Maharashtra

Mumbai, Jan 22 (PTI) A 35-year-old priest has been arrested in Navi Mumbai for duping people on the pretext of performing puja of their gold jewellery to ward off evil spirits, police said on Wednesday.

The accused, Ajay Jangam, was arrested last week by the Navi Mumbai police's Crime Branch, they said.

Thane, Jan 21 (PTI) A 24-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly raping his five-year-old neighbour in Maharashtra's Thane city, police said.

The accused, Deepesh Sutar, an employee of a courier company, lived in the same chawl as the victim at Lokmanya Nagar Pada no. 2, senior inspector S B Gaikwad of Vartak Nagar police station said.

The incident took place at around 6 pm on Sunday, when Sutar lured the victim to his house and sexually abused her when no one was around, he said.

Mumbai, Jan 22 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted interim protection from arrest to suspended Maharashtra deputy inspector general of police Nishikant More, who is accused of molesting a 17-year-old girl.

Justice P D Naik directed More to appear before Taloja police in Navi Mumbai on January 29, 30 and 31 to cooperate with the probe in the case.

Mumbai, Jan 21 (PTI) A 32-year-old woman was allegedly raped by four persons near a railway track in suburban Kurla, a police official said on Tuesday.

All the accused have been arrested, he said.

Thane, Jan 19 (PTI) Criticising the Centre over the Citizenship Amendment Act, Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav said it is unfortunate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi can only see the "white cap" and "hijab" (worn by Muslims) but not the national flag in the hands of lakhs of people.

He said the ongoing protests across the country against some decisions of the Centre were a way for people to vent out their "suffocation".

Mumbai, Jan 18 (PTI) Actor Shabana Azmi and another person were injured in an accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway in Maharashtra's Raigad district on Saturday, the police said.

Azmi was rushed to MGM Hospital in Navi Mumbai and was said to be out of danger, said a police official. Her husband and lyricist Javed Akhtar, who was traveling with her, escaped unhurt.

Mumbai, Jan 18 (PTI) Hitting back at Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut for his remarks on opponents of the Bharat Ratna honour for V D Savarkar, the Congress on Saturday said supporters of the Hindutva ideologue should visit the erstwhile Andaman Jail to understand the sacrifice made by those freedom fighters who never apologised to the British.

Mumbai, Jan 16 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Thursday came down heavily on the Maharashtra government for dragging its feet over financial aid to Wadia Hospitals for women and children, and said the government has money for statues but not for public health.

A division bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and R I Chagla was hearing a public interest litigation seeking release of grants to Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children and Nowrosjee Wadia Maternity Hospital from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the state government.

Mumbai, Jan 15 (PTI) A special court here on Wednesday awarded three years' rigorous imprisonment to a 41-year-old man for molesting a former Bollywood actor on board a domestic flight in December 2017.

Special Judge A D Deo, hearing cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, convicted Vikas Sachdev under Indian Penal Code Section 354 (assault or criminal force on woman with an intent to outrage her modesty).

Nagpur, Jan 13 (PTI) Congress leader Ashish Deshmukh has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray asking him to remove heads of various universities who were appointed under the previous BJP-led dispensation for being loyal to the RSS and its Hindutva doctrine.

Deshmukh, a former MLA who was with the BJP before crossing over to the Congress, said such appointees were "poisoning the atmosphere" of these universities.