Latest news with #MaharashtraLegislativeAssembly
Indian Express
28-07-2025
- Indian Express
Deputy CEO of Shani Shingnapur Temple Trust found dead amid corruption probe
Amid an ongoing investigation into alleged financial irregularities at the Shani Shingnapur temple in Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar district, the deputy chief executive officer of the temple trust was found dead at his residence on Monday morning. The police said the Deputy CEO, Nitin Shete, 43, allegedly died by suicide, though the cause of death is yet to be officially confirmed. According to officials, Shete was found dead in his room at his home in Shete Vasti, a locality in Shani Shingnapur village. The incident came to light when his family failed to get a response from him despite repeated knocks on his door. Neighbours helped the family force open the door, where they found Shete unresponsive. He was taken to a nearby hospital and declared dead on arrival. An officer from the local police station said, 'An accidental death case has been registered. The exact cause will be known after the post-mortem report is received. We are also looking into whether the death is in any way connected to the ongoing investigation against the temple trust.' Shete, a former trustee, was currently serving as the Deputy CEO of the Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan Trust, which oversees the administration of the temple dedicated to Lord Shani. A senior police officer said they registered a First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the alleged Shani Shingnapur Temple Trust scam three weeks ago, but Shete was not summoned to record his statement. Earlier this month, during the ongoing monsoon session of the state legislature, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly of a massive scam involving the trust. A report submitted by the charity commissioner flagged widespread irregularities, including the presence of over 2,400 ghost employees, inflated payrolls, and fraudulent donation apps used to siphon funds into private accounts. Departments, including the trust hospital, bhakt niwas, parking, and sanitation, were reportedly affected, with large discrepancies between official employee figures and those physically verified on site. The chief minister had stated that the trustees would be booked under criminal charges and that external agencies would be roped in for a comprehensive audit. He also said that the assets of those involved would be scrutinised. The issue was raised in the Assembly by MLA Vithhal Langhe and supported by MLA Suresh Dhas. Fadnavis assured the House that no one involved in the alleged wrongdoing would be spared.
News18
20-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Mumbai Local Trains To Get ACs, Metro-Style Facelift, No Fare Hike, Says Fadnavis
Last Updated: CM Devendra Fadnavis announced AC local trains for Mumbai with no fare hike. The Colaba-BKC-Aarey Metro 3 will be operational by Oct, and Navi Mumbai airport by Sep-end. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that Mumbai will introduce air-conditioned local trains with metro-like features for comfortable, safe commuting soon. While addressing the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, CM Fadnavis also said that there will be no hike in ticket prices, and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will make a formal announcement soon on the AC coaches in Mumbai local. Fadnavis further said that the underground Colaba-BKC-Aarey Metro 3 is expected to be fully operational by October, and the Navi Mumbai international airport will be completed by September-end. 'The development of Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) is underway. Work on the Vadhavan Port is also going on at a fast rate. Vadhavan Port, which will be among the top 10 ports in the world, will give new maritime strength to Mumbai and Maharashtra," Fadnavis said. 'We are also creating an Education City in Navi Mumbai, where the total education expenses will be 25% of those of abroad studies. We expect 10 foreign universities to come here; five renowned universities have already signed agreements," the Chief Minister added. The Chief Minister stated that Union Minister Vaishnaw, currently in Mumbai, has assured a positive decision on the matter and will make an official announcement upon his return to the city. 'Vaishnaw will come to Mumbai soon and make an official announcement," the CM said. Fadnavis dismissed Congress MLA Nana Patole's allegations of a 'honeytrap' racket targeting state officials in Thane, Nashik, and Mantralaya, citing a lack of evidence and Patole's failure to provide any proof. 'There is no honey or trap," Times of India quoted Fadnavis as saying. Fadnavis also informed that the crime rate in the state has decreased by 6.75%, and in Nagpur by 11% compared to the previous years. 'Detection of cybercrime cases has increased to 16%. Also, 91% atrocities against women cases and 98% rape cases have been detected in the state. Shockingly, in 99.5% of rape cases, the accused was an acquaintance or relative of the victim. More than 2,000 accused have been arrested in drug cases, and provisions have been made to impose MCOCA on drug peddlers. Thirteen policemen have been dismissed. The new laws provide for completing investigations within 90 days and giving importance to forensic evidence," he said. Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Daily Mirror
19-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Air India pilot's haunting final words before fateful flight that killed 260
A guard at Sumeet Sabharwal's home has revealed the pilot's haunting final words before he took off for the doomed Gatwick-bound flight that killed 260 people when it crashed The chilling final words of the captain of the doomed Air India flight - which crashed and killed 260 people - have been revealed. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, was the senior pilot on the flight bound for London Gatwick when it plummeted just minutes after it took off on June 12. Sabharwal was known to be an experienced pilot with over 8,200 hours of flying time, but a preliminary report has now turned its attention to the veteran aviator. The bombshell report suggested two fuel switches were moved from "Run" to "Cutoff", starving the engine of fuel. Indian investigators revealed what worrying recordings from the cockpit caught before the plane crashed. The preliminary report said: "In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other: why did he cut off? The other pilot responded that he did not do so." Investigators said the fuel switches were switched off right after takeoff and the landing gear was not raised. While authorities are working to determine whether this was an accident or malicious, the senior pilot's haunting final words, before he left home for the doomed flight, have been revealed. Sabharwal reportedly spoke to a bodyguard at his apartment complex, where his elderly dad also lived, shortly before leaving for the airport on June 12. The lead pilot allegedly said: "Please take care of papa. I will be back soon." Lokhande, the guard, recalled what is now believed to be the pilot's final words at his home in Mumbai. He said: "I can't forget that last moment, when he ran his hand through his hair, like he always did, and said, 'How are you Mr Lokhande. Please, take care of papa, and I will be back soon." 'He smiled and went away. You'd never guess he carried any sadness inside.' This comes after Sabharwal's elderly father revealed his son made a heartbreaking promise just a week before the fatal flight. Sumeet's elderly father said the pilot promised to take a break from work so he could spend more time with his family. Indian politician Dilip Mama Lande, a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, had shared details of the heart-wrenching phone call. The politician said: "A few days ago, he promised to take a break to spend time with his father." The pilot's dad is believed to have been a former official at the India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation, according to the Times of India.
NDTV
18-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Video: "Keep Your Voice Down," Sharad Pawar's Grandnephew Shouts At Cop
Hours after a violent clash at the premises of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, a heated exchange took place between NCP (Sharad Pawar) faction leader Rohit Pawar and a cop after he, along with party colleague Jitendra Awhad, went to visit a supporter who was detained at a police station in Mumbai. "Keep your voice down, keep your voice down. If you raise your hand, I will teach you a lesson," Mr Pawar, the grandnephew of Sharad Pawar, was heard shouting in Marathi at a sub-inspector at the Azad Maidan police station early Friday. "Don't be smart, if you are not able to speak, don't speak," he was heard saying, pointing his finger at the official in a video. At this point, another official was seen intervening, appearing to ask both sides to calm down. The video was shared on X by the NCP (SP) social media vice president of Maharashtra, Yogesh Sawant. "If you harass our workers without reason, Rohit dada (Pawar) and (Jitendra) Awhad saheb are ready to fight. From now on, if you use the police to suppress us, this is the kind of response you will get," he wrote alongside the video. Later, while speaking to reporters, he claimed that the police officer did not give proper information and allegedly raised his voice, which led to the argument. The argument followed a late-night high drama at the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan, where a protest was staged by Mr Awhad and others against the detention of his supporter Nitin Deshmukh. Mr Deshmukh was allegedly assaulted by supporters of BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar during a violent clash in the lobby of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly yesterday. Shocking videos show the two sides attacking each other. They had to be dragged back by security personnel at the assembly. Both groups were detained inside the assembly till late at night. After this, supporters of both parties were handed over to the Marine Drive police. MLA Awhad allegedly sat in front of a police vehicle outside the assembly when his supporter was being taken to the police station, said an official. The police official said they repeatedly requested the MLA to move. But when he refused, he was forcibly removed by the officials, he said. Rohit Pawar and Jitendra Awhad then tried to find out which police station Nitin Deshmukh had been taken to, and reached Azad Maidan police station. The Mumbai Police later registered a case against Mr Awhad for obstructing public servants in discharging their duty.
Indian Express
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
From debates to straight-out brawls, Maharashtra Assembly's steady drift to chaos
Legislative assemblies are meant to be sanctums of democracy, where debate and dialogue shape the future of the state. However, over the past two decades, the precincts of the Maharashtra Assembly have increasingly been turned into a battleground, witnessing fistfights between legislators to full-scale brawls between their political supporters. Thursday's incident of an outright brawl between the supporters of BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) MLA Jitendra Awhad in the lobby of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly has showcased the fragility of legislative decorum, which has been eroding at a fast pace in the state. Brawls inside the Maharashtra Assembly The functioning of the Maharashtra Assembly has periodically been marred by episodes of physical and procedural disorder. While Maharashtra's legislature is deemed institutionally robust, with MLAs known for following procedural norms, the situation seems to have deteriorated substantially, particularly over the last two decades. The most talked about incident took place on August 12, 1964, when Forward Bloc's MLA Jambuwantrao Dhote, after being ordered to leave the House by Speaker Balasaheb Bharde, threw a glass paperweight at the latter's chair. For this display of anger and defiance, the Assembly expelled him permanently, a rare and drastic disciplinary action. Since then, the Assembly has witnessed aggressive and unparliamentary behaviour multiple times. However, even during the peak of the Shiv Sena's aggressive streak, proceedings both inside and outside the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly rarely saw outbreaks of violence. This streak, however, was broken on November 10, 2009, when Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi, who took his oath in Urdu instead of Marathi, was assaulted inside the well of the House by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) legislators. Subsequently, in March 2013, assistant police inspector Sachin Suryavanshi, who had fined Kshitij Thakur, the then MLA of Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, for speeding, was attacked inside the Vidhan Bhavan by a group of legislators. At least three MLAs were reported to have slapped and punched the officer for nearly 10 minutes. The assault occurred after Suryavanshi appeared in the Assembly during a breach-of-privilege motion filed against him. He was dragged from the visitors' gallery and beaten in the corridor. The incident caused a major rift with the Mumbai police, who surrounded the Assembly premises in an attempt to arrest the offending legislators. A confrontation was, however, averted and most of the MLAs went scot-free. Present Assembly session: the most controversial The ongoing Maharashtra Assembly session has been one of the nastiest in recent memory, with MLAs and ministers forgetting civility and their supporters being brazen enough to fight inside the precincts. The three-week-long session had numerous instances where ministers, including Shambhuraj Desai, lost their cool while replying to questions raised by Opposition MLAs. The behaviour of legislators, their staff, and supporters has also been questionable. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Varun Sardesai, in front of television cameras, got into a confrontation with the staff of the Deputy Chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council and Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe, accusing them of deliberately shoving him twice. The Gopichand Padalkar–Jitendra Awhad feud has also been simmering for the last three days. Padalkar, known for his acerbic tongue and constant stream of allegations against Sharad Pawar, was called a 'mangalsutra thief' by Awhad three days ago inside the Assembly premises. A day later, the two had a tiff after Awhad and his supporters alleged that Padalkar deliberately banged his car door forcefully against Awhad while getting out of his vehicle. This feud subsequently escalated into violence between their supporters inside the Assembly on Thursday. What explains this behaviour Legal and procedural protections play a role in allowing MLAs to brazen it out. Article 194 of the Constitution grants certain privileges to MLAs, including freedom of speech in the Assembly, immunity from legal proceedings for anything said or voted on inside the House, and protection from arrest in civil cases during the session and 40 days before and after. However, this protection does not extend to criminal acts such as assault, battery, or criminal intimidation. Before the police take action during an Assembly session, the Speaker's permission is often sought as a courtesy, especially in the case of sitting legislators. However, action is rarely taken against MLAs for criminal violations inside the Assembly premises. While their supporters are liable for criminal action for violence undertaken inside the Assembly, MLAs generally avoid facing legal consequences. The only real fear legislators face is the threat of suspension from the House. Even that does not seem to be very effective. Since the establishment of the Maharashtra Assembly in 1960, the Speaker has suspended 333 legislators for misconduct within the House. However, only 172 of them, roughly 52 per cent, have served their full suspension period, with the Assembly frequently revoking its decisions before the punishment is completed. In recent decades, the state has become increasingly lenient in reversing suspensions. Since 1999, as many as 137 MLAs have been suspended, but nearly 85 per cent of these suspensions (116 MLAs) were later revoked. The revocation of suspensions is a more recent trend. Prior to 1999, the Speaker took a more rigid approach, ensuring that suspended members served their full punishment. Between 1960 and 1999, as many as 196 MLAs were suspended, with only 21 per cent (44 legislators) having their suspensions revoked. According to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha, which serve as a template for most state assemblies in India, a legislator can be suspended for disregarding the authority of the Chair. 'The Speaker may, if he deems it necessary, name a member who disregards the authority of the Chair or abuses the rules of the House by persistently and wilfully obstructing the business thereof. (2) If a member is so named by the Speaker, the Speaker shall, on a motion being made, forthwith put the question that the member (naming such member) be suspended from the service of the House for a period not exceeding the remainder of the session,' the rules state.
