Page 38 - Maharashtra

MLA Azmi's praise for Aurangzeb rocks Maharashtra Assembly; House adjourned

Members of the ruling Mahayuti on Tuesday demanded suspension of Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi from the Maharashtra assembly and that he booked for treason for eulogising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The uproar over the issue led to the House being adjourned for the day after multiple disruptions, as the members, including Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, remained steadfast on their demand for action against Azmi. Soon after the House proceedings began, the ruling alliance members claimed Azmi was a descendent of Aurangzeb, who tortured Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and brutally killed him. Atul Bhatkalkar (BJP) demanded that Azmi be booked for treason and be suspended from the assembly for the budget session. Shiv Sena minister Gulabrao Patil also demanded action against Azmi. Sudhir Mungantiwar (BJP) demanded that Aurangazeb's grave be demolished. Sensing the belligerent mood of the members, speaker Rahul Narwekar first adjourned the House for 10 minutes. When

Accused shot videos, clicked pics while torturing Beed sarpanch: Police

As sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was tortured and killed in December 2024, the assailants recorded 15 videos, clicked eight photos and even made two video calls, police have said in a chargesheet, documenting the brutality endured by the victim. The videos and the photos are part of the chargesheet submitted by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) before a court in central Maharashtra's Beed district last week. Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted and killed in December for attempting to foil an extortion bid on an energy company. His body, riddled with injuries and bearing signs of extreme brutality, was found dumped on the roadside. Seven men, including Walmik Karad, who is a close aide of state minister Dhananjay Munde, have been arrested so far, while one person has been declared wanted accused. The videos were shot on a smartphone of one of the accused, Mahesh Kedar, and their duration ranges between 2 seconds and 2.04 minutes, an official said

Amazon Web Services to invest $8.2 bn in Maharashtra by 2029-30: Vaishnaw

Amazon Web Services plans to invest USD 8.2 billion in Maharashtra by 2029-30 to deploy latest and best compute facility and cloud management services, union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Monday. The minister said that Amazon Web Services (AWS) plans to significantly increase employment in India as well. "The team of Amazon Web Services met today. They explained their entire plan of investing about USD 8.2 billion in Maharashtra in the coming few years going into 2029-30," Vaishnaw said. He said AWS is very optimistic about growth in India. "They are bringing the latest technologies, they are deploying the latest GPUs which is what they shared today. They are deploying some of the best compute facilities and cloud Management Services in India. "Along with the investment, there will be significant growth in employment also. Amazon web services shared that they will be adding a significant number of jobs in India in the coming years," Vaishnaw said.

HC asks ACB not to act till Mar 4 on FIR order against ex-Sebi chief

The bench said it would hear the pleas on Tuesday (March 4) and orally added that until then, the state ACB, which was directed to probe the case, shall not act upon the special court order

Maharashtra preferred FDI destination, contributes 14% to GDP, says Guv

Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Monday said the state is a preferred destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) and contributes more than 14 per cent to the country's gross domestic product (GDP). The governor, addressing the joint session of the state legislature on the first day of the budget session, asserted that Maharashtra was one of the leading industrial states in the country. He said the state government has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth approximately Rs 15.72 lakh crore with 63 national and international companies during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January, and these investments will generate more than 15 lakh employment opportunities. Radhakrishnan said the state government is committed to resolving the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute and has appointed expert advocates to represent Maharashtra before the Supreme Court. "Maharashtra is a preferred destination for FDI and contributes more than 14 per cent to the ..

As Modi and Sharad Pawar grow closer, Maharashtra's political cauldron bubbles

Fault lines within MVA deepen as NCP (SP) warms up to BJP-Shinde, and Thackeray charts solo path for ensuing local body polls in the state, explains RADHIKA RAMASESHAN

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis denies cold war with Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday scoffed at speculations of a cold war between him and his deputy Eknath Shinde, and mocked Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, quipping he wants to compete with Salim-Javed, the legendary screenwriting duo. He was addressing a press conference with deputy CMs Shinde and Ajit Pawar after a cabinet meeting and customary tea party ahead of the four-week budget session of the assembly, which begins on Monday. There is no war. Those who know both of us will remember what we do when we are together, said Fadnavis, pointing to their meetings before Shinde's rebellion split the undivided Shiv Sena and sunk the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in 2022. While Fadnavis maintained that all partners of ruling Mahayuti BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP are working unitedly, Shinde chipped in, Everything is thanda thanda, cool cool. Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, said the budget session will be the first House proceedings of the new government after ...

Raksha Khadse's daughter harassed in Jalgaon; seven named in FIR, one held

Union Minister Raksha Khadse on Sunday lodged a police complaint regarding the harassment of her daughter and some of her friends by a group of boys at an event in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, said that the accused belong to a political party, and some of them have been arrested. Khadse lodged a complaint at Muktainagar police station in connection with the incident that occurred at Sant Muktai Yatra in Kothali village in Muktainagar on Friday night. Talking to reporters, the Union minister and BJP leader said, "I was in Gujarat, so my daughter called me to ask for permission to go. I asked her to take a guard and two to three staff members along. My daughter and her friends were followed and pushed, and their photos and videos were taken. When my staff objected, the boys resorted to unruly behaviour, and a mob of 30 to 40 people gathered." Khadse said when she returned home this morning, her daughter told her that the same group of boy

Maharashtra bets on AI with M-Hub, innovation centre in Navi Mumbai

Fadnavis, who first became chief minister in 2014 and is now in his second term after a break, said the state will launch a startup incubator called M-Hub

Dalmia Bharat to invest Rs 3,520 cr in Maha, K'taka to add 6 MTPA capacity

Cement maker Dalmia Bharat on Friday announced to invest approximately Rs 3,520 crore in Maharashtra and Karnataka to add 6 MnTPA Cement Capacity. The company, through its subsidiaries, will establish a 3.6 MnTPA (million tonnes per annum) clinker unit and a 3 million tonnes per annum (MnTPA) grinding unit at its existing Belgaum plant in Karnataka. It will also set up a new greenfield split grinding unit with a capacity of 3 MnTPA in Pune, Maharashtra. "The capex will be funded through a combination of debt and internal accruals," the company said in a statement. With the expansion, Dalmia Bharat's total installed cement capacity will increase to 55.5 MnTPA, after considering the ongoing expansion of 2.9 MnT in Assam and Bihar. "These new units are expected to be commissioned by Q4 FY27," it said, adding that this increased capacity will primarily help to meet growing demand in Western India, along with existing regions. The Belgaum Grinding unit will cater to Southern Maharasht

Maharashtra CM Fadnavis' office receives bomb threat from Pakistani number

According to Mumbai Police, the person introduced himself as Malik Shahbaz Humayun Raza

Maharashtra sets up facility to fight cybercrimes, announces helpline

'Cyber corporation' in Navi Mumbai will work as the state's headquarters against cybercrime: Devendra Fadnavis

Pune bus rape case: Request for water, food led to arrest of accused

The accused Dattatray Ramdas Gade was absconding since the incident happened on Tuesday, when the rape survivor, a working woman, was waiting for a bus to return home to Phaltan

Shinde orders Thane municipality to restore increments for MA Marathi staff

Shinde directed the Thane Municipal Commissioner to resume the process, emphasising the government's commitment to employee welfare

Marathi Bhasha Gaurav Diwas 2025: Date, history, significance and more

For the Marathi community, Marathi Bhasha Gaurav Diwas is a significant day that honors the contributions of the renowned poet Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar. Each year on Feb 27, this day is celebrated

Ajit Pawar calls Pune rape 'shameful,' asks cops to ensure swift arrests

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said he has directed the Pune police commissioner to investigate the alleged rape of a woman inside a stationary state transport bus at the Swargate depot and swiftly arrest the accused. A history-sheeter out on bail since 2019 allegedly raped the 26-year-old woman inside the parked bus at the busy Swargate depot of the MSRTC in Pune city on Tuesday morning. The accused, Dattatraya Ramdas Gade (36), is on the run, police said. In a statement, Pawar, who is the guardian minister of Pune district, said the incident at the Swargate bus station is "painful, infuriating, and shameful", and the accused deserves death penalty. "The incident of rape at the Swargate bus station is extremely unfortunate, painful, infuriating and shameful to all in civilized society. The crime committed by the accused is unforgivable and there can be no other punishment for him than death. I have directed the Pune police commissioner to personally look

upGrad earmarks Rs 100 cr for creating AI incubator: Ronnie Screwvala

Edtech unicorn upGrad has earmarked Rs 100 crore to create an AI incubator, to boost innovation in learning and skilling space, a top company official said. upGrad Founder and CEO, Ronnie Screwvala told PTI in an interview that outside the school and colleges curriculum the learning and skilling space is evolving rapidly and there is need to explore innovative ways to address this segment. "We are putting Rs 100 crore. It will be used for incubation as well as acquiring minority stake in 5-6 startups at an early stage so that we do not dictate them. We don't want to get into the valuation game as it becomes too onerous for a startup but we want them to innovate in a more frugal manner," Screwvala said. The move follows upGrad's announcement in Davos of creating an AI center of excellence with investment of Rs 2,150 crore in collaboration with the Maharashtra government. The company has also entered into a partnership with Microsoft to train 10 lakh STEM Indian professionals in one

Teen, his parents held for 'anti-national slogans' during India-Pak match

According to police, around 9:30 pm, while the match was still ongoing, a man walking by the family's home claimed he heard the accused boy yelling those slogans

French firm accuses MMRDA of corruption, seeks diplomatic intervention

The French company has alleged that MMRDA officials demanded benefits and intentionally delayed payments. Systra has raised these concerns with the Indian government and sought diplomatic intervention

Bus services suspended between Karnataka, Maharashtra after attack on crew

Bus services between Karnataka and Maharashtra have been suspended following the attack on the buses and the crew, a senior officer said on Tuesday. "We have suspended the bus services to Maharashtra since yesterday. The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) too has stopped plying buses to Karnataka," a senior officer in the North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) told PTI. In view of the tension prevailing in the border district of Belagavi over touchy issue, the decision was taken, he explained. Meanwhile, Narayana Gowda led Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) has given a call for 'Belagavi Chalo' on Tuesday. The KRV has decided to take out a march here in Belagavi, stage a protest and hold public meeting on Tuesday. The row over language started in Belagavi after a group of people allegedly intercepted the KSRTC bus and beat up its conductor and driver for not speaking to a passenger in Marathi. The passenger - a minor girl - too made a complaint sta