Mumbai: In a significant boost to the Maharashtra government’s efforts to promote Marathi among professional passenger transport drivers, more than one lakh non-Marathi auto and taxi drivers across the state have successfully completed functional Marathi language training under the Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Marathi Shikvani Abhiyan.Reiterating the govt’s commitment to promoting linguistic inclusivity, Marathi commission chairman Ravi Gaikwad said: “The transport department urges all remaining commercial passenger vehicle drivers to complete the programme before August 15 and help advance the campaign’s core objectives: respect for Marathi, cordial communication with passengers, and a stronger emotional bond with Maharashtra.” The transport officials will nab drivers unable to speak basic Marathi and penalise them post-August 15.Expressing satisfaction over the overwhelming response to the initiative at a media conference on Thursday, state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik said learning Marathi is not a matter of compulsion but a gesture of respect and belonging towards the state and its people. He stressed that anyone seeking employment and livelihood opportunities in Maharashtra should strive to connect with the Marathi language. “Marathi is not merely a medium of communication. It is the soul of Maharashtra’s identity, heritage and culture. Every driver who speaks a few words in Marathi with passengers becomes an ambassador of the state’s cultural values,” he said.The minister further noted that the campaign has received an enthusiastic and positive response from non-Marathi-speaking drivers, many of whom voluntarily enrolled for training. He appealed to those yet to participate to take advantage of the opportunity and complete the programme before August 15.For drivers who had enrolled for the basic Marathi course and completed it, there will be an event at Ram Ganesh Gadkari Rangayatan in Thane on August 17. This will be attended by the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, and Marathi language minister Uday Samant. Thousands of non-Marathi drivers who have successfully completed the course will be awarded certificates by the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad.A review meeting on Thursday was attended by transport commissioner Rajesh Narvekar, senior litterateur Pradeep Dhawan, and representatives of the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh and the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad, which have partnered with the government in implementing the initiative statewide.Sarnaik said encouraging drivers to communicate with passengers in Marathi would not only make daily interactions easier but also strengthen social bonds and foster a sense of mutual respect. “Maharashtra will warmly embrace everyone who honours and respects Marathi. This initiative is about creating cultural harmony and emotional connect, not enforcing language through coercion,” he said. The minister observed that the campaign gained momentum following Marathi’s recognition as a classical language, inspiring thousands of non-Marathi residents to learn and appreciate the language. He described their voluntary participation as a fitting tribute to the Marathi linguistic legacy championed by Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.The campaign, jointly organised by the state’s Marathi language department, Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh, and Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad, has gradually evolved into a mass movement. According to Sarnaik, every driver who completes the training emerges not only as a compliant professional but also as a socially conscious citizen who respects Maharashtra’s cultural ethos.

The Bombay high court ordered Meta Platforms Inc. to remove fake accounts impersonating Delta Corp.

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Thursday directed Meta Platforms Inc to immediately remove fraudulent social media accounts impersonating hospitality and gaming major Delta Corp Ltd and an AI-generated deepfake video targeting the company.The court passed the urgent interim directions while hearing Delta Corp’s plea challenging the suspension of its social media accounts by Meta, which the company claimed was unlawful, without notice and without sufficient reason.Justice Abhay Ahuja, sitting singly, had on July 2 directed Meta to preserve content from the suspended handles until the dispute was resolved.Delta’s counsel Kunal Dwarkadas said Meta had given “six different contradictory reasons” for suspending the company’s accounts.He argued that the issue concerned the “accountability and transparency” of actions by a digital media intermediary and said Meta had failed to disable several accounts impersonating Delta, including one carrying an AI-generated video that had caused the company “reputational loss”.Delta, represented by RJD and Partners, told the court that it was not involved in online gaming, which the court observed is prohibited in India.The disputed video purportedly showed Delta chairman Jaydev Mody announcing the launch of an online casino. The court noted that the video also featured sports and film personalities and industrialists.After viewing the video in court, justice Ahuja observed that although it was submitted to be a deepfake, it appeared real, demonstrating the extent to which technology can make deepfakes and impersonations convincing.Meta’s counsel Amey Gokhale sought another week to file a detailed response to Delta’s challenge to the account suspension. He said that if directed by the court, Meta would be “duty bound” to remove or disable unauthorised impersonation accounts.The HC said interim relief ought to be granted and, pending final disposal of the matter, directed Meta to remove the impersonating accounts and the “AI-generated fake video”, which Delta said it had brought to Meta’s notice on August 5.

​NCP (SP) slams RSS-BJP over Gen Z pitch

MUMBAI: The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) on Friday launched a scathing attack on the RSS-BJP establishment, accusing it of “double standards” and political hypocrisy in its sudden outreach to the nation’s youth.The opposition attack came in response to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s address to around 2,000 Gen Z and Gen Alpha members in Mumbai, where he advocated dialogue and trust while stating that agitating youth should not be branded “anti-national.”Addressing a press conference, NCP (SP) spokesperson Mahesh Tapase highlighted a stark contradiction between the Sangh’s conciliatory public stance and the ruling party’s actions during recent student agitations over the NEET paper leak.“The country is witnessing two completely different faces of the Sangh Parivar,” Tapase said. “One face speaks softly on public platforms about engaging Gen Z through dialogue and trust. The other face—represented by the BJP—has repeatedly questioned the patriotism, motives, and integrity of students who dared to question the government.”Taking specific exception to the heavy-handed response to student demonstrations, Tapase questioned why authorities responded with force—including lathi charges and tear gas—when students took to the streets demanding exam transparency and the education minister’s resignation. He explicitly called out BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Kangana Ranaut, alleging that senior party leaders used offensive language to label protesting students rather than acknowledging their democratic right to dissent.“If Mohan Bhagwat genuinely believes that Gen Z deserves dialogue and dignity, moral consistency demands that he publicly disapprove of BJP leaders who have delegitimised young Indians,” Tapase added, asserting that youth demand fair exams and employment opportunities rather than political labels.Amplifying the charge, NCP (SP) national spokesperson and secretary Clyde Crasto targeted the BJP for hastily jumping on the “Gen Z bandwagon” to curry political favour after suppressing peaceful demonstrations.“The BJP and its supporters are now jumping on the popularity of the Gen Z bandwagon,” Crasto said in a statement. “Gen Z is the future of this country. They understand what is happening, and through their peaceful protests, they have proven to the world that they possess knowledge and awareness.”Pointing to the police action against young agitators in the national capital and other parts of the country, Crasto demanded direct accountability from the central leadership.“Where were these leaders when there was a lathi charge on these peaceful protesters? All these youth were asking for were answers and justice, yet police in Delhi and across the country were deployed to beat them up,” Crasto stated. “Who ordered the lathi charge on Gen Z is an important question that the BJP-led government needs to answer. The central government must come out in the open and answer to the youth and the people of India as to who authorized the force used against peaceful protesters.“

The Bombay High Court fast-tracked the trial and granted bail to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and three others

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Friday fast-tracked the trial and granted bail to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and three others accused in the July 6 assault on doctors, including a woman doctor, at a municipal hospital in Dombivli. However, all four have been directed to remain outside Maharashtra until the criminal trial begins.A bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad imposed the stringent condition after Mhatre’s senior counsel, Aabad Ponda, submitted that the 73-year-old corporator, who had “learnt a lesson”, was willing to reside in any other state until the chargesheet was filed. The HC also laid down a strict timeline for the investigation and prosecution, meaning the period the accused spend outside Maharashtra is likely to last a little over three weeks.Dictating the order in open court, ACJ Ghuge observed, “In a democracy, an elected representative is by the people and for the people. If he is accused of assaulting his own voters, such an incident is bound to bend the fabric of democracy.”Police arrested Mhatre on July 8 for allegedly slapping and punching a doctor and assaulting a resident medical officer. A local court granted him bail on July 14 while he was admitted to hospital. He was released, but on July 18 the high court took suo motu cognisance of the matter, stayed the bail order for all four accused and directed Mhatre to surrender. He surrendered on July 19.The four accused were lodged in Kalyan jail. During Friday’s hearing, all four informed the court that they would stay in Goa. Mhatre furnished the address of a resort in North Goa, while the other three, represented by advocate Sana Raees Khan, said they would stay at a nearby guest house. ACJ Ghuge remarked in jest, “Mhatre will have company.”In its July 18 order, the HC had observed: “…in the labour ward of Shastri Nagar Hospital, Dombivli, a lady doctor and two male doctors were physically and brutally assaulted by persons, namely, Ramesh Mhatre, Ramesh Pawar, Pramod alias Prakash Nikam and Akshay Karande… There has been an uproar from the masses… over the beating of doctors on duty.” The court had also noted that the offence was “more grave because a lady doctor was also assaulted and it is reported that she has resigned out of fear.“Senior counsel S.U. Kamdar, appearing for the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which had initially called a strike before withdrawing it after the HC’s suo motu intervention during a special Saturday hearing, sought police protection for the woman doctor and the first informant doctor. The court was informed that both had submitted their resignations, although the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) had not accepted them. The HC directed the civic body to ensure their protection.Public Prosecutor Shishir Hirey, appearing via video conferencing, and Additional Public Prosecutor K.V. Saste informed the court that the chargesheet would be filed shortly, but statements of three witnesses still had to be recorded before a magistrate.The HC laid down a timeline for the prosecution. It directed that the accused’s voice and video samples be sent to the state forensic laboratory within three working days. The forensic report is to be submitted within about 10 days, after which the chargesheet must be filed within the next five days.The court also directed the state to appoint an experienced lawyer as Special Public Prosecutor, describing the case as “very important”. It specifically ordered that the SPP should not be replaced midway through the trial, as had happened in some other cases.The HC further directed that charges—the final pre-trial stage—be framed within seven days of the filing of the chargesheet, after which the trial will commence.Senior counsel Ashok Mundargi had urged the court to expedite the trial to reassure citizens that the justice system functions effectively, particularly in high-profile cases. Accepting the submission, the HC directed its registry to appoint, within a week, a judge from the Kalyan courts to preside over the matter as a fast-track court.Bail conditions:

Police arrested Mhatre on July 8 for allegedly slapping and punching a doctor and assaulting a resident medical officer.

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Friday fast tracked their trial and granted bail to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and three others accused behind bars in the July 6 assault on doctors including a woman doctor at a municipal hospital in Dombivli, but all four are to remain outside Maharashtra till the criminal trial begins.The HC Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad imposed the stringent condition after Mhatre’s senior counsel Aabad Ponda submitted that for his release, Mhatre, 73 years old who “learnt a lesson’’ offered to even reside in any other State till the filing of Chargesheet. The HC framed a time-line for probe and prosecution to proceed swiftly and the time to be spent outside Maharashtra for all four would likely be over three weeks.The ACJ Ghuge dictating the order in open court said, “In a democracy an elected representative is by the people and for the people. If he is accused of assaulting his own voters, such an incident is bound to bend the fabric of democracy.’’Police arrested Mhatre on July 8 for allegedly slapping and punching a doctor and assaulting a resident medical officer. A local court granted him bail on July 14, while he was in a hospital. He was released but on July 18 the HC took up the matter suo motu and stayed the bail order for all four, directing Mhatre to surrender. He surrendered on July 19. All four were housed in a Kalyan jail and now all four said they would reside in Goa. Mhatre gave the address of a north Goa resort while the three others represented by advocate Sana Raees Khan would be at a guesthouse, not far. The ACJ joked saying, “Mhatre will have company.’’The HC had in its July 18 order said, …in the labour ward of Shastri Nagar Hospital, Dombivli, a lady doctor and two male doctors were physically brutally assaulted by persons, namely, Ramesh Mhatre, Ramesh Pawar, Pramod alias Prakash Nikam and Akshay Karande… There has been an uproar from the masses… to the beating of doctors on duty.’’ And had said the crime was “more grave because a lady doctor was also assaulted and it is reported that she has resigned out of fear.’’Senior counsel SU Kamdar for Indian Medical Association (IMA) which had given a strike call and withdrawn it after the HC suo motu took up the matter on a special Saturday hearing, said the lady doctor as well as the first informant doctor, be given police protection. Both tendered their resignations which the KDMC hadn’t accepted. The HC was informed and HC asked the corporation to ensure they are protected.Public prosecutor Shishir Hirey on video conferencing and Additional PP said Chargesheet would be filed soon but three witness statements were yet to be recorded before a Magistrate and would be done soon.The HC set out a timeline for the criminal prosecution. It directed that the voice and video samples be sent to the State forensic lab in 3 working days. The report is to then be submitted in about 10 days, post which in 5 days the chargesheet is to be filed.The HC directed the State to appoint a lawyer with large experience as special public prosecutor as the case was “very important’’ and specifically directed that such SPP should not be replaced mid-trial as was noticed in some cases.The HC directed framing of charge –the last pre-trial step—in 7 days after chargesheet is filed. That’s when the trial would commence.Senior counsel Ashok Mundargi had submitted that the trial be expedited to ensure that common citizens are assured that the system works, especially in high profile cases. The HC thus directed its registry to appoint in a week , a Judge from Kalyan courts to preside over as a fast track court in the case.Bail conditions imposed:

Police said the threat clip was posted on social media in the name of a person claiming to be gangster Zeeshan Akhtar, and that the NCP leader did not receive any threat directly.

MUMBAI: Bandra police registered a non-cognisable (NC) offence on Friday against a person after the sister of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Zeeshan Siddique complained that she came across a threat audio clip on a social media platform.Police said the threat clip was posted on social media in the name of a person claiming to be gangster Zeeshan Akhtar, and that the NCP leader did not receive any threat directly.Police said they were verifying the authenticity of the viral audio clip. In the clip, a man purportedly introduced himself as gangster Zeeshan Akhtar and told Siddique he should tighten his security.“As you know, I have killed your father, and now it’s your turn. Beef up your security as I have issued your death warrant. I have found your involvement in Sushant Singh Rajput’s case,” the clip purportedly stated.A Bandra police officer confirmed on Friday that an NC was registered on a complaint received from Siddique’s sister Arhsia. “The NCP leader did not receive any threat directly. The threat was noticed on social media platform by his sister. The team is analysing the aauthencity of the clip and also details have been sought to track the internet protocol (IP) address from where it was uploaded,” the officer said.The threat clip was noticed on August 6, almost 10 months after former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique (66) was shot dead on October 12-2024 by three assailants in Bandra (east) outside the office of his son Zeeshan. During the investigation, the Mumbai Crime Branch arrested 27 people and filed the charge sheet in the case.The prime accused was Anmol Bishnoi, brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is wanted in a charge sheet. According to the police, Anmol allegedly hatched a conspiracy to murder Siddique, who had a close association with actor Salman Khan, to show dominance.A special court on February 10-2026 framed charges against 27 accused in the 2024 murder case of Baba Siddique under provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bombay Police Act and the Arms Act.Zeeshan and his sister did not respond to TOI’s calls and messages.