The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has termed as “unwarranted and baseless” the allegations levelled by its ex-special public prosecutor Rohini Salian that she was asked to “go soft” against the accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case. Refuting Salian’s claims before the Supreme Court, the NIA said that no accused was granted bail since June 2014 when prosecutor was allegedly asked to “go soft”.

“It is worth mentioning that all bail orders in Malegaon blasts case have been obtained by the accused persons when the respondents were represented through Rohini Salian (SPP) that no bail has been granted by any court to any person arrested in the case since June 2014 when, as alleged by Salian, the ‘go soft’ message was passed on to her,” an affidavit submitted by NIA before the apex court said.

Salian, who was SPP in the case, had stirred a controversy by alleging that an NIA officer had told her to “go soft” on the accused and claimed the same officer had told her that she would be replaced. On the issue of Salian’s removal from NIA’s panel of lawyers, the anti-terror agency denied that she was being “targeted” and said it was done as per the policy under which two other prosecutors were also proposed to be de-notified since they have completed five years.

“It is evident that Salian is not being targeted and the recommendation is in accordance with the process of law. It is relevant to note that the MHA is still examining the matter and a final view has not yet been taken,” the affidavit said.

The agency has further stated that all matters relating to the Malegaon blasts cases were pending before the apex court during June 2014 and there was no pending matter of any importance before the trial court or Bombay High Court. The affidavit was filed in response to a plea, filed by Harsh Mander, against removal of Special Public Prosecutor by NIA in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case.’

Altogether 452 inmates of Taloja, Nagpur and Aurangabad jails in Maharashtra would appear for an examination on Gandhian thoughts on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

“The preacher of non-violence, Mahatma Gandhi, devoted his life for spreading non-violence and he proved that it is an effective weapon. He spent six and a half years of his life in jail. He utilised this time to develop his qualities.

“Years after his departure, his thoughts are seen prevailing in the society and also in the prisons where the inmates are undergoing imprisonment as a result of violent anger that lasts only a fraction of minutes,” T K Somaiya of Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal said.

The Mandal, in association with other Gandhian institutions, is organising the Gandhi Peace Examination for last 10 years in various jails of Maharashtra as part of reformation programmes for prisoners, he said in a release.

“The result has been inspiring. The aim of the examination is to evoke the sense of regret among prisoners and to inculcate qualities of ‘Satya’ (truth) and ‘Ahimsa’ (non-violence) amongst them,” he added.

Convicted for a number of crimes in 2005, Laxman Gole has been preaching Gandhi’s views among prisoners in jails all over Maharashtra through Sarvodaya Mandal.

“Books written by Mahatma Gandhi and his thoughts are made available to the inmates free of cost.

“We shall conduct an examination of 80 marks in which the inmates would have to answer 80 objective type questions. Those who pass the exam will receive Certificate and Khadi clothes as a prize,” Gole said.

In its efforts to raise more funds for tackling drought in the state, Maharashtra government has decided to levy a surcharge of Rs 2 on petrol and diesel while VAT on liquor, cigarettes and beverages have also been raised by 5 per cent.

The surcharge on Value Added Tax (VAT) for gold and diamond jewellery will be 1.20 per cent.

The measures, which will come into effect from midnight, will be in force for five months, state’s Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said here.

The measures would be reviewed in the next budget session, he added.

Talking to the reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Mungantiwar said the exchequer will get additional revenue of Rs. 1,600 crore.

“Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has asked all departments to make a list of how to generate more revenue and cut down on expenditure. We will have a special Cabinet meeting to discuss the same next month,” Mungantiwar said.

He said due to reduction in prices of petrol and diesel, there has been a revenue deficit of Rs. 300 crore per month.

“The government has also decided to waive off LBT on petrol and diesel. This will result in total loss of Rs. 1,800 crore to the state treasury,” he said.

The minister said since the government was giving so much concession for the common man, it is seeking additional Rs. 2 on petrol and diesel to provide relief to the farmers.

He also said since August 1, Local Body Tax (LBT) has been waived off for businesses with turnover of less than Rs. 50 crore.

Similarly, the LBT has been waived off for alcohol, beverages and cigarette as well.

Mungantiwar said fiscal burden was about Rs. 7,500 crore due to various steps being taken by the government to mitigate hardships of the farmers reeling under unseasonal rains, drought, crop loss and water scarcity.

Naval warship INS Kochi, the stealth guided missile destroyers, was commissioned by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on Wednesday.

The warship is designed by the Navy’s in-house organisation, Directorate of Naval Design, and it is constructed by Mazgaon Dock Ship builders Ltd in Mumbai. It has displacement of 7,500 tons and it is 164 metres in length and 17 metres at the beam.

The ship is propelled by four gas turbines and designed to achieve speeds in excess of 30 knots. The ship has a complement of about 40 officers and 350 sailors.

INS Kochi is packed with an array of state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, with a significant indigenous component. The ship has many lethal weapons to its credit which include the successful fitment of vertically launched missile system for long distance engagement of shore and sea-based targets.

The ship is one of the few warships of the world and the second in the Indian Navy to have Multi-Function Surveillance and Threat Alert Radar to provide target data to Long Range Surface to Air Missile system.

With just a month to go for the civic polls in Kalyan-Dombivli and Kolhapur, the Congress and NCP are eyeing to join hands, just as the Shiv Sena expects a “positive response” from the BJP for a pre-poll alliance for the two municipal bodies.

The election in these two municipal corporations are scheduled to be held on November 1.
Maharashtra unit chief of Congress Ashok Chavan said his party is open for an alliance with the NCP, provided its local leadership is comfortable working with that party.

The state unit president of NCP Sunil Tatkare also said a “positive response” is expected from Congress for a pre-poll alliance.

“We have appointed a team of former party MPs Anand Paranjape, Sanjeev Naik and former City Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) chairman Pramod Hindurao to have a dialogue with local party leaders and their counterparts from the Congress over the alliance for Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) election,” Tatkare said.

According to Chavan, Congress has appointed former legislator Madhu Chavan, along with Prithviraj Sathe and former legislator Ashok Jadhav for negotiations with the NCP.

“Madhu Chavan, Pritviraj Sathe and Ashok Jadhav will be talking from our side just to see the possibility of alliances in both the municipal corporations. Everything depends on the ground situation and we are trying to gauge the feelings of local Congressmen and if they feel alliance should happen, we are open to it,” Chavan said.

He, however, refused Congress has “no truck” with the Sena and BJP and there is “no question of an alliance” with them. “We are very clear on this front,” he added.

Meanwhile, senior Shiv Sena leader and Minister for Environment Ramdas Kadam said his party expects a positive response from the BJP for a pre-poll alliance for the ensuing civic polls.

Several suburban railway commuters on Wednesday welcomed the verdict in 2006 Mumbai train blasts case but felt that the punishment for the dastardly act came too late.

“This justice is a bit delayed, but not denied. Our judiciary has given a message to all that whosoever are guilty of such heinous crimes, won’t be spared. I hope that now the departed souls (victims) are at peace,” said chartered accountant and Western Railway (WR) commuter Nagesh Dubey.

Echoing same sentiment, fashion designer Sajida Noorani said that those who killed 189 people without any reason “have no right to live” and wished that all the 12 convicted in the case would have got death penalty.

Another WR commuter and sub-broker in the stock market here, Pramod Harlalka said, “Had the verdict come in the first few months of the blasts, then it would have acted as a deterrent. I think the judgement should have come earlier.”

Terming the sentencing as “better late than never”, suburban passengers’ representative in WR, Rajiv Singal said, (all) these are those people who should not be getting less than capital punishment.

Divya Trivedi, another WR commuter questioned the “callous” approach of the government to deal with such terror acts and said; “Now time has come when government should come out with such a provision that it gives punishment to the traitors like this instantly. There is no point in hanging only a few conspirators while rest of them are left to live.”

The 7/11 serial bombings that ripped through Mumbai trains had left 189 people dead and 829 injured after seven RDX bombs blew up as many peak hour suburban trains on the Western Railway in a span of 10 minutes in 2006.

Today, nine years after the tragedy, a special MCOCA court here sentenced five of the 12 convicted in the case to death while the remaining were awarded life imprisonment.