Page 25 - Maharashtra

Sushant Singh Rajput case: CBI seeks transfer of hearing on closure report

A court here on Tuesday permitted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to seek transfer of the hearing in the closure report submitted by the agency in actor Sushant Singh Rajput death case to a designated court. The central probe agency had last month filed its closure report in the death case before the Bandra metropolitan magistrate's court. The actor was found hanging in his apartment in Mumbai's Bandra area on June 14, 2020 at the age of 34. In the conclusive medico-legal opinion to the CBI, forensic specialists at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) had dismissed the claims of "poisoning and strangling" made in the case, the CBI had said in its report. On Tuesday, the agency informed magistrate K C Rajput that it would move an application before the chief judicial magistrate to transfer hearing in the case to the Esplanade magistrate's court, which is designated to hear CBI cases. Magistrate Rajput permitted the same and said the agency is directed to ..

Focus on investment, drought-free projects for Maharashtra growth: Fadnavis

The Maharashtra government is creating an ecosystem to attract investment across all regions and implementing four river-linking projects worth around Rs 3 lakh crore to make the state drought-free, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday. He said prominent regions and cities of Maharashtra are emerging as hubs in different sectors and this will address the issue of regional imbalance. Speaking at the 'India Global Forum Next" event in Mumbai, Fadnavis maintained Maharashtra is ensuring smooth and uninterrupted facilities for investors, and an ecosystem is being created to attract investment across all regions of the state. As a result, a balanced development will be seen throughout Maharashtra over the next five years, he insisted. Fadnavis underlined that the state is creating new investment opportunities and supporting the global supply chain. "The state is also leading in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India. In addition, many major national and ...

Maharashtra RR rate hike: Choose ongoing projects, women ownership helps

The RR rate is the minimum value at which a property must be registered during a transaction

Tata Power gets nod to deploy 100 Mw battery storage system in Mumbai

The system will provide backup power to critical infrastructure, such as metro, hospitals, data centres, and the airport in the event of grid disruptions

Police invokes UAPA against two men held in Beed mosque blast case

Police have invoked the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section for terrorist act against two men arrested in the case of blast at a mosque in Maharashtra's Beed district, officials said. Gelatin sticks went off at the mosque in Ardha Masla village in Georai tehsil on March 30, on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr, allegedly after an altercation between two groups during a procession, leading to the arrest of the two men. While no one was injured in the blast, the internal portion of the structure was damaged. Police arrested local residents Vijay Rama Gavhane (22) and Shriram Ashok Sagde (24) within hours of the blast. The Beed police initially registered a case under various BNS sections, including 298 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, covering insults) and 196 (promoting enmity between). During the investigat

Fadnavis slams Pune hospital for denying admission to woman, orders probe

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the formation of a committee to inquire into the death of a pregnant woman after she was allegedly refused admission by Pune's leading Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital over non-payment of a deposit of Rs 10 lakh. The controversy escalated on Friday with local political activists staging a protest outside the hospital and the hospital claiming that the woman's relatives were making misleading allegations. A day earlier, BJP MLC Amit Gorkhe claimed in a video message that Tanisha Bhise, the wife of his personal assistant, was refused admission by the hospital. She was taken to another hospital where she died after delivering twins, he said. A statement from the Chief Minister's Office said on Friday that he had taken serious note of the incident. "He has ordered the formation of an inquiry committee under the chairmanship of the Joint Commissioner of Charity, Pune," it said. It said that the deputy secretary or under-secretary of

Godrej Properties eyes Rs 1,350 cr revenue from Mumbai housing project

The development will offer approximately 4.4 lakh square feet of saleable area, focusing on premium residential units, with an estimated revenue potential of Rs 1,350 crore

Maharashtra reports 21,219 farmer suicides in five districts over 24 years

As many as 21,219 farmers died by suicide in the five districts under Amravati revenue division of Maharashtra between in the last 24 years, according to an official report. The figure is for deaths between January 2001 and January 2025 in Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Washim and Yavatmal districts of Amravati division, the report said. It includes 80 farmer suicides in January this year. The report states that during the last 24 years, 5,395 farmers died by suicide in Amravati district, 3,123 in Akola district, 6,211 in Yavatmal district, 4,442 farmers in Buldhana district and 2,048 farmers ended their lives in Washim district. In January 2025, 10 farmers died by suicide in Amravati district, 10 in Akola, 34 in Yavatmal, 10 in Buldhana and seven in Washim district. The report said that of the total suicides in the 24 years, 9,970 cases were eligible (for government compensation), 10,963 were ineligible, while 319 cases are pending for inquiry. Assistance has been given in 9,740 ...

Mumbai Police to file criminal cases for drunk driving, seize vehicles

Mumbai police has decided to register criminal cases against those indulging in drunk driving since such incidents have seen a sharp rise in the last couple of years, a senior official said on Thursday. A notification to this effect was issued by Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anil Kumbhare, he said. While registering cases, the licence of the drunk driver will be impounded and his vehicle will be seized, the official added. "Taking serious cognizance of rise in cases, the traffic wing of Mumbai Police has decided to file criminal cases against drunk drivers under section 125 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for act endangering life or personal safety of others apart from provisions of Motor Vehicles Act at the local police station," Kumbhare told PTI. At present, Mumbai police carries out 'nakabandi' (on road checks) against drunk drivers and penalises them under section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, another official said, adding action was taken against 2562 persons in 2023 ..

15% tax rebate on new vehicle in Maharashtra if old voluntarily scrapped

The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday decided to provide a 15 per cent tax concession to owners who voluntarily scrap their vehicles when purchasing a new one of the same type. A statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said tax concession of 10 per cent will be given to transport vehicles voluntarily scrapped within eight years of registration at a Registered Vehicle Scrappage Facility (RVSF) and to non-transport vehicles voluntarily scrapped within 15 years of registration. A 15 per cent tax concession will be given to transport and non-transport vehicles subject to lump sum tax, said the statement issued after a cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Whereas, a 15 per cent annual tax concession will be given to vehicles subject to annual tax for the next eight years from the date of registration in the transport category and for non-transport ones for the next 15 years, it said. The Certificate of Deposit received by the owner after scrapping ..

Kunal Kamra row: Police issue 3rd summons, ask him to appear on April 5

Police on Tuesday issued a third summons to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and asked him to appear before them on April 5 in a case filed for allegedly making derogatory remarks on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at a show in Mumbai, officials said. Kamra (36) has been asked to appear before officials of the Khar Police Station in suburban Mumbai where the first FIR against him was registered last month, they said. The 36-year-old comedian was earlier summoned two times by the police, but he failed to appear before them and joined the investigation. The case stems from caustic remarks Kamra made against Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, at a show organised at a studio in the metropolis. Angered by the comments, workers of the Shiv Sena vandalised the studio late last month. The police have filed the case against Kamra under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to defamation and public mischief. The case was filed after the comedian last month posted a

Maha govt clears road for e-bike taxis, aims to create 10,000 jobs in MMR

The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved introduction of electric-bike taxis for cities with at least one lakh population, a move which will benefit single passengers travelling up to 15 km and cover Mumbai besides several other urban centres in the state. The measure will create more than 10,000 jobs in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and another 10,000 in the rest of the state, state Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said. Talking to reporters, he said e-bikes with a proper partition between front and pillion riders and a roof cover for monsoons will be allowed to ferry people. Sarnaik made the announcement after a weekly cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Sahaydri guest house approved the proposal to launch electric-bike taxis in major urban areas. He said the cabinet has only approved the policy on launching e-bike taxis, and a revenue model is being finalised and would be announced soon. Security of passengers and affordable tariffs ...

Govt to form panel to decide on MTNL, BSNL assets in Mumbai: Scindia

The Minister of Communications attended a meeting organised at the Sahyadri Guest House here on the BSNL's assets in Mumbai and the communication system in Maharashtra

Kunal Kamra's 'How to Kill an Artist' post slams govt over joke row

Kunal Kamra's latest Instagram post accuses the government of systematically silencing artists, sharing a detailed 'playbook' on how dissenting voices are suppressed

'How can you call him a gaddar?' Owaisi backs Kunal Kamra amid Shinde row

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi questions Maharashtra government's reaction to Kunal Kamra's remarks, saying the comedian never named Shinde. Owaisi says selective application of law is the real betrayal

Bajaj hits record sales of over 26,000 vehicles on Gudi Padwa weekend

According to the company, it also broke all records for sales in Maharashtra too over the weekend from March 29 to 30 on the festival heralding new year for Maharashtrians

Raj Thackeray warns against 'communal provocation' over Aurangzeb tomb row

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray said people are being made to fight in the name of history, and politicians exploit these issues. 'Stop reading history on WhatsApp,' he urged

No need to discuss PM Modi's successor: CM Fadnavis to Sanjay Raut

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday dismissed speculation about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's successor, asserting that Modi would continue to lead the country for many more years. Responding to Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut's claim that Modi went to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur on Sunday to convey the message to Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat that he is retiring, Fadnavis told reporters in Nagpur, In 2029, we will see Modi as the prime minister again. Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, senior RSS leader Suresh Bhaiyyaji' Joshi said he is not aware of any talk of (PM's) replacement. There is no need to search for his successor. He (Modi) is our leader and will continue, Fadnavis said. Discussing succession while the leader is active is inappropriate in Indian culture, the CM added. In our culture, when the father is alive, it is inappropriate to talk about succession. That is Mughal culture. The time has not come to discuss it, he said, referring to Raut's claim .

Maharashtra departments told to specify potential rise in expenditures

Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik has issued a directive to all departments mandating that any new proposals presented to the state cabinet must clearly outline the potential increase in expenditure beyond their allocated budget. The directive, issued on Friday, comes amid signs of the state's financial constraints. It has called for transparency in identifying the potential increases in expenditure for any new proposal, thus holding departments accountable for their financial commitments. The directive stresses that no proposals should be submitted to the cabinet without specifying how much the department's expenditure may exceed its original allocation. To rein in the unnecessary spending, departments have also been instructed to limit unproductive expenditure, consolidate redundant government schemes, and curb free-of-cost services wherever possible, an official said. The directive encourages reducing non-productive spending, merging redundant schemes and focusing on ..

Sanjay Raut asks Centre to provide security for Kunal Kamra as FIRs pile up

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday demanded Central protection for comedian Kunal Kamra, facing flak and investigation over his jibe against Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, on the similar lines it had protected actor Kangana Ranaut in 2020. Multiple FIRs were registered against Kamra for his "traitor" jibe at Shiv Sena head and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde during a show, leading to the ransacking of a studio by Shiv Sena workers last Sunday. On Friday, the Madras High Court granted interim anticipatory bail to Kamra, against whom Mumbai Police had issued two notices seeking his personal appearance for questioning. Raut also welcomed the Supreme Court order on quashing an FIR against Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi for allegedly posting a clip of a poem advocating the protection of freedom of speech and expression. He said like Pratapgarhi, Kamra is also an artist, poet, and satirist. "Kamra should come to Mumbai to put forth his point (before the police). The Centre protecte