Dabholkar murder: Probe completed, CBI tells HC

Displaying English language sign boards prominently at the airport in Mumbai is nothing but an act to foist the language on the indigenous people. Having Marathi signage at par with English ones would lead to greater convenience to the indigenous people of Maharashtra and Indian residents who are not well acquainted with English.

—GVM petition in HC at par with English on sign boards and indicators at public places. The PIL alleges that the authorities have failed to implement the circulars despite multiple reminders and requests from the petitioner trust.

“The petitioner merely seeks recognition to-

No parole for TADA convicts as per Maha rules: Bom HC

First India Bureau

Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has refused to grant parole to a prisoner convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act. It noted that convicts of “terrorist crimes” are not eligible for parole, as per rules in Maharashtra.

A division bench comprising Justice SB Shukre and MW Chandwani on December 02, 2022 dismissed a petition filed by convict Hasan Mehndi Sheikh, serving life imprisonment in the Amravati Central Prison. He was seeking regular parole to see his ailing wife.

Sheikh was convicted for various offences including under stringent provisions of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA). He approached the HC after the jail authorities rejected his application on the ground that he was not eligible for grant of parole under provisions of the Prisons (Bombay Furlough and Parole) Rules.

In its order, the HC noted that there was a specific provision in the Rules which disqualifies a convict under TADA from getting benefit of regular parole.

“It is clear that there

Mumbaikars complain of BMC negligence during concretization

is a bar placed upon prisoners who are convicted for terrorist crimes, TADA is about terrorist crime, from being released on regular parole,” the court said.

“The petitioner is convicted under TADA and therefore he would not be eligible for grant of regular parole,” the HC added.

wards the official and regional language of the state of Maharashtra as language is a highly emotional issue for the people of any nation. It has a great unifying force and is a powerful instrument for national integration,” the petition said.

SantacruzChembur Link Road ext to open soon

First India Bureau Mumbai: A part of the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) extension project will be open for vehicular movement by the end of February, the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) said in response to a petition filed in the Bombay High Court. The MMRDA has assured the bench that part of the flyover from Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) to Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg junction and Hans Bhugra Junction to Ahmed Raza Chowk would be opened by the end of next month.

Interestingly, the Supreme Court is currently hearing a petition from the Federation of Retail Traders’ Welfare Association, against the BMC on the latter’s decision to fine shopkeepers Rs1 lakh for failing to put up Marathi signboards.

First India Bureau Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday told the Bombay High Court that it had completed the investigation into the 2013 killing of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.

The investigating officer has submitted a closure report to the competent authority, the agency said.

However, a lawyer representing Dabholkar’s daughter claimed before the court that the CBI has not investigated the case properly and there are still many loopholes that are yet to be looked into.

Dabholkar (67), founder of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, was shot dead by two persons, allegedly linked to the radi - cal outfit Sanatan Sanstha, while he was on a morning walk in Pune on August 20, 2013.

The CBI has so far filed a charge sheet against five accused in the case.

Earlier this month, the HC sought to know from the CBI the status of its probe into the case.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Anil Singh, appearing for the CBI, told a division bench of Justice AS

AI app to manage attendance, leave for NMMT employees

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) has launched an artificial intelligence-based automated leave and attendance management app for its employees. The application will help the civic body to manage leave and attendance smoothly and track the strength of employees on duty at any time.

Developed by a Punebased IT firm, the app will keep a record, manage and track of leaves and attendance of over 3,000 employees employed at NMMT. The new app was launched by Sujata Dhole, Additional Municipal Commissioner of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) on the 27th Foundation Day of the NMMT. The app enables leave-related statutory compliances for employers, payroll pro - cessing and provides information on leave policies to employees.

“There will be an automatic alert regarding the renewal of conductor license, thus, promoting more efficiency. Any important message from the department to their staff will show up as a notification and hence, important communication will be delivered to everyone,” Sunil Salunkhe, Head of ITMS Integrated Transportation Management System, NMMT, said.

Mumbai Civic Update

BMC 45% short of annual `7K cr property tax target

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The property tax collections in Mumbai by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation currently stand at Rs3,859 crore. This is around 45% less than Rs7,000 crore, the targeted property tax collection as announced in the civic budget by the BMC chief. However, with the pandemic now having eased, and two months still left in the financial calendar, the officials are confident of meeting the collection target, and even surpassing it. This year’s collection is also slightly higher than last time when at the same time the collections stood at Rs3,738 crore. In 2021-22, the total collection stood Rs5,792 crore.

SoBo-Navi Mumbai water taxi service to start this Saturday

First India Bureau Mumbai: The BMC is revamping the footpaths at the cost of concretizing the roots of decades-old trees, residents from Dadar Parsi Colony have alleged. Over the weekend, residents said that the footpath improvement work is being carried out in an ‘insensitive’ manner around the trees of Five Gardens, in the name of beautification. The BMC faced similar allegations back in December 2021, when it was carrying out work on the footpath between Ruia College and St Joseph’s High School. Local resident Burgis Bulsara called for heavy penalties on contractors if this trend continued.

Gadkari and Justice PD Naik on Monday that the agency has completed its investigation in the case.

“As far as the CBI is concerned, the investigation was carried out and is now complete...15 out of 32 witnesses have already been examined in the trial,” Singh said, and sought three weeks’ time for a decision on the closure report. The matter will next be heard after three weeks.

POCSO case filed against 32-year-old mother of 3

Thane (PTI): Police on Monday registered a case against a 32-yearold woman on charges of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy from Thane, an official said.

The boy’s mother filed a police complaint, saying that the accused-a mother of three who lived next door to a relative in Nashik--befriended the teen during her frequent visits to Mumbai. She allegedly made him consume liquor and had sexual relations with him, the official from Kolsewadi police station at Kalyan in Thane said.

Based on the complaint, a case was registered against the woman under relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, he said. No arrest has been made so far, he added.

4 years on, 97% of Mumbai’s streetlights converted to LED

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The BMC has completed around 97% work of changing sodium vapour lights to LED lights in the Mumbai suburban section, four years after the work began. For this, Rs55 crore was paid to Adani Electricity. To implement the project, the BMC appointed a committee headed by additional commissioner (eastern suburbs) in 2018, comprising the BEST general manager, chief engineers of Reliance Energy and Mahavitaran, and the deputy chief engineer (traffic). Currently, 84,754 street lights in the western and eastern suburbs have been changed to LED lights.

First India Bureau Navi Mumbai: Nayan XI, a luxury vessel belonging to Nayantara Shipping, has been permitted to operate services between Belapur in Navi Mumbai and Gateway of India. The Mumbai Port Authority gave its approval to the passenger service which will be inaugurated by State ports minister Dadaji Bhuse on February 04. The vessel will sail from Belapur at 8.30 am and reach Gateway of India at 9.30 am. The return trip from Gateway of India will depart at 6.30 pm and arrive at Belapur at 7.30 pm.