Maharashtra

Mumbai, February 21, 2026: The Bombay High Court on Friday delivered an interim order in the controversial 20-storey building case near INS Shikra, South Mumbai’s largest naval air station. In its observations, the court remarked that, prima facie, the construction of the high-rise structure appeared to be the result of a possible “intelligence failure” on the part of the Navy. No Immediate Stay, Construction at Developer’s Risk The high-rise project, identified as Jadhavji Mansion, is located within 500 meters of the naval air station. The Navy had filed a petition through a commanding officer seeking an immediate halt to construction, citing security concerns. It was argued that the developer did not possess the required No Objection Certificate (NOC). However, the High Court...

Pune: NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar has raised serious concerns regarding the plane crash involving Ajit Pawar. He alleged that several TDP leaders have close ties with the aviation company VSR and demanded the removal of Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu until the investigation is complete. Alleged Close Ties Between VSR and Political LeadersRohit Pawar claimed that VSR owner Rohit Singh maintains strong relationships with numerous political figures, not only in Maharashtra but also with leaders from the TDP. He noted that several politicians had even attended Rohit Singh’s wedding. Pawar questioned the statements of the Aviation Minister, who is from the TGP, asserting that the aircraft had no issues, and demanded accountability. He further alleged that certain indi...

Mumbai: In a significant and progressive ruling, the Bombay High Court has held that a child raised solely by her mother cannot be compelled to carry her father’s surname and caste identity merely because such practice was once considered mandatory. The court granted permission to a 12-year-old girl to change her name and caste entry in school records. The minor had approached the court seeking to replace her caste entry from ‘Maratha’ to ‘Scheduled Caste’, along with changing her surname, as she has been brought up entirely by her mother. School Had Earlier Rejected the Request The girl’s request had earlier been rejected by school authorities, who cited provisions of the Secondary School Code, stating that such changes were not permissible under existing norms. However, the B...

Pune: A stampede broke out at Shivneri Fort, the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, in Pune on Wednesday night, injuring several people including women and young children. All the injured were immediately admitted to the government hospital in Junnar. Officials have alleged that inadequate police arrangements for managing the crowd contributed to the chaos. Sudden Surge of Devotees Triggers Panic Thousands of devotees had gathered at the fort on Shivaji Jayanti, carrying Shiv Jyot lamps and saffron flags. The sudden surge of people caused congestion at key entry and exit points, including the Haathi Darwaza and under Ambar Khana at Ganesh Darwaza. As people struggled to move, some climbed the fort’s damaged structures and hid in cracks to escape the crowd, which led to panic ...

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court expressed strong displeasure at naval authorities over the construction of a 23-storey building near the naval base INS Shikra in South Mumbai. Justices Ravindra Ghughe and Abhay Mistry questioned whether the officials had been “asleep” while construction of the high-rise began in close proximity to a sensitive military installation. The court said it would pass an interim order on Friday regarding a petition filed by the Indian Navy’s local military authority. The petition challenges the unauthorized construction of the building near the Colaba naval air station and the VVIP helipad, arguing that it violates security guidelines restricting high-rise structures within 500 meters of sensitive installations. Court Questions Navy Vigilance Senior counsel...

Mumbai: Former minister and Congress Working Committee member Naseem Khan has expressed strong opposition to the Maharashtra BJP-led government’s decision to revoke the 5% educational and job reservation granted to the Muslim community. Speaking at Tilak Bhavan, Khan described the move as “deeply unjust” and accused the BJP of marginalizing minority communities by keeping them away from the mainstream of development. He emphasized that this decision undermines the efforts made by the Congress-led coalition government in 2014, which had issued an ordinance granting 5% reservation to socially and educationally backward sections within the Muslim community. Historical Context The 2014 ordinance had provided 5% reservation in education and government employment. Although the then Deve...

Mumbai, Maharashtra: In a significant political development following the Mumbai civic elections, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray met Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday. The meeting, held at Shinde’s official residence ‘Nandanvan’, lasted for a considerable time and has sparked speculation in political circles across the state. Background of the Meeting During the recent Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation elections, MNS supported the faction of Shiv Sena led by Raj Thackeray’s cousin, Uddhav Thackeray. However, the alliance could not secure power in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), where the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, with support from the BJP, won 118 seats, surpassing the required 114-seat majority. First Face-to-Face After Elections...

Pune: In a terrifying incident in Bhigwan, Indapur taluka, Pune district, three men allegedly kidnapped a 21-year-old woman in front of her mother and brother on 17 February. The assailants reportedly sprayed red chili in the eyes of the mother and brother before forcibly taking the woman away. The young woman’s wedding was scheduled for 22 February, prompting outrage in the community and protests on the Pune-Solapur highway. According to the FIR lodged by the victim’s family, the incident occurred around 4 PM when two men, identified as Zaheer Haroon Sheikh and Ayaan Haroon Sheikh, intercepted the woman and her family near Anand Hotel while they were returning home. The accused allegedly assaulted the mother and brother by throwing chili into their eyes and then forcibly placed the wom...

Pune, Maharashtra: The controversy surrounding a statement comparing Tipu Sultan with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has prompted Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal to issue a formal apology. Sapkal had reportedly highlighted similarities between the 18th-century ruler of Mysore and the Maratha king, sparking political uproar across the state. Sapkal Clarifies His Intent Harshvardhan Sapkal stated that he never intended to hurt anyone’s sentiments. He claimed that the BJP had deliberately twisted his remarks, presenting them out of context. “If my statement has hurt followers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, I sincerely apologize. My intention was never to disrespect anyone’s sentiments,” Sapkal said. Opposition from Hindu Organizations The controversy initially began w...