. Her tenure, however, also drew criticism during the Aarey car shed project, which faced opposition from environmentalists over large-scale tree felling.

Her earlier role as Additional Municipal Commissioner in the BMC has provided her with in-depth knowledge of the civic body’s functioning, a factor expected to aid her transition into the top post. She is likely to serve a full term until 2030, overseeing key areas such as infrastructure development, sanitation, traffic management, and overall urban governance in Mumbai.

Her appointment comes at a crucial time when the city is grappling with mounting infrastructure pressure, environmental challenges, and financial constraints within the civic administration. Officials believe her leadership could bring tighter administrative discipline and faster execution of major civic initiatives.

Bhide’s elevation also reflects a broader trend of increasing representation of women in top bureaucratic roles in Maharashtra. Notably, Rashmi Shukla served as the state’s first woman Director General of Police, while Sujata Saunik became the first woman Chief Secretary in 2024.

Ashwini Bhide is set to assume the role of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner later today. Bhushan Gagrani has served as BMC chief for the past two years. Speaking to the Free Press Journal this morning, Gagrani said, “I am in office today, and Ashwini will take charge this afternoon. The official order will be issued in an hour or so.”

Rumours at BMC headquarters suggested that Gagrani might receive a service extension and be posted to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). However, no such order has been issued so far. “But I will be in Mumbai,” the outgoing commissioner added.

As she takes charge of one of India’s key municipal corporations, Bhide’s tenure will be closely watched for its impact on Mumbai’s governance and development trajectory.

Crime

‘Not Siya, Chetan pushed Ketan Agarwal’; police recreate crime scene at Lohagad Fort

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Pune, June 28: As the investigation into the alleged murder of Ketan Agarwal proceeds, police on Sunday morning took the accused, the victim’s fiancee Siya Goyal, to the Lohagad Fort near Pune, Maharashtra, to recreate the exact sequence of events that took place on the day of the purported crime.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) (Lonavala division) Gajanan Tompe said, “Today, according to Siya’s description, we recreated the crime scene at the Lohagad fort. Superintendent of Police (SP) and other senior officials were also present (during the recreation).”

“Siya is currently an accused in this case, and the investigation is ongoing accordingly,” he told media.

The police reportedly carried a fibre-made dummy to reconstruct the crime scene.

Officials said that during the reconstruction process, Siya revealed the entire conspiracy to the police.

According to information shared by a senior police officer, the victim’s fiancée admitted during questioning and the reconstruction that she, along with her associate Chetan, had planned to eliminate Ketan.

As per the plan, Siya was supposed to walk to a higher point at Lohagad Fort and pretend to tie her shoelaces. As soon as she bent down under the pretext of tying them, Chetan was to approach Ketan from behind and attack him.

According to police sources, the reconstruction of events revealed that Chetan allegedly came from behind and suddenly pushed Ketan, causing him to lose his balance and fall approximately 300 feet into a deep gorge. The victim reportedly died on the spot.

The police have video-recorded Siya’s alleged confession during the crime scene reconstruction as well as the entire reenactment. Further investigation will proceed accordingly.

Meanwhile, the probe has revealed that both the accused, Siya and Chetan, had googled ways to kill Ketan Agarwal.

According to reports, Siya and Chetan went to the fort alone before committing the crime to “rehearse” the murder. The two had also prepared and practised their answers, in case they were caught by the police.

Investigation further revealed that the two murder accused had planned to disguise themselves during the murder to avoid suspicion.

Earlier, it was reported that Siya and Chetan had systematically wiped their entire phone chat history and recycle bins before and after the crime. Their mobile phones have been sent to a forensic laboratory to retrieve the logs of deleted chats, officials said.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Crime Branch action against self-styled police officer arrested on charges of extortion

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime Branch has claimed to have arrested a self-styled fake police officer who used to commit fraud by pasting fake police identity cards and several government stickers on his car. He used to use a car with police stickers to gain people’s trust in the name of getting loans from banks and defraud them by collecting money from them. A 54-year-old man involved in these crimes has been arrested. He claimed to be a senior police officer. The police have arrested him with his fake documents. Cases have been registered against him in Kasturba Marg, Sakinaka, and Kherwadi police stations in Mumbai, this was informed by DCP Raj Tilak Roshan in a press conference. Further investigation into the matter is underway.

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Maharashtra

The race to save his son’s political career has begun, Uddhav Thackeray should start an ‘apology tour’, Shiv Sena Secretary Kiran Pawaskar attacks Uddhav

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Mumbai: Shiv Sena Secretary and Spokesperson Kiran Pavaskar has strongly attacked Uddhav Thackeray’s visit to Vidarbha and Marathwada. He claimed that the visit of the MPs who joined Shiv Sena to the Lok Sabha constituencies is not to apologize to the voters, but to save Aaditya Thackeray’s political career. At a press conference in Mumbai, Pavaskar said that if Uddhav Thackeray really cared about the people and workers, he would have fought the local body elections as well. He alleged that during this time, the workers and candidates were left to save their lives, while now the MLAs are being visited after they left the party. Pavskar said that this is not an apology to the people, but an attempt to save his son’s political base. He also claimed that many MPs joined the Shiv Sena due to dissatisfaction with the work of the Uddhav Thackeray group. Pavskar said that while Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray are currently touring Vidarbha, during the municipal, town council, and district council elections, the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray’s faction did not even plan to go out of Bandra. They left their workers and candidates to their own safety. He said that many members joined the Shiv Sena due to dissatisfaction with the work of the Uddhav Thackeray faction. Now an attempt is being made to apologize to the voters by visiting the Lok Sabha constituencies of these same MPs. But the question is, if the people and workers were so concerned, why was this visit not made earlier? Pawaskar said that the workers, office bearers, taluka heads, and district chiefs of Vidarbha and Marathwada will ask the same question to the Uddhav Thackeray faction. He alleged that the visit is not being made to apologize to the voters but to save Aaditya Thackeray’s political career.

Pawaskar further said that to ensure his son’s victory in a reserved constituency like Worli, the Uddhav Thackeray faction had to cancel the tickets of two MLAs. MLAs Sunil Shinde and Sachin Ahir had to be reinstated as Legislative Council candidates. He alleged that even today, the Uddhav Thackeray faction is visiting Vidarbha only to save its son’s political career.

Pawaskar said that 65 corporators have joined the Shiv Sena, expressing confidence in the leadership of core Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde. Similarly, 40 MLAs from Uddhav Thackeray’s faction joined the Shiv Sena, taking the party’s MLA strength to 60. He claimed that six MLAs have joined the Shiv Sena today, and in future this number will increase to 12.

Pavaskar said that the allegations of breaking up MLAs, MPs and corporators no longer make sense. He said that the Uddhav Thackeray faction should examine itself as to why all these public representatives are joining the Shiv Sena to work under the leadership of Shiv Sena’s central leader and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. He said that even today, MLAs, MPs and other public representatives from every corner of the state are eager to join the Shiv Sena. The main reason for this is that Eknath Shinde’s leadership works at the grassroots level and not from home. He also criticized Uddhav Thackeray’s faction on the issue. Pavskar claimed that important news regarding new additions to the party will be released soon in the coming days.

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