Two corporators of Thane Municipal Corporation, accused of abetting the suicide of builder Suraj Parmar, were remanded in police custody till December 14 by a special Anti-Corruption Bureau court.
The duo – Sudhakar Chavan (independent) and Hanumant Jagdale (NCP) – had along with two other corporators Vikrant Chavan (Congress) and Najib Mulla (NCP) on Saturday surrendered before Investigating Officer ACP Dileep R Gore, as per the directions of Bombay High Court which had rejected their anticipatory bail petitions.
Judge V V Bambarde had on Saturday remanded Vikrant Chavan (Cong) and Najib Mulla (NCP) in police custody till December 14, while Chavan and Jagdale were sent to J J Hospital in Mumbai for a check-up as they complained of chest pain.
However, Chavan and Jagdale were brought to the court by the Investigating Officer and produced before Judge Bambarde, who remanded them also in police custody till December 14, Thane police spokesman Gajanan Kabdule said.
Parmar, a leading builder, shot himself on October 7. His suicide note alleged that a nexus of corporators and officials was harassing him for bribes.
The four corporators have come under the scanner as their names were mentioned in the note.
The prosecution had told the court that police had chanced upon Income Tax records of Parmar, revealing cash transactions to the tune of Rs 19 crore between him and several politicians and TMC officials.
The beneficiaries were powerful politicians, civic officials and corporators, referred to by initials or nicknames in records, and police needed to find out who were these beneficiaries, the prosecution said.
Yesterday, except Mulla, the three others had complained of uneasiness and chest pain, following which they were taken to Civil Hospital and later referred to J J Hospital for tests.
But as Vikrant Chavan refused to go to J J Hospital, he was brought back to the court and remanded in police custody.
Acting tough against sugar mills for failing to pay the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) to farmers, the Maharashtra Cooperation Department has issued notices to 11 mills, including four mills controlled by a minister and two former ministers.
The factories include Nira-Bhima Cooperative Mill (controlled by former Congress minister Harshwardhan Patil), Sahakar Maharshi Cooperative Mill (controlled by former minister Vijaysinh Mohite Patil of NCP), Indreshwar Private Mill (controlled by Harshwardhan Patil’s family) and the BJP minister Vinod Tawde-controlled Srinath Maskoba Private Mill.
The notices are part of the first phase of action against the erring mills, who have defaulted on payments to the tune of Rs. 120 crore, a senior official said.
Notices have been sent by Regional Director (Sugar) Shashikant Ghorpade to eight factories in Solapur, two in Pune and one in Satara district, the official said.
More notices are likely next week, the official said. Altogether, 28 factories in the Pune region have so far cleared dues for the last crushing season.
State Cooperation Minister Chandrakant Patil recently indicated that action would be initiated against sugar mills for failing to clear cane dues for the last crushing season.
Patil had said the Sugar Commissioner’s office would be issuing notices to the erring mills after the one-month moratorium came to an end.
“At least 97 per cent of the cane dues have been cleared, but few mills are yet to clear theirs. As of November-end, cane dues in the state stand close to Rs 400 crore,” the minister had said.
The lawyers arguing against Maharashtra government’s controversial amendment which prohibits even possession of the bovine meat and its import said it interfered with the Constitutional right to liberty.
The division bench of the Justices Abhay Oka and S C Gupte of the Bombay High Court started final hearing on a bunch of petitions which challenge Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, 1995.
Advocate Firoz Bharucha, appearing for one of petitioners, said ban on import of beef restricts food habits of individuals and also violates Article 304B of the Constitution which mandates free trade and commerce within territories of India.
Senior advocate Aspi Chenoy, appearing for another petitioner, said section 5(d) which criminalises possession of beef, had no “rational nexus” with the object of the Act.
There was no reason for the state to be worried about the cows and bullocks in other countries or states, he said.
Other states in India have banned slaughter of cows and bulls but not import of beef, he said.
“What section 5(d) seeks to do is to curtail the fundamental right of choice of food…covered under the Right to Liberty guaranteed by Article 21 of Constitution,” he argued.
`Reasonable restrictions’ can be imposed on the fundamental rights but they must involve some compelling public interest, he said.
The arguments will continue on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Justice Oka today said each lawyer would be allowed to argue only for 75 minutes.
Rich tributes were paid to Babasaheb Ambedkar, the architect of Indian Constitution, on his death anniversary, as lakhs of his followers gathered at his memorial Chaityabhoomi in Dadar area.
Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were among those who paid tributes to the Dalit icon at Chaityabhoomi in Dadar’s Shivaji Park, on the day observed as ‘Mahaparinirvan Diwas’ by Ambedkar’s followers.
“My salutations to Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the architect of the most supreme Constitution of the world,” Fadnavis said while paying his tributes.
The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) made elaborate arrangements to ensure that no untoward incident takes place during the event.
“The MCGM has constructed an 8,000 sq metres ‘Bhojan mandap’ for people who come from outside the city to pay their respects to Dr Ambedkar. The food is provided by social organisations. We have for the first time provided 200 mobile charging points for people,” an MCGM official said.
The civic body has made special arrangements to provide toilets and drinking water facilities to the people who have arrived in the city, he said.
“Along with this, medical facilities are being provided, and fire brigade and police officers are on the spot. About 6,000 civic officials and 1,200 police constables are manning the area to ensure smooth movement of people who have come to pay their tributes to Dr Ambedkar. Also, 4 DCPs and 8 ACPs are keeping a strict vigil on any possible anti-social elements,” he said.
The civic body has also printed one lakh copies of an informative booklet on Ambedkar which have been distributed among people.
A social activist has approached the Bombay High Court seeking stay on the release of the movie Bajirao Mastani until two of its songs — Pinga and Malhari — are not censored as these allegedly distort facts and history.
Hemant Patil, president of a city-based NGO ‘Bharat Against Corruption’, petitioned the HC after a court in Pune dismissed his application seeking ban on the film’s release as it allegedly distorts history relating to late king Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa and his family members.
The movie, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and starring Ranveer Singh as Bajirao, Priyanka Chopra as Kashibai and Deepika Padukone as Mastani, is slated for release on December 18.
According to Patil’s petition, the movie is a “false and bogus representation of historic people like Bajirao, Kashibai and Mastani”. Kashibai and Mastani were wives of Bajirao.
“The filmmaker has tweaked facts under the pretext of artistic licence. There are various historic evidence as well as several letters from the descendants of Peshwas which prove misrepresentation in the name of creativity,” it claims.
“The song Pinga is offensive to Marathi culture. It is a known fact that Kashibai was a handicap and suffering from asthma, and hence it is highly impossible that she danced with Mastani. The said song is nothing but an obscene item song,” the petition said.
Patil has prayed for a stay on the movie’s release until the songs Pinga and Malhariare not re-censored. The petition will come up for hearing in due course.
The Pune court, while dismissing Patil’s complaint, said he can approach Central Board of Film Certification with his grievances about the film.
Earlier, Prasadrao Peshwe, descendant of Bajirao, had also alleged that historical facts have been altered while portraying the late king and his wives in the film.
In a letter written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Prasadrao demanded that the government look into the matter, review the soon-to-be-released film, investigate the matter and take a decision accordingly.
Congress-NCP is likely to finalise seat sharing on Monday for the December 27 biennial election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council (LC) from local self government bodies.
Leaders from the two parties will meet in Nagpur on Monday. Seat sharing talks had not made any headway due to deadlock over Solapur and Ahmednagar seats.
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Ashok Chavan said the leaders of both parties will meet in Nagpur.
“Talks are on and we expect the pact would be final on Monday,” he said.
The last date of filing of nomination is December 9.
Polling for elections to the eight seats of the Legislative Council from the self-government bodies in Maharashtra would be held on December 27.
The term of following Legislative Council members ends on January 1, 2016 – Amrish Patel (Dhule-Nandurbar), Mahadev Mahadik (Kolhapur), Rajendra Mulak (Nagpur) and Bhai Jagtap (Mumbai) – all from the Congress.
Two Shiv Sena members – state Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam (Mumbai) and Gopikishan Bajoria (Akola Washim Buldhana) – will also retire on the same day.
NCP’s Deepak Salunke (Solapur) and NCP backed Independent Arun Jagtap (Ahmednagar) also retires on January 1.
Congress sources said the party wants to contest Solapur, currently held by NCP. While it was ready to give Nagpur, Akola-Buldhana-Washim to NCP.
However, a NCP office-bearer said it is unlikely the party would give up Solapur seat.
Last time, Congress had contested 5 seats (Mumbai, Kolhapur, Dhule, Nandurbar and Amnednagar) while the NCP had contested Solapur and Akola-Washim-Buldhana.
Congress had four of the five seat, while a NCP rebel had clinched the Ahmednagar seat.
Meanwhile, Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar said his party will contest the Council from Mumbai against the Congress candidate.
After winning Lok Sabha elections with clear majority and forming government in states like Maharashtra and Haryana, recently BJP miserably lost in states like Delhi and Bihar. They also received a major jolt in local body elections in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Maharashtra. The charm of Modi’s waves is fading and people started disowning his party BJP. Now ahead of UP elections, RSS and BJP are again raising Ram Mandir issue to gain votes, as it is very sensitive and sentimental issue for Uttar Pradesh and it is one of the most awaiting issues there. At a time when Narendra Modi government is in reconciliatory mood to push through economic agenda following Bihar debacle, RSS chief has once again raised the Ram Temple issue. On the Babri demolition anniversary on December 6, social media was abuzz with discussions on the contentious Ram Temple issue. Meanwhile, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat asked society to prepare for building a grand Ram Temple like the one in Somnath (Gujarat). In one of the tweets, Bhagwat recalled that Somnath temple was rebuilt with the “efforts” of the then Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and the then President had laid the foundation stone. Ram and Sharad Kothari were among the RSS activists killed in police firing on ‘karservaks’ in 1990 when they tried to march to the disputed temple site in Ayodhya. #IndiawantsRamMandir remained one of the top trending topics for hours as people put forth their views on the sensitive issue and justified their demand. While, many demanded a grand temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, others contradicted the view arguing that the issue was being politicised due to the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh in early 2017 even though the final call would be taken by the Supreme Court.
On the other hand, newly re-elected Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar attacked the RSS and BJP over Bhagwat’s remarks and said the saffron party was interested in keeping the issue “alive” for political purposes. BJP merely wishes to keep the Ram Temple issue alive. They have no respect for Lord Rama. They treat Lord Rama as if ‘He’ is a member of their party. Of late, Hindutva leaders have been increasingly demanding the construction of Ram temple, this is because of the death of prominent Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Ashok Singhal, who was a key architect of Ram temple movement. In fact, the VHP had on November 28 taken a portion of Singhal’s ashes to the Ayodhya site as the Hindu organisation announced a large gathering on the 23rd anniversary of Babri demolition in an effort to drum up support for the campaign. However, many are there who said that the sensitive issue should not be politicised till the apex court announces its verdict.
The Allahabad High Court in a September 30, 2010 verdict divided the disputed site into three parts, with 1/3 each going to the Hindu Maha Sabha, Sunni Waqf Board, and a Hindu religious denomination Nirmohi Akhara. The order was later challenged and the Supreme Court stayed the verdict and said that status quo will remain. While, the BJP wants to keep all the divisive issues on the backburner, the cadres in the party has been left puzzled by the renewed interest of Sangh Parivar towards the Ram Temple. Welcoming RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks on construction of a Ram Temple during his lifetime, the Shiv Sena asked him to announce a date for its commencement.
Mohan Bhagwat’s series of tweets urged society to prepare the ground for it. Timing of comment raised eyebrows as it came when the government just recently held discussion on intolerance in the Parliament. PM Narendra Modi himself adopted statesmanly approach to underlining need for consensus on national issues.
In the meantime, the issue became a reason for embarrassment for the government as it is pushing for the crucial reform Bills. This gave an opportunity to the Samajwadi Party to target the BJP. SP created ruckus in Parliament over Mohan Bhagwat’s comments on Ram temple in Ayodhya. SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav said while the issue of temple was pending in courts, a communally tense situation was being created by Bhagwat’s statement. Alleging collusion between government and RSS, he sought action against Bhagwat. Some of his party members too trooped in the Well.
Ram Janmabhoomi is the name given to the site that many Hindus believe to be the birthplace of Rama, the 7th avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu. The Ramayana states that the location of Rama’s birthplace is on the banks of the Sarayu River in the city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. There is a historical evidence for the claim regarding the precise location. Hindu tradition maintains that a temple existed at the site in historical times. In 1528, a Mosque was built at the site by the Mughal general Mir Baqi, and named the “Babri Masjid” in honor of the Mughal Emperor Babur. From 1528 to 1853 the Mosque remained a place of worship for Muslims. Following communal disputes in 1853, a separate area near the mosque was earmarked for Hindus to perform religious ceremonies. In 1949, an idol of Rama was surreptitiously placed inside the mosque. Following Muslim outrage and a legal dispute, the gates to the mosque were locked. In the 1980s, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bharatiya Janata Party launched a campaign to build a temple at the site. In 1992, a rally for this movement developed into a riot involving 150,000 people that led to the demolition of the Mosque. Since then, the future of the site has been debated in court. The debate around the history of the site is colloquially known as the Ayodhya dispute.
Terming the debate on intolerance as a “political issue”, Chief Justice of India TS Thakur on Sunday said there is no need to fear or worry till the judiciary is “independent” and upholds the rule of law.
“Yeh siyasi pahlu hain (this is a political issue). We have a Rule of Law. So long as Rule of Law is there, so long as there is an independent judiciary and so long as courts are upholding the rights and obligations, I do not think anyone has to fear for anything,” the CJI said in an informal interaction with journalists here.
“I am heading the institution which upholds the the Rule of Law and the rights of every citizens will be protected… I think, we are capable of protecting the rights of all sections of people. My institution is capable of upholding the rights of citizens. Certain rights are for the citizens and certain rights are for non-citizens also and we are capable of protecting the rights,” Justice Thakur said.
He further said, “India is a big country, we should not be afraid of anything. Yeh sab perception ki baten hain. Jab tak judiciary independent hai, koi baat ki dar nahi honi chahiye (These are all matters of perception. There is nothing to fear till the judiciary is independent).”
However, he refrained from commenting on the political aspects of the intolerance debate, saying “siyasi log iska kaise upyog karten hain, main kuch nahi kehna chahunga (I do not want to comment anything on how politicians use this).”
“But, we are committed to uphold the Rule of Law and protect right of all citizens of the society and people from all creeds and religions. There is no fear to any section of society,” Justice Thakur said.
Observing that certain rights are available even to non- citizens, including terrorists, he said they are the beneficiaries of the Rule of Law and can be tried only in conformity of law and “cannot be hanged” without due process.
“In so far as we are concerned, we have no such impediments. We have no such bias and we have no such reluctance. We can protect the rights of all citizens,” he said while specifically answering questions on the recent trends and the issue of intolerance.
Making it clear that he was not referring to any particular incident, the CJI said this country has been home to all religions and even those who were persecuted in other countries have “thrived”.
In good news for lakhs of taxpayers awaiting their IT refunds, the government has directed the taxman to “expeditiously” settle claims involving less than Rs. 50,000.
According to government data, over Rs. 5,400 crore is locked in pending refunds, which has become a major grievance for taxpayers.
Officials said instructions in this regard were issued early this week after a review meeting was held by Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia with senior CBDT officials as part of Finance Ministry’s drive to ensure a taxpayer-friendly regime following a call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for steps to address their grievances and cut down on complaints.
The directive issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes, the apex policy-making body of the Income Tax department, to all Principal Chief Commissioners asks them to direct the assessing officers to expedite the process and issue refunds of less than Rs. 50,000 and not facing scrutiny “as early as possible.”
Biju Janata Dal MLA Priyadarshi Mishra stoked controversy when he drew comparison between some students of Rama Devi Women’s University and LTTE militants who had killed former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
While defending the detention of some students of Rama Devi Women’s University during the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s visit to the institution, Mishra said under similar circumstances, Rajiv Gandhi had been killed by a human bomb in 1991.
However, the outspoken legislature later apologised, stating he was only referring to VVIP security and had no intention to offend students.
His remark drew flak from the Opposition parties.
Meanwhile, university authorities issued clarification that girls were not in uniform and weren’t carrying identity cards.
Terming the debate on intolerance as a “political issue”, Chief Justice of India TS Thakur on Sunday said there is no need to fear or worry till the judiciary is “independent” and upholds the rule of law.