NEWS

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday interrogated former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh (72) for nearly five hours in the Rs 100-crore money-laundering case as his lawyer Inderpal Singh sat “at a visible distance”, as directed by the Bombay high court. Later, Singh told mediapersons that Deshmukh’s son Hrishikesh will also appear before the ED.

Hrishikesh, an accused in the case, had been evading questioning by the ED for months despite several summons. Deshmukh too had avoided five summons and appeared before the ED office on Monday unannounced after both the Bombay high court and Supreme Court refused to grant him relief.

The ED had arrested Deshmukh early Tuesday stating that he was not cooperating in the probe during the questioning. The same day, he was produced before a special holiday court, which remanded him into ED custody till Saturday.

With the Uttar Pradesh elections in 2022 weighing heavily on its minds post the crushing defeat in West Bengal, the ruling BJP seems to be taking urgent measures. Besides the Centre's decision to reduce the excise duty on petrol and diesel, the state government has announced additional cuts in fuel prices and extended the free ration scheme in the state till Holi, which falls in March.

The fuel tax reduction, announced by the Centre on Wednesday, followed by the BJP-ruled states' decision to reduce the tax further, would give the ruling party a high moral ground ahead of Parliament's winter session as well as the upcoming state elections early next year.

The Maharashtra government plans to retain a temporary bridge, built to facilitate the construction of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), as a deck for viewing migratory flamingos that visit Mumbai.

The 5.6-km-long temporary access bridge had been constructed to facilitate the movement of machinery and men for work on the harbour link. The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) has begun construction on the 22-km-long harbour link from the Sewri end, which will eventually connect Mumbai to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT).

MMRDA Commissioner S V R Srinivas said, “The temporary bridge was erected to carry machinery. Demobilising this bridge is going to cost us money. Instead, we will keep it and it can serve as a good platform for watching flamingos. We are doing a detailed plan.” He added that the area can be developed as an independent tourist spot.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), while allowing Chhath Puja celebrations this year, on November 10, has asked devotees to perform the puja at artificial ponds. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded to allow the rituals to be carried out at beaches and seashores.

The civic body has also asked the police to ensure that there is no crowding at beaches.

The circular issued by the BMC states, “Keeping in mind the crowding during Chhath Puja, a mass celebration of Chhath Pooja at seashores should be avoided and the police must ensure that there is low crowding. Organisations that are asking for permissions at the ward level should construct artificial ponds at their own cost and even fill up the ponds after Chhath Puja is over. This will be the responsibility of the organisation applying for the permission.”