Maharashtra

Mumbai, Nov 8 (PTI) The Congress in Maharashtra on Friday alleged that attempts were being made to put pressure on party legislators to switch sides.

State Congress president Balasaheb Thorat said his party has not taken any decision to support a Shiv Sena-led government in the state, where there is an impasse over formation of the next dispensation.

Talking to reporters, he said, "To avoid harassment, some MLAs have gone out (of Mumbai). Legislators have told us that they are being given proposals to defect from the party."

Mumbai, Nov 7 (PTI) Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said there was no change in his party's stand on government formation in Maharashtra and reiterated the demand for sharing the chief minister's post.

He also asked that if the people's mandate was for the 'Mahayuti' (grand alliance), why the BJP was not staking claim to form government.

In an veiled attack on the BJP, he said those responsible for political instability were causing harm the state.

Thane, Nov 6 (PTI) A farmer has been sentenced for life by a court in Maharashtra for raping and killing a 17-year-old girl in 2014.

District Judge H M Patwardhan on Monday pronounced Shankar Bhogade guilty under Indian Penal Code Sections 376 (rape), 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 5,500 on him.

Nagpur, Nov 6 (PTI) A 62-year-old man has been arrested by Nagpur police for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl.

The accused was identified as Umesh alias Gullubaba Shankarrao Guralwar (62), a resident of Indora area who runs a grocery shop.

On Monday, when the girl went to buy something from his shop, Guralwar allegedly lured her inside and raped her, police said.

After the girl returned home and narrated the incident to her parents, a complaint was lodged on Tuesday morning.

Mumbai, Nov 7 (PTI) Maharashtra minister and senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said his party would not stake claim on Thursday to form government in the state.

Ahead of the BJP delegation's meeting with Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Thursday, Mungantiwar told reporters here that the BJP was not in favour of forming a minority government in the state.

He also dubbed as "unfair" the talks that Shiv Sena MLAs may cross sides, amid the stalemate over government formation in the state.

Mumbai, Nov 5 (PTI) In further relief to customers of scam-hit Punjab & Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank, the Reserve Bank on Tuesday enhanced the withdrawal limit to Rs 50,000 per account from Rs 40,000 per account.

This is the fourth time the regulator has increased the withdrawal limit since it clamped down on PMC Bank on September 23, capping withdrawals at Rs 1,000 per customer, which led to a lot of distress and criticism. Last month the limit was enhanced to Rs 40,000 per account.

Nagpur, Nov 5 (PTI) A 60-year-old motorcyclist was killed after his two-wheeler hit a dead cow lying on Nagpur- Jabalpur Highway near Khapri here, police said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred at around 6 pm on Monday when Bhanudas Ramrao Jangle, a resident of Sudarshan Nagar, was riding towards Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport (MIHAN) in Maharashtra's Nagpur district, an official said.

Thane, Nov 5 (PTI) A 26-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday in Thane in Maharashtra for allegedly killing a peon who was in relationship with his married sister, police said.

The accused Ganesh Reddy, who works in a pest control firm, stabbed Akash More (30), who worked as a peon with a bank, outside his house in Padwal Nagar locality, an officer said.

Mumbai, Nov 6 (PTI) Amid the stand-off over government formation in Maharashtra, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut meet NCP chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai on Wednesday.

"This was a courtesy call," Raut told reporters later.

Thane, Nov 6 (PTI) A member of Chinchwad-based 'Mama' gang was arrested by the Thane police's crime branch for allegedly abducting a minor girl, police said on Wednesday.

Suresh alias Anna Mochi (25) had kidnapped a 16-year- old girl from Chinchwad on October 30, an official said, adding that an offence was registered under section 363 (kidnapping) of the Indian Penal Code at Chinchwad police station.