Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has allowed a petition filed by a woman seeking to correct her daughter’s birth certificate by replacing the name of her ex-husband with that of the child’s biological father.A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Ranjitsinha Bhonsale, in an order passed on Monday, took into consideration the DNA report of the girl that proved the paternity and also the affidavit submitted by her parents stating they are her biological father and mother.The court directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to issue a fresh birth certificate to the girl by deleting the name of the ex-husband of the woman from the father’s column and adding the name of the biological father.The woman, in her plea filed through advocate Uday Warunjikar, said she got married to a man in Feb 2006, but no child was born out of the wedlock. Due to differences, the couple started living separately and in 2013 the duo got divorced.When the estranged couple was living separately and before the divorce decree, the woman developed physical relations with another man with whom she had a baby girl in Dec 2009.After the divorce order was passed in 2013, the woman got married to her boyfriend.According to the plea, since the girl was born out of an extramarital relation, the woman gave the name of her then-husband in the father’s column in the birth certificate issued in March 2010.After the woman got divorced and married her boyfriend, she approached the BMC seeking correction of the name of the biological father in the girl’s birth certificate.However, the civic body refused the woman’s request for correction in the birth certificate, prompting her to move the HC.In support of her claims, the woman submitted to the court a DNA test conducted for the purpose of establishing paternity and an affidavit stating that the biological father of her child was her boyfriend, whom she has now married.The court, after perusing the report and the affidavit, allowed the petition and directed the BMC to issue a fresh birth certificate to the girl by deleting the name of the ex-husband of the woman from the father’s column and adding the name of the biological father. PTI

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Mumbai: One month after a man died at a music concert in Worli, forensic toxicology results have confirmed the presence of MDMA and alcohol in his system. Authorities, though, have ruled out a direct drug overdose as the cause of death, noting that the substances did not reach lethal concentrations.The deceased, identified as 28-year-old Vrishabh Gangurde, was a law graduate and resident of Mahim. He had attended a music event at the NSCI Dome with a 31-year-old female friend. Both reportedly developed health complications during the event.Gangurde was rushed to Breach Candy Hospital after complaining of feeling unwell by 9.40 pm, where he was declared dead by 10.25 pm. His friend was taken to Jaslok Hospital, where, according to officials close to the case, LSD was detected in the initial toxicology screening. At the time of going to press, the hospital could not confirm the same.The deceased in this case came from a family of doctors.DCP Jayant Meena of Zone 3 confirmed the presence of MDMA in the deceased and stated that the police investigation is focused on the circumstances surrounding the death rather than the condition of the woman who fell ill. He noted that she was asked during a verbal interview if she had consumed any narcotic substances, which she denied.“It is part of the investigation now to determine how the deceased managed to procure the narcotic substance,” said Meena. Earlier, police had ruled out narcotic substances and suspected the death was due to cardiac arrest in a heavily loud and crowded environment after alcohol consumption.A forensic medicine doctor who is involved in the case said as overdose has been ruled out in this case, medically the possibilities are multiple. “Cases of heart attack are not unheard of among young people. We are yet to receive FSL reports from the police,” the doctor said.He, though, added that another cause of death could be regurgitation. In cases where drugs and alcohol are involved, vomiting is the body’s natural reaction to drain it out of the system, he said. “It is possible that the person may have inhaled that material into the lungs, which can cause choking and respiratory distress,” the forensic doctor added.Tardeo police earlier booked the event organisers, Spacebound Web Labs CEO Karan Singh and project manager Parag Narendra Uke, under BNS Sections 106 and 289 for causing death due to negligence.It may be recalled that in May, two MBA students died due to drug overdose after a music concert at Nesco in Goregaon; it was later concluded to be MDMA.

Mumbai: The state cabinet on Tuesday approved an asset monetisation policy to generate income sources through assets for municipal corporations, municipal councils, and nagar panchayats. Officials said this was done to make urban local bodies more financially capable and self-reliant, so that they can earn income from the investment of their assets.“The main objective of this policy is to increase income from the land, buildings, commercial complexes, markets, public facilities, and other immovable properties owned by local self-government bodies in a planned and transparent manner. This policy will provide local self-government bodies with their own sustainable financial sources. This will make it possible to raise the necessary funds to provide water supply, sanitation, roads, health, education, transport, and other civic facilities more effectively,” an official said.“Also, the dependence on grants from the central and state governments will be reduced and the financial autonomy of local bodies will be strengthened. Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and other suitable development models can be adopted for the development of properties, and all processes will be implemented in a transparent, competitive and citizen-friendly manner,” the official said.“Currently, 29 Municipal Corporations, 15 “A” Class Municipal Councils, 78 “B” Class Municipal Councils, 146 “C” Class Municipal Councils and 743 Nagar Panchayats are functioning in the state. All these urban local bodies will benefit from this policy, which will help in increasing their financial capacity and giving more impetus to urban development. This policy will remain in force till 31 July 2031 or until a new policy is issued,” the official said.Officials said asset monetization by municipal corporations in Maharashtra involves leasing or commercializing under-utilized civic properties (land, parking lots, and buildings) to generate alternative revenue. Facing stretched budgets, major bodies like the BMC and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) use these frameworks to fund urban infrastructure without selling core ownership.

Mumbai: The state cabinet on Tuesday took a decision to give 558.43 hectares (1,378 acres) of land belonging to the animal husbandry department for an international standard agricultural market in Dapchari near Dahanu in Palghar district to the Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board. An international agricultural market will be developed in Dapchari on the lines of the market in Rungis, France.Located just 7 km south of Paris, the Rungis International Market (Marché International de Rungis) is the world’s largest wholesale food and fresh produce market. Spanning 234 hectares, it operates as a city within a city, feeding approximately 18 million people daily with an annual turnover of about €12 billion.“Dapachari is the site of the Dapchari dairy project of the Animal Husbandry department. Vadhavan port is very close to Dapachari. This area is famous for its agricultural sector. It is famous for the famous Dahanu chikus and mangoes and also has a fishing community and the potential for marine food processing industry,” officials said.“Palghar borders Nashik and Thane districts and also borders Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. By road, Vadhavan Port is 40 kilometers away from Dapchari, Palghar is 62 kilometers away, Thane is 118 kilometers away, Mumbai Airport is 128 kilometers away and Navi Mumbai Airport is 149 kilometers away. At the same time, Nashik is 146 kilometers away, Pune is 270 kilometers away, Surat is 154 kilometers away, Vadodara is 278 kilometers away, Ahmedabad is 378 kilometers away. If an international standard agricultural market is established at Dapchari, the economy will be boosted at the national and state levels. It will be convenient for farmers, traders and consumers. So it was decided today to give the land of the Dapchari Dairy Project to the Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board free of charge for establishing an international agricultural market,” officials said.“Vadhavan Port is being developed in Dahanu. The centre and state govt have set a target of bringing Vadhavan Port among the top ten in the world. The port will be based on logistics and warehouse development. It is estimated that this project will increase the economy of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region from 140 billion dollars to 300 billion dollars by 2030. To develop Vadhavan region as the fourth Mumbai, the Bullet Train Corridor and Mumbai’s Coastal Road will be extended to Palghar.“The international market at Dapchari will have immediate access to Vadhavan Port. Highway and rail connectivity to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka. Connectivity of fruits, vegetables, grains and spices from more than eight districts of the state to the group. The market will have an integrated auction platform – cold storage, warehouses. Export-oriented facilities, customs, quarantine, container bays. Farmers’ hostels, training centers, facility rooms. Solar energy, water recycling, waste management. Fire, CCTV, security system. Because of this income of farmers and fishermen will increase. They will have direct access to buyers/exporters. Post-harvest losses will be reduced by 15-30%. There will be direct employment opportunities of over 8,000 to 15,000. Special focus on local youth, women and tribal communities through skilling programmes,” officials said.“Exports of Chiku, Alphonso mangoes, other fruits/vegetables, marine products/seafood will be boosted through port connectivity and standardized infrastructure. Supply chain efficiency will be developed. Fragmentation will be reduced due to centralized, modern wholesale. Producers and consumers will benefit from transparent pricing and digital platforms. Investment promotion in Palghar district – Improved infrastructure benefits the surrounding area, eco-friendly operations and climate change-friendly infrastructure,” officials said.

Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant, who is the Sena (UBT)’s parliamentary party leader

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena (UBT) has told its 6 defected Lok Sabha MPs that, as a matter of record, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has not passed any order recognising any claim of their merger into Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. In a notice issued to the 6 MPs, Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant, who is the Sena (UBT)’s parliamentary party leader, said the Sena (UBT), being the original political party, has neither initiated, agreed to, nor permitted any merger with the Shiv Sena headed by Eknath Shinde, or with any other political party. Sawant said that in the absence of any merger of the original political party, there is no question of any merger of the legislature party. “Further, no such merger is permissible or contemplated in law. Sawant said the 10th Schedule to the Constitution of India merely affords the legislators an option to accept or reject a merger of the original political party; it does not confer upon the members of the legislature party any authority to themselves independently bring about, or effect, such a merger,” Sawant said in his letter.The notice points out that all these 6 MPs fought elections against the candidates fieleded by the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde.“As you were aware, you were given a ticket by Shiv Sena (UBT) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The people of your constituency, reposing faith in the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray, elected you through the name and symbol of Shiv Sena (UBT). It has come to our knowledge through reports in the public domain that you, along with certain other MPs, are attempting to portray that there is a ‘merger’ of Shiv Sena (UBT) with the Shiv Sena headed by Eknath Shinde. It is also learnt that you had approached the Lok Sabha Speaker claiming that you have merged recognition of this purported ‘merger’,” the notice states.“The independent legislative groups hold no legal standing without the original party’s consent. There is no provision in the constitution of India that the groups can be given a recognition. Anti-defection law itself doesn’t recognize such groups. Therefore we have served the notices to all the six members along with a copy of it to the Lok Sabha Speaker,” Sawant said.Last month, Sawant and Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai had met Birla over the defection of 6 Sena (UBT) MPs to Eknath Shinde’s Sena. They told him that even if the rebel MPs are claiming to have two-thirds strength in the Lok Sabha, as per Schedule 10 of the Constitution, if the original party is being merged with any other party, then 2/3 of the strength of the legislature party must also lend its support to the merger. Only then the merger can happen.

Rahul Gandhi, Devendra Fadnavis

Devendra Fadnavis counters Rahul Gandhi over Maharashtra TET paper leak (File photo)

Rahul Gandhi, Devendra Fadnavis

Devendra Fadnavis counters Rahul Gandhi over Maharashtra TET paper leak (File photo)

Rahul Gandhi, Devendra Fadnavis

MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday hit back at Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) 2026 paper leak case, saying action had already been taken and questioning whether the Congress leader was seeking information from within the country or commenting from abroad. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had alleged that around six lakh candidates were left in uncertainty after the TET 2026 examination was cancelled following a paper leak, with no fresh date announced, according to news agency PTI. Responding to the criticism, Fadnavis told reporters, “I would like to inform Rahul Gandhi that this matter has been investigated and action has been taken. I also want to tell him that concrete steps are being taken to ensure such incidents do not recur in the future. The most significant point is whether Rahul Gandhi is seeking this information while present here in our country–India–or is demanding answers via social media while sitting somewhere abroad.“In a post on X on Tuesday, the LoP wrote, “Maharashtra TET paper leaked, exam canceled. 6 lakh candidates left in limbo. Two weeks have passed, no trace of a new date.” The Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE) had postponed the Teacher Eligibility Test, scheduled for June 28, after an alleged question paper leak came to light during a police investigation in Bhiwandi. The examination was slated to be conducted at 1,028 centres across Maharashtra. In a public notice, the MSCE said that despite additional security measures introduced after irregularities reported during the NEET 2026 examination, confidential information received early on June 28 indicated that some individuals in Bhiwandi were allegedly in possession of information related to the TET question paper. The council subsequently postponed the examination while the matter was investigated.