Raut causing more harm than good

heavy political price by not taking action against Raut, despite the huge damage he continues to inflict.

First India Bureau

Mumbai: With party leader Sanjay Raut embroiled in yet another controversy over his ‘supari’ allegations against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s son, there is near a consensus within Shiv Sena - Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction that the MP has caused serious damage to the organization.

Recently, the 61-yearold politician accused Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde of giving a mur- der contract to a history-sheeter, without providing any evidence. It is not the first time that Raut has made highly controversial statements.

Most recently, Raut had alleged that Rs2,000 crore had been ‘paid’ to get Shinde faction rec- ognized as the ‘real’ Shiv Sena and for the bow and arrow poll symbol. The Sena leader even promised to produce evidence supporting his allegation but failed to do so.

Many Uddhav Thackeray supporters feel that he is paying a

According to sources, Raut is useful to Uddhav as a conduit between him and NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Though there is a perception that Raut is being used by Pawar to influence Uddhav.

It is learnt that Raut does not share the same chemistry with Aaditya Thackeray as with Uddhav. “Given the widespread nature of resentment against Sanjay Raut within our party, I won’t be in the least surprised if he is politically downsized in the near future,” a top Sena source observed.

Students display their creations at a science and technology exhibition organized at the ongoing Technovanza 2022-23 fest at Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute in Matunga area of Mumbai on Friday. The fest will culminate on February 26.

Jayaprakash Narayan (to get rid of Emergency between 1975-77) and ended up with a lowly 52%. Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais said Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University had taken several initiatives to connect to society.

“The new education policy (NEP) encourages research. There is a need to maintain a balance between the welfare of humanity and advanced education,” Bais said.

Gadkari and former Maharashtra education minister Kamalkishor Kadam were conferred honorary Doctor of Literature (D.Litt) degrees by the University on the occasion as well.

to Uddhav?

Another defamation case filed over ‘threat to life’ allegation

First India Bureau Mumbai: Yet another case of defamation was registered against Shiv Sena - UBT leader Sanjay Raut in the Beed district for his allegations of threat to his life from Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde, an official said on Friday. The case was filed based on a complaint lodged by Shiv Sena’s Beed district unit chief on Thursday, he said.

This is the second such FIR registered against Raut in connec- tion with his allegation after a similar case was filed at Kapurbawdi police station in Thane on Wednesday night.

On the basis of the complaint lodged at Beed, an FIR was regis- tered against the leader under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 153(A), 500 and 501, 504 and others, the official said adding that police are investigating the claims of both the parties involved.

Raut had alleged a threat to life from MP Shrikant Shinde. “Lok Sabha member Shrikant Shinde has given a ‘supari’ (contract) to kill me to a Thane-based criminal Raja Thakur. I have confirmed information regarding the same. I am informing you as a responsible citizen,” he wrote in a letter.

First India Bureau Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday accepted that the health condition of Nawab Malik, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, was serious and agreed to hear his bail application on merits from the next week.

Malik was apprehended on February 23, 2022, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for alleged property transactions linked to fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his associates, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Last year, Malik petitioned the High Court for bail on medical and legal grounds. Justice MS Karnik had requested that Malik’s lawyers must demonstrate that his health condition was serious. After some discussion with Malik’s counsel Amit Desai, Justice Karnik approved that Malik was indeed suffering from a serious medical condition.