Maharashtra Govt Launches SIT Probe into Delayed Birth, Death Certificates Amid Illegal Immigration Concerns 2
In a bid to curb illegal immigration, the Maharashtra government has established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the issuance of birth and death certificates based on delayed applications, an official from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said on Saturday.
The SIT, led by Inspector General Datta Karale, will scrutinise applications filed at least a year after the birth or death of an individual. This move comes amid growing concerns over the infiltration of Bangladeshi immigrants into Maharashtra.
The urgency for such an investigation intensified after the arrest of Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir, a 30-year-old Bangladeshi national, in connection with a knife attack on actor Saif Ali Khan in Mumbai.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule confirmed the probe, stating that it will cover both previously issued certificates and pending applications. The investigation follows allegations of a widespread birth certificate scam raised by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya.
Somaiya claimed that 269 delayed birth registration orders were issued by the magistrate court in Akola City between January 2021 and December 2023, but the tehsildar approved 4,849 delayed birth registrations. He further alleged that 11,864 delayed applications were filed in Yavatmal, 15,845 in Akola, and 4,350 in Nagpur districts during the same period.
According to Somaiya, nearly two lakh Bangladeshi Rohingyas have applied for birth certificates in Maharashtra. He also highlighted the suspension of a tehsildar in Malegaon linked to these irregularities.
The SIT’s findings are expected to shed light on the scale of the issue and determine whether these delayed registrations are being exploited to aid illegal immigrants in obtaining official documentation.
Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Order Redefining Birthright Citizenship, Calls It 'Blatantly Unconstitutional' 4
A federal judge temporarily blocked former President Donald Trump’s controversial executive order seeking to deny U.S. citizenship to children born to undocumented immigrants, calling the measure “blatantly unconstitutional.” The ruling came during the first hearing in a multi-state legal challenge to the order.
The executive order, issued shortly after Trump’s second-term inauguration, aimed to deny citizenship to children born after February 19 whose parents are in the country illegally. It also prohibited federal agencies from issuing or accepting documents recognising citizenship for these children.
Citing the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to all individuals born on U.S. soil, U.S. District Judge John Coughenour issued a temporary 14-day restraining order, halting the administration’s plans. “This is as clear-cut a constitutional violation as I’ve seen in over four decades on the bench,” said Coughenour, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan.
The case, filed by 22 states and immigrant rights groups, was spearheaded by Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Illinois. The states argued that Trump’s order was an affront to constitutional protections and would cause immediate and irreparable harm to families and state systems.
Assistant Attorney General Lane Polozola, representing the states, lambasted the order as “absurd,” highlighting that undocumented immigrants are still subject to U.S. laws and jurisdiction. Polozola argued that the executive order would force states to spend millions restructuring healthcare and benefits systems to accommodate its demands, impacting hundreds of thousands of individuals.
The Department of Justice, defending Trump’s order, claimed it “correctly interprets the 14th Amendment” and vowed to vigorously defend the policy. DOJ attorney Brett Shumate asserted that the arguments supporting the order were unprecedented but valid, despite the judge’s skepticism.
Trump’s executive order also reignited debate over the legal interpretation of the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment. Historically, the clause was ratified in 1868 to ensure citizenship for former slaves and their descendants. However, Trump’s order contended that children of undocumented immigrants are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States, a claim opponents deemed baseless.
Washington Attorney General Nick Brown criticized the order as an attack on fundamental constitutional principles, likening it to the dark legacy of the Dred Scott decision, which denied citizenship to African Americans. “The law is clear—if you are born on American soil, you are an American citizen. This principle has stood for generations, and no executive order can erase it,” Brown said.
Legal experts also pointed to the landmark 1898 Supreme Court case United States v. Wong Kim Ark, which affirmed the citizenship of a man born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants under the 14th Amendment, despite restrictive immigration laws of the time.
Trump’s latest move sparked outrage among immigrant rights advocates and personal reflections from attorneys general like Connecticut’s William Tong, who emphasized the deeply personal impact of birthright citizenship on immigrant families. “There is no legitimate legal debate here. Trump is wrong, and his order threatens American families like my own,” Tong said.
The next hearing on the case is scheduled for February 6, where the court will decide whether to extend the restraining order as the case proceeds. Meanwhile, the political and legal battle over birthright citizenship continues to divide the nation.
MP Government Shuts Liquor Shops in 17 Holy Towns: CM Mohan Yadav Announces 6
In a significant move, the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to shut down liquor shops in 17 holy towns across the state. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced the decision following a cabinet meeting held on Friday in Khargone.
The initiative is being touted as the first step toward eradicating alcohol consumption in the state. “Liquor shops in these towns will not be relocated—they will be permanently shut. This includes a complete ban on liquor vends within Ujjain Municipal Corporation limits,” Yadav told reporters.
The 17 designated areas include one municipal corporation, six municipalities (nagar palikas), six urban councils (nagar parishads), and six village panchayats. Among the affected towns are Datia, Panna, Mandla, Multai, Mandsaur, Maihar, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Mandleshwar, Orchha, Chitrakoot, and Amarkantak. The village panchayats impacted include Salkanpur, Barman Kala, Linga, Kundalpur, Bandakpur, and Barmankhurd.
Yadav also confirmed that the existing liquor ban within a 5-kilometer radius of the Narmada River will remain in force. The move aligns with the state’s broader efforts to curb alcohol consumption and promote a healthier social environment.
A tragic explosion at the ordnance factory in Maharashtra’s Bhandara district claimed the lives of eight people on Friday, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari confirmed. Preliminary reports also indicate that seven individuals sustained injuries in the blast.
The explosion occurred in the LTP section of the factory located in the Jawahar Nagar area around 10:30 am, causing the roof of the unit to collapse. Search and rescue operations are ongoing at the site, according to officials.
District Collector Sanjay Kolte reported that 13 to 14 workers were inside the unit at the time of the incident. Six individuals were rescued, one of whom succumbed to injuries, while the others are receiving medical treatment.
Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had stated that efforts were underway to save the trapped workers. The incident has raised serious concerns about safety measures in such high-risk facilities.
Balasaheb Thackeray Was Uncompromising in His Core Beliefs: PM Modi 10
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray on his 99th birth anniversary, acknowledging his unwavering commitment to public welfare and Maharashtra’s development.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi wrote, “He is widely respected and remembered for his commitment to public welfare and towards Maharashtra’s development. He was uncompromising when it came to his core beliefs and always contributed towards enhancing the pride of Indian culture.”
I pay homage to Balasaheb Thackeray Ji on his birth anniversary. He is widely respected and remembered for his commitment to public welfare and towards Maharashtra’s development. He was uncompromising when it came to his core beliefs and always contributed towards enhancing the…
Balasaheb Thackeray, a staunch proponent of Hindutva, intertwined it with a nativist ideology rooted in “Marathi pride,” transforming his party into a powerful force in Maharashtra, particularly in Mumbai. His legacy continues to influence the state’s political landscape, resonating with his steadfast dedication to his principles.
The Delhi High Court has significantly held that consent to have sex doesn’t allow capturing private moments and posting them on social media.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, while dismissing the bail application by a rape accused, said consent did not extend to permitting misuse and exploitation of private images.
“Even if the consent for sexual relations had been given at any point in time by the complainant, such consent cannot, in any manner, be construed as consent to capture and post her inappropriate videos on social media platforms. Consent to engage in physical relations does not extend to the misuse or exploitation of a person’s private moments or their depiction in an inappropriate and derogatory manner,” the court held in a January 17 verdict.
The accused, in the present case, alleged it was a case of a “long friendly relationship” turning sour owing to the woman failing to repay a loan he gave her.
Refusing to grant any reprieve, the court said even if the initial sexual relationship between the parties was consensual, the alleged subsequent acts of the accused were “clearly rooted in coercion and blackmail.”
“While the first sexual encounter may have been consensual, the subsequent ones were allegedly based on blackmail, with the accused taking advantage of the videos to exert control over the complainant. The accused’s actions in preparing the videos and using them to manipulate and sexually exploit the complainant prima facie reflect a strategy of abuse and exploitation, transcending any initial consensual interaction,” it said.
It prima facie appeared that the accused had exploited his relationship under the guise of a loan transaction but such an arrangement—even between friends—did not entitle one party to exploit the other’s vulnerability or dignity, the court said.
The court rejected the accused’s plea that, being married, the woman was mature enough to understand the significance of her actions and said an “attempt to weaponise” her marital status and professional background to diminish the gravity of the allegations was “unacceptable.”
The mere fact that, said the court, the complainant worked in a massage parlour could not be used to diminish the seriousness of the alleged offences committed against her when there was no evidence of her engaging in illicit or unlawful activities.
The complainant alleged she was lured by the accused, who also gave her Rs 3.5 lakh in loan to enrol in a course but subsequently began blackmailing her to comply with his sexual demands.
She alleged that by 2023 end, the accused came to Delhi and showed an allegedly objectionable video of her on his cellphone and forced her to have sex for two days while threatening to make the videos public.
He reportedly posted the content on social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.
Los Angeles Faces New Crisis as Hughes Fire Forces Evacuations for Over 50,000 Residents 13
More than 50,000 residents in Los Angeles County found themselves under evacuation orders or warnings on Wednesday as the Hughes Fire erupted in the mountains near Lake Castaic. The wildfire, which began late Wednesday morning, rapidly consumed over 15 square miles of vegetation within hours, spurred by dry conditions and gusty winds.
While no homes or structures have been reported damaged, the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Cal Fire mounted an aggressive response. Firefighting aircraft dropped tens of thousands of gallons of fire retardant on the advancing flames, leveraging calmer winds compared to the ferocious conditions that fuelled the ongoing Palisades and Eaton fires.
“This fire received a robust response today, and the teams are making progress in containing it,” said Joe Tyler, director of Cal Fire. Despite this, officials warned that the danger is far from over, with wind speeds expected to surge to 60 mph by Thursday.
A critical stretch of Interstate 5 was temporarily closed to aid emergency operations but was later reopened. Fire crews worked to prevent the Hughes Fire from jumping the interstate and threatening nearby communities, including Castaic.
Among the evacuees was Kayla Amara, a Valencia resident, who rushed to help a friend retrieve belongings before hosing down the property as flames loomed nearby. “It’s stressful,” Amara admitted, referencing weeks of anxiety from Southern California’s ongoing fires.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles officials are bracing for potential rainfall forecasted for the weekend, which could trigger mudslides and debris flow in areas ravaged by the Palisades and Eaton fires. “The threat of mud and debris flow is real,” warned LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger.
The Palisades and Eaton fires, which have been burning since January 7, have claimed 28 lives and destroyed over 14,000 structures. While containment progress has been made—68% for the Palisades Fire and 91% for the Eaton Fire—authorities remain vigilant, with red flag warnings extended until Friday.
Adding to the crisis, LA Mayor Karen Bass cautioned residents about toxic ash carried by winds, urging precautions to protect against exposure. Public health officials have also issued warnings, noting that the ash may contain heavy metals and other hazardous substances.
As fire crews race to contain the Hughes Fire, lawsuits against Southern California Edison are piling up, alleging that the utility’s equipment sparked the deadly Eaton Fire. Investigations into the causes of all three fires remain ongoing, with no conclusions released thus far.
The Hughes Fire now joins a grim chapter in Southern California’s battle with wildfires, leaving communities on edge as they face continued threats from nature’s fury.
The death toll in the Jalgaon train accident has gone up to 13 with the recovery of a headless body along the railway tracks, police said on Thursday.
Some passengers of the Mumbai-bound Pushpak Express, who got off the train after an alarm chain-pulling incident, were run over by the Karnataka Express heading from Bengaluru to Delhi on the adjacent tracks in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district on Wednesday evening.
“Of the 13, we have identified eight bodies so far, including two from their Aadhaar cards,” Special Inspector General of Police Dattatraya Karale told PTI.
The eight identified deceased include four hailing from Nepal, Jalgaon district information officer Yuvraj Patil told PTI.
Out of the 15 persons injured in the incident, 10 were currently undergoing treatment – nine at the Pachora civil hospital and one at a medical facility in Jalgaon city- while the others who suffered minor injuries were discharged, he said.
Meanwhile, the Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express reached the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), its final destination in the Maharashtra capital, at around 1.20 am on Thursday, a railway spokesperson said.
The Central Railway’s general manager and other senior officials also reached the accident spot at night and inspected the site, he said.
They also visited the hospitals where the injured persons were taken for treatment.
The tragedy unfolded on Wednesday evening when passengers onboard the Pushpak Express, fearing a blaze, hastily jumped onto the adjacent tracks and were run over by the oncoming Karnataka Express, officials earlier said.
The accident took place between Maheji and Pardhade stations near Pachora town in north Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district, when the Pushpak Express halted after someone pulled the chain at around 4.45 pm on Wednesday, Central Railway officials said.
Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board, however, denied that any spark or fire inside the coach caused passengers to pull the alarm.
In a video message from Davos in Switzerland, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said, “Some passengers in the train mistakenly assumed that smoke is coming out of the train and they jumped. Unfortunately, they were run over by another train.”
The CM announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of the kin of the passengers who died in the tragedy.
The Railway Board separately announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1.5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased, Rs 50,000 for grievous wounds and Rs 5,000 for simple injuries.
Although India has enacted laws to combat bride trafficking, such as the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act and various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, enforcement remains a significant challenge. According to Legal Services India, “research has demonstrated that there are many gaps in the law’s treatment of human trafficking and slavery.” The report further underscores the lack of media attention and police inaction, stating, “The police are also uninterested in looking into such problems.”
One shocking example of such exploitation is the practice of wife rental, which has persisted for decades in the Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, under the Dadhicha custom. Each year, a market is established where families traditionally offer their daughters or wives for rent. Men participate in this market, selecting women to serve as companions.
Alarmingly, parents and guardians in economically vulnerable regions willingly lease their daughters, and in some cases, even married men rent out their wives to other individuals. This distressing reality often involves the women being handed over to wealthy businessmen who lack spouses or partners. These transactions are formalised using stamped papers, often for paltry sums ranging from ten to a hundred rupees. Such practices not only perpetuate systemic exploitation and dehumanisation but also facilitate thousands of such agreements every year, trapping generations in cycles of despair.
The roots of this issue are deeply intertwined with the alarming prevalence of female infanticide, which has drastically skewed the sex ratio in regions like Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The imbalance leaves men in these areas struggling to find brides, compelling them to purchase or rent women from economically disadvantaged states such as Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar. This practice is often justified as a means to secure family lineage, driven by financial constraints and the desire to avoid exorbitant dowries.
These transactions are typically orchestrated by brokers who exploit the situation for their gain. Acting as intermediaries, they retain a significant portion of the money, leaving only a fraction for the family of the leased woman. This predatory system thrives on poverty and patriarchal norms, further entrenching the commodification of women.
Within the Dhadicha custom, a particularly appalling aspect comes to light: the exploitation of virgin girls, usually between the ages of 8 and 15, who are preferred over married women. The valuation of these girls is determined by the duration for which the man intends to “rent” her as a wife—be it by the hour, day, week, month, or year. Once the agreed period ends, the arrangement can either be renewed or terminated. In many cases, the girl is then subjected to a new contract, rented out to another man, perpetuating her exploitation and reinforcing the commodified view of women as mere assets to be traded.
This abhorrent system thrives on systemic failures, economic desperation, and deeply entrenched gender inequalities, painting a grim picture of the urgent need for both legal and societal interventions.Usually, the financial arrangement is set at around Rs. 15,000 to 25,000 per bride. The age of the bride significantly influences the pricing, with younger brides commanding higher amounts proposed by their families. At times, the price can surge substantially, even reaching up to 2 lakhs if the bride is considered beautiful, physically appealing, and a virgin. Non-virgin girls are valued at Rs. 10,000 to 15,000, taking into account factors such as their age, skin tone, and the number of prior contractual marriages they have been involved in.
The deeply distressing aspect of the Dadicha situation is that girls being offered for rent are as young as 6 years old, with no maximum age limit. Even before reaching puberty, these underage girls face sexual exploitation. It is truly disturbing to learn that parents frequently administer a particular drug to these girls, aimed at enhancing their breast and muscle development. This is done to make them appear aesthetically appealing and mature like women, in order to command a higher price.
Every day, these young girls are raped not only by their husbands, but also by other males in the household. To satisfy their sexual desires, they can sleep with any guy in the household. In certain families, even the father-in-law is permitted to have sexual relations with the girl. The rationale for this is that they paid the same price for the girl. The girl’s standing is lowered to that of a sex toy utilized for enjoyment by males and as an income-generating machine for the parents. As a result, the parents in this community prefer producing more girls, which equals more money for the family.
When her contract expires, she is either renewed by the same guy or returned to her family, where she is priced again and hired to new clients. The cycle goes on. These girls are subjected to a great deal of maltreatment, both physical and emotional, and there is no one with whom they can express their anguish. Many people come into touch with lethal infections such as HIV, AIDS, and Hepatitis B. There is a long list of women who have been subjected to this type of torture. Many people remain silent.
When a bride’s contract expires, she is either retained by the same man under a renewed agreement or sent back to her family, where she is once again priced and offered to new clients. This harrowing cycle continues unabated, subjecting these girls to relentless physical and emotional abuse with no avenues to express their pain or seek help. Many fall victim to severe health issues, contracting life-threatening diseases such as HIV, AIDS, and Hepatitis B due to their exploitation.
The list of women who endure such torment is tragically long, yet the silence surrounding their suffering is deafening. Fear, stigma, and systemic neglect compel many to endure in silence, perpetuating the cycle of abuse.
The continued existence of practices like the Dadhicha Pratha in 21st-century India stands as a glaring indictment of societal and systemic failure to protect vulnerable populations and achieve gender equality. As the Legal Services India report aptly states, “It is past time for the state to take notice of this and enact stronger legislation, as well as make people aware of how illegal it is in nature.” Ending this cycle of exploitation demands immediate and decisive action—both through legal reform and widespread societal change—to ensure dignity, safety, and justice for all.
In a shocking revelation that lays bare the grim realities of gender exploitation in modern India, a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri district has drawn widespread attention for perpetuating a horrifying custom known as Dadhicha Pratha. This practice, which involves renting women and young girls as wives, exposes the deeply entrenched gender inequalities that continue to thrive despite significant strides in women’s rights.
As reported by Legal Services India, the Dadhicha Pratha unfolds annually in a makeshift market where families present their daughters or wives for rent. Men from the surrounding areas gather to participate, selecting women based on factors such as virginity, physical appearance, and age. This abhorrent tradition has reportedly persisted for decades, with thousands of such transactions finalized each year.
This practice not only commodifies women but also normalizes their exploitation, reducing them to objects of trade and servitude. Despite the constitutional and legal safeguards aimed at ensuring gender equality and protecting women, the continued existence of Dadhicha Pratha highlights glaring gaps in enforcement and awareness, calling for urgent intervention to dismantle this deeply oppressive system.
JD(U) Ends Support for BJP Government in Manipur, Sparks Internal Rift 18
Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) has officially withdrawn its support for the BJP-led government in Manipur under Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. The announcement was made by the JD(U) Manipur unit through a letter submitted to the Governor, stating that its sole MLA, Md. Abdul Nasir, will now function as an opposition MLA in the Assembly.
The letter cited the defection of five out of six JD(U) MLAs to the BJP after the 2022 Manipur Assembly elections as a key reason for the decision. These defections, it noted, are still under legal scrutiny before the Speaker’s Tribunal under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
The party also pointed out that its decision to withdraw support aligns with its participation in the INDIA alliance, a coalition formed to challenge the BJP. “Our lone MLA, Md. Abdul Nasir, is seated on the Opposition Bench in the Assembly as per the Speaker’s arrangement,” the letter stated.
However, the JD(U)’s central leadership has dismissed this move. National spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad called the state unit’s action a “baseless claim,” emphasizing that the central leadership was neither consulted nor informed. “The JD(U) continues to support the BJP government in Manipur and at the Centre,” Prasad clarified, adding that the state unit had been asked to explain its unilateral decision.
The conflicting narratives have raised questions about internal coordination within JD(U) and the future of its relationship with the BJP in Manipur and beyond.
