Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh. (Express file photo by Ganesh Shirsekar)Mumbai Highlights, October 21: A special court on Friday rejected bail to former Maharashtra home minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh in connection with the corruption case filed against him by the CBI. Deshmukh was earlier this month granted bail by the Bombay High Court in the money-laundering case filed by the ED. However, with his bail being rejected by the CBI court, he will continue to remain in jail. He was arrested in November last year by the ED and subsequently by the CBI on allegations that it was on his instructions, when he was state Home Minister in the MVA government that bribes were collected by dismissed cop Sachin Waze from bar owners.
Meanwhile, a Mumbai sessions court on Friday convicted a 28-year-old man and sentenced him to life imprisonment on charges, including cyber terrorism, for a conspiracy to attack an American school in the city. Anees Ansari was arrested in October 2014 and has been behind bars since. He was convicted under various sections, including 66 (F) of the Information Technology Act, which has provisions for punishment for cyber terrorism. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment under this section.
In other news, the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government on Friday restored the general consent given to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate cases in the state, reversing the decision of the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) dispensation.
Mumbai Congress workers celebrate the victory of new party president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday. Ganesh Shirsekar
Come Saturday and Mumbai will get a dedicated open space for the specially abled as a 9,000-square feet plot inside the iconic Jogger’s Park Garden in Bandra (west), which has been transformed into a disabled-friendly park, will be thrown open to public.
Civic officials said that a portion of the Jogger’s Park, an oval-shaped sea-front park located on Carter’s Road, has been converted into an open space for the specially abled. Separate entry and exit points have been set up to make the space exclusive to people with special needs.
The fund for this project has been raised through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and is being backed by I Love Mumbai Foundation. Rahul Kanal, president of this foundation, said that this will be Mumbai’s first open space that is being created exclusively for the disabled friendly population. Pratip Acharya reports
The Azad Maidan Police on Thursday registered an FIR against an unknown person who made a hoax call on emergency number 112 on October 18 and identifying himself as a CBI official said there will be terror attacks in Mumbai at a mall, theatre and a luxurious hotel in western suburbs.
The FIR is registered under section 170 (personating a public servant) and 505 (1) (b) (public mischief with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public of the IPC and the case has been transferred to Turbhe police station in Navi Mumbai.
In another case of hoax call, the Vakola police on Friday arrested a man who had a hoax call on police main control room and said there will be a bomb blast in a hotel in Vakola. On tracing him he told police he was in an inebriated condition when he made the call. Incidentally, the same person had earlier called the police and said there will be a bomb blast at Mumbai University. He was booked and arrested back then by the BKC police in Bandra (east).
On down slow line over head equipment (OHE) tripped at Mulund 7.06pm to 7.20pm. Trains running late.
The Maharashtra government will pay Rs 61.22 crore as arrears of two-and-a-half years to persons who were jailed for protesting against the Emergency in 1975-76.
The government led by Devendra Fadnavis had started the scheme to honour these individuals who fought to save democracy.
The scheme was embroiled in controversy even then, too, as several potential beneficiaries from the socialist and Left movements had refused to accept the honorarium. Read more
Four of five friends from Ghatkopar who had gone to Ambernath in Thane district to celebrate birthday party of one of their friends drowned in a pond next to Kondeshwar Shiv temple on Friday afternoon. There is a waterfall near the temple where many people come to have fun and there have been past incidents of drowning at the spot despite police putting up notice board to caution people coming for picnics.
Based on a complaint from the BMC, Balkrishna Brid, a former corporator from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav B. Thackeray), has been booked by the Dahisar police for illegally distributing 47 sewing machines owned by the BMC knowing well he no longer holds any power to do so. The term of the 227 corporators elected in 2017 including Brid ended on March 7 this year. Corporators do not hold offices and the municipality is being run by BMC administrators. Read more here
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday paid floral tributes to 264 police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty in the past one year.
These comprise 202 from the constabulary and 62 officers, an official said.
Shinde was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, during the visit to the memorial in Naigaon in central Mumbai to mark 'Police Commemoration Day'.
On the occasion, a special guard of honour was given to the fallen heroes.
The day is marked as 'Martyr's Day' in police units across the country to honour 10 police personnel who sacrificed their lives while valiantly fighting Chinese aggression in north eastern Ladakh in 1959. (PTI)
The Maharashtra government has framed rules to prevent honour killings, 'khap panchayat' diktats, mob lynching as well as violence, and asked the Director General of Police to apprise personnel across the state force of their implementation, an official said on Friday.
The rules, which have been mentioned in a government resolution (GR) issued on Thursday, are in keeping with the recommendations of the Supreme Court on the issue, he added.
The GR has directed that police stations across Maharashtra should exercise alertness if an incident of inter-caste or inter-religious marriage is reported in their respective jurisdictions.
It also laid down that 'khap panchayat' and similar organisations should be reported to district and police authorities, and law-enforcing agencies must get in touch with the members of these outfits and tell them such meetings are not allowed as per law.
Local police must be alert and, if necessary, ban such meetings, the GR stated, adding that if a meeting is held despite a ban, then the deputy superintendent of police must be in attendance and participants must be told no decision should be taken that harms the couple in question or their kin.
Police will be required to videograph such meetings and people who take decisions violative of rules will be liable to be booked for criminal offences, the resolution added.
If the meeting of a khap panchayat or any such outfit cannot be banned as per law and if there is a possibility that the couple's lives are at risk, prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) should be issued and participants must be arrested, as per the GR.
Apart from arrests under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) provisions, remedial measures will include protection to the couple and their families.
The district magistrate, police commissioner or superintendent should handle the threats given to the couple and their families sensitively, and it must be checked if the couple are adults, so that, if needed, they can be helped to get their marriage registered.
Complaints from the couple about threats being received from relatives, community members and khap panchayat-like bodies must be probed by local authorities and a report should be submitted within a week, and those threatening the couple should be booked under section 151 of CrPC, it said.
Police officials not adhering to these rules deliberately or due to negligence can face punitive action, including departmental inquiry under service rules.
"To stop mob violence and lynching, police have been asked to train rapid action force teams in each districts. Water cannons and tear gas should be used to control mobs. Attackers at the site should be immediately arrested," the resolution stressed.
In cases where a protest by a group or organisation has resulted in violence and loss of property , the leaders or office-bearers of the group should present themselves for questioning in the police station within 24 hours, failing which they will be declared absconders and will have to face legal action, the GR stated. (PTI)
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Mumbai police have issued a prohibitory order banning gathering of five or more people, illegal processions, use of loud speakers, among other activities for a fortnight from November 1, an official said on Friday.
The order was issued on Thursday by the deputy commissioner of police (operations) in view of inputs received by the police about disturbance of peace, law and order, danger to human life and property, the official said.
As per the order, gathering of five or more persons, illegal processions, and use of loudspeakers, band and bursting of firecrackers is prohibited from November 1 to November 15 The order issued under relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act exempts weddings, funerals, meetings at clubs, companies, co-operative societies, theatres and cinema halls.
In a separate order, the police have banned display, possession of weapons, arms and ammunitions from November 3 to December 2, in view of maintaining peace and public safety.
Any creation, display and publishing of pictures, signs and boards, which will lead to trouble in social morals, security or danger to topple the government is also banned.
According to the order, provocative utterances, songs and use of music is also prohibited during this time.
Stringent action will be taken against people who are found violating the order, the official said. (PTI)
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is currently carrying out the construction of the Sewri-Worli connector flyover, which is an extension of the under-construction MTHL (Mumbai Trans Harbour Sealink) set to be ready by 2023. The connector will help disperse the traffic and prevent a bottleneck once the MTHL is opened to the public.
Sweety Adimulam takes a look at the project
CM Eknath Shinde faction MLA Sanjay Shirsat who had suffered an heart attack on Monday, was discharged from the hospital on Friday.
Shirsat is one of the rebels who joined Eknath Shinde faction now called Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena. He represents Aurangabad (West) assembly constituency.
Bail plea of Sanjeev Palande, Anil Deshmukh's co-accused and staffer, was also rejected by special CBI court.
A special court on Friday rejected bail to former Maharashtra home minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh in connection with the corruption case filed against him by the CBI. Deshmukh was earlier this month granted bail by the Bombay High Court in the money-laundering case filed by the ED. However, with his bail being rejected by the CBI court, he will continue to remain in jail. He was arrested in November last year by the ED and subsequently by the CBI on allegations that it was on his instructions, when he was state Home Minister in the MVA government that bribes were collected by dismissed cop Sachin Waze from bar owners.
The court said that the offence is serious and affecting the economy of the country. It also said that while Deshmukh had submitted medical grounds, citing his ill health, he was being provided proper medical treatment while in custody. The court also said that the statements including that of Sachin Waze, play an important role at the stage of hearing of bail and cannot be overlooked.
Anees Ansari sentenced to life imprisonment. Ansari convicted under sections including 66 (F) of the Information Technology Act. This has provisions for punishment for cyber terrorism. He has also been convicted under section 115 (abetment of offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life) read with 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. He has been sentenced to five years in jail under this section. He has also been directed to pay a fine of Rs 25,000 under section 43(a) of the IT Act (compensation for failure to protect data).
He was arrested in Octover 2014 for misusing the electronic devices of a private company to send messages propagating terrorist organisation, conspiracy to plan an attack on an American school in Mumbai.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by Raj Thackeray is organising ‘Deep Utsav’ (Diwali celebrations) Friday evening at Shivaji Park in Mumbai in which Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have been invited.
“On the occasion of Diwali, MNS has decided to celebrate Deep Utsav at Shivaji Park. The celebrations will start from Friday evening,” said sources in MNS. Read more
A sessions court has on Friday convicted Anees Ansari, who was arrested in October 2014, for misusing the electronic devices of a private company to send messages propagating terrorist organisation and conspiracy to plan an attack on an American school in Mumbai. He has been behind bars since 2014. The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment later today.
Badlapur local train detained at Dombivali Platform no. 4 due to two point rake surcharge (TPRO). Trains running late on Central Badlapur route.
The Maharashtra government has reversed the previous MVA government's decision to withdraw general consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation. A notification on this is likely to be issued soon, The Indian Express has learnt. Directions for the same were given on Thursday, said sources from state's Home Department.
Three persons were injured after a tree fell on them in Thane city of Maharashtra, a civic official said on Friday.
The incident occurred near CIDCO bus stop late Thursday evening.
The injured persons, who included a pedestrian, are being treated at a hospital, and they are out of danger, said Avinash Sawant, chief of the Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) of the Thane civic body.
The tree fell on a cart selling falooda, a cold dessert, he said. (PTI)
A special court here is likely to pass an order on Friday on the bail application of former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh in an alleged corruption and misuse of official position case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Deshmukh (71) had sought bail in the case as soon as the Bombay High Court granted him bail on October 4 in a money laundering case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Special CBI court judge S H Gwalani on Thursday concluded hearing in the arguments on the bail plea and closed it for orders.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader was arrested on November 2, 2021 and has been in judicial custody. He was admitted to a private hospital last week for coronary angiography. (PTI)