
Mithi river desilting: ED raids actor Dino Morea, BMC officials and others
The ED case stems from a Mumbai Police economic offences wing (EOW) FIR filed in May against 13 people, including contractors and civic officials, for an alleged Rs 65.54 crore scam in the tenders awarded from 2017-2023 for desilting of the Mithi river which flows through Mumbai and acts as a stormwater drainage channel for the metro city.
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Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
Youth who kidnapped, raped 3-year-old killed in encounter
1 2 Lucknow: A man accused of kidnapping and raping a three-year-old girl in Lucknow was killed in an encounter with police in the early hours of Friday. The accused was identified as Deepak Verma, 24. Police said he was a habitual offender, and several criminal cases were lodged against him at various police stations. Police had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for any information leading to his arrest. On Thursday, a complaint was registered at Alambagh police station that a three-year-old girl was kidnapped and raped. The minor sustained multiple injuries to her private parts. Deputy commissioner of police (Central) Ashish Srivastava said, "CCTV footage was scanned, and the accused, who arrived at the spot on a white scooter, was identified through the number plate." Alambagh police were working on the case when, through an informer's tip-off. It was learnt that the Aishbagh resident was trying to flee the city. When the police apprehended him, he fired at the police. Inspector in-charge of Alambagh, Subhash Chandra Saroj, was fired at twice by the accused, but the bulletproof jacket saved his life, police said. "In retaliatory firing, cops shot him, and he was critically injured. Verma was rushed to Lokbandhu Hospital for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries. Doctors confirmed his death, and a postmortem is being conducted as per procedure," the DCP said. "The action was taken purely in self-defence. The response was measured and controlled to apprehend the accused alive, but he succumbed to his injuries. The police recovered a country-made pistol and the scooter from the scene," the DCP added. The DCP said that the accused worked as a vendor selling water at railway stations. To recall, the three-year-old girl was kidnapped while she was sleeping next to her parents on the roadside early Thursday morning. The child was found in a severely injured state, abandoned around 500 metres from the spot. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Fork out 5,000 or miss flight, airline tells 9-year-old, 17-year-old sisters
1 2 Kolkata: A Kolkata-Ahmedabad flight turned into a nightmare for two sisters, Mahira (9) and Manyata (17), after airline ground staff asked them to pay Rs 5,000 in cash for the 'unaccompanied minor fees' for the nine-year-old girl or risk missing the flight. The airline claimed the 17-year-old couldn't qualify as an adult as she was yet to be 18. They were scheduled to board Akasa Airlines flight QP 1926 to Ahmedabad, where their mother awaited them. However, the journey took a traumatic turn at the airline's check-in counter. There were two cousins of the young girls who were flying on a separate airline but were checking in around the same time and had offered to pay the money through UPI. However, the airline staff demanded the money in cash, claiming the counter was closed and that no QR code could be generated. The kids finally managed to pool in funds and pay up, after which they were allowed to board. In India, some airlines charge an 'unaccompanied minor fee' for children aged between five and 12 years on the date of travel for certain assistance services from the airline crew. A parent or guardian is required to complete a signed 'unaccompanied minor form' at the point of check-in. The form must include the name and contact numbers of the parent or guardian (above the age of 18) who will meet the unaccompanied minor at the point of arrival. In this case, the family said no documentation or written policy was provided to support this claim. At the Ahmedabad airport, there was reportedly no ID verification of the receiving parent, further contradicting the rationale for the fee, the family alleged. TOI reached out to Akasa, who was yet to send a response till late on Friday. "They were simply told to pay or miss the flight," said the girls' mother, Shalini Dugar. "There was no explanation, no breakdown of charges, and no receipt till the time my elder daughter insisted." According to the family, the two, along with their cousins—both aged 21—were returning from a vacation in Nepal. They came to Kolkata by train and stayed at their grandmother's place for a night. They were to board the flight back home to Ahmedabad on Wednesday, where Shalini was supposed to pick them up. "At the time of booking, we were never told about the unaccompanied minor fee. In fact, kids above 12 years are shown as adults on the booking page. They previously flew to Bagdogra from Ahmedabad with the same airline on April 26, where no fee was sought. When the kids told them they didn't have additional money, they refused to issue a boarding pass. The cousins, who had finished check-in, intervened and attempted to resolve the issue by offering UPI payment. But the airline refused, claiming a QR code couldn't be generated," said Pearl Choradia, the girls' aunt. Under duress, the kids finally paid the money by pooling in funds, after which a boarding pass was issued for Mahira. "We have no problem in paying the fee if it's legitimate and announced in advance at the time of booking. But we demand an explanation, apology, refund, and disciplinary action against the staff who caused emotional distress and trauma to my daughters," said Shalini, who lost her husband a year and a half ago. Family members said because of the family circumstances, the children gathered the courage to travel without their mother. "It was a decision born out of necessity and resilience. However, the traumatic experience they faced has left them deeply shaken," Choradia added. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Court sends dismissed Vidhan Bhavan cashier to seven-year rigorous imprisonment in disproportionate assets case
Mumbai: A special court on Thursday convicted and sentenced a 56-year-old dismissed Vidhan Bhavan cashier to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for committing criminal misconduct and amassing assets worth Rs 15.95 lakh — over 100% disproportionate to his known sources of income between 1991 and 2004. During this period, the accused, Manoj Gaonkar, earned a total of Rs 14.75 lakh. His properties included domestic articles valued at Rs 1.5 lakh, a flat each at Borivli and Mira Road, and a farmhouse in Talegaon, Pune district. Gaonkar was also fined Rs 50,000. In a 143-page judgement, special judge Shashikant Eknathrao Bangar said, "The accused was a public servant, he held assets disproportionate to his known income during the check period. He failed to satisfactorily account for them, he committed criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He committed forgery, cheating, and criminal breach of trust under IPC." In 2018, Gaonkar was convicted and sentenced to five years' simple imprisonment for siphoning off Rs 63,000 from an MLC's medical claim and misappropriating over Rs 52.3 lakh from the state govt funds — collectively Rs 53 lakh — in 2005. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pinga-Pinga e HBP? Tome isso 1x ao dia se tem mais de 40 anos Portal Saúde do Homem Clique aqui Undo The sentence in the 2005 case is suspended pending an appeal Gaonkar filed in the sessions court. The order for forfeiting the properties amassed illegally is also stayed. On March 15, 2005, the pay and accounts department of Mantralaya lodged a police complaint after an audit found that Gaonkar deposited only Rs 7,000 in the state govt's account in the RBI but submitted a forged receipt showing he deposited Rs 70,000 and even produced a cash book. It was alleged that the money belonged to then MLC Anil Gote's medical entitlement. During the same period, a departmental inquiry was initiated against Gaonkar, and it was found that he misappropriated another Rs 52.3 lakh, including Rs 10 lakh from the Rs 30 lakh that Parliament gave the state govt for a conference. Hence, the first FIR was lodged in 2005, and Gaonkar was subsequently charged. In 2009, a second case, a disproportionate assets case, was registered against him after it was found that he bought several properties with the misappropriated funds. This included a flat in Chikoowadi in Borivli then valued at Rs 13 lakh, a flat in Mira Road then valued at Rs 4 lakh, and a farmhouse in Talegaon then valued at Rs 3 lakh. In the disproportionate assets case, seeking stringent punishment, public prosecutor Prabhakar Tarange submitted that corruption cases are on the rise and are rarely detected and noticed for being brought to book. The judge said that the offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act are required to be dealt with a stringent view as per the observations of the Supreme Court. "...[T]he mitigating circumstances do not outweigh the aggravating circumstances against the accused, and there appears no reasonable justification for taking a lenient view while sentencing. " Relying on the deposition of the investigating officer, the judge noted that the investigation was detailed, trustworthy, and offered meticulous insight into disproportionate assets. "His findings, coupled with contemporaneous records and witness statements, establish prima facie evidence of the accused possessing property beyond his known lawful income. The prosecution's case stands substantially corroborated, and the deposition lays a strong foundation for further adjudication," the judge said. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !