A court in Maharashtra's Thane has acquitted three men accused of conspiring to cause harm using explosives hidden in a vehicle in 2017, citing lack of eyewitnesses and the prosecution’s failure to establish a clear link between the accused and the seized material. Additional Sessions Judge AS Bhagwat passed the order on January 29 but the order was made available on Wednesday. The case dates back to August 6, 2017, when the police conducted a raid at Gousiya Compound in the Mumbra locality in Thane. Authorities found a bag of explosive powder and nine detonators hidden inside an out-of-use sports utility vehicle (SUV). The prosecution alleged that the accused - Mahinsa Rajesab Ganur alias Mahesh (57), Shahalam Mehmud Sheikh (49) and Arif Nawabali Khan (40) - had conspired to cause damage to life and property and specifically aimed to harm the landowner, Ismail Mohammed Sheikh. They were charged under sections 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with sections 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act. After spending over two years in custody, they were released on bail in late 2019. The court highlighted significant gaps in the prosecution's evidence, and noted that it failed to provide any eyewitnesses to the alleged crime. "From the above testimony, it is established that there are no eyewitnesses to the incident. Also, no witness has testified regarding the seizure of explosives from the possession of the accused," it said. It concluded that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, granting the accused the benefit of the doubt. "In the above circumstances, there is no solid evidence against the accused.The prosecution has failed to prove that the accused committed crimes.Therefore, the accused are entitled to be acquitted," the court said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
12 February,2026 11:17 AM IST | Thane | PTIPolice on Thursday arrested Shivam Mishra, son of local tobacco baron KK Mishra, in connection with the high-profile Lamborghini crash that left several people injured on Kanpur’s VIP Road on February 8. STORY | Tobacco baron's son arrested in Kanpur Lamborghini crash casePolice on Thursday arrested Shivam Mishra, son of local tobacco baron K K Mishra, in connection with the high-profile Lamborghini crash that left several people injured on the VIP Road earlier this week, the… pic.twitter.com/FDIl0BWEnf — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 12, 2026 Commissioner of Police Raghubir Lal told PTI that the 35-year-old would be produced in court. "He has been arrested and will be presented before the court within an hour," he said. Kanpur Lamborghini crash: Car hit rickshaw before crashing into parked motorcycle The incident occurred around 3.15 pm when a Lamborghini Revuelto — an Italian luxury sports car worth over Rs 10 crore — rammed into pedestrians and vehicles in the upscale Gwaltoli area near Rev-3 Mall. According to police, the speeding car first hit an autorickshaw and then crashed into a parked Royal Enfield motorcycle, throwing the rider nearly 10 feet into the air. The motorcycle was dragged for some distance before the car struck an electric pole and came to a halt. At least six persons sustained injuries, some suffering serious leg fractures and bruises. Mohd Taufeeq, 18, an e-rickshaw driver who suffered leg injuries, lodged a complaint in connection with the incident. Another injured person, Sonu Tripathi, said he and his cousin were standing near their parked motorcycle when the car hit them. Eyewitnesses alleged that private bouncers accompanying the accused tried to push back the crowd and behaved aggressively, escalating tensions at the spot. Police personnel rushed to the scene, rescued the driver and shifted him along with the injured to a private hospital. The damaged Lamborghini was seized and taken to the police station. Following the incident, angry locals gathered outside the police station, alleging misbehaviour by the accused’s associates and claiming that the police were going soft due to the family’s influence. Some protesters also alleged that pressure was being exerted for a compromise and that there was a delay in registering the case. The case took a fresh turn on Wednesday when a man identified as Mohan claimed that he was the designated driver and was behind the wheel at the time of the accident. However, police rejected the claim, stating that evidence collected during the investigation, including CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts, clearly established that Shivam Mishra was driving the car when it hit pedestrians and other vehicles on the busy stretch. Counsel for the accused later claimed that complainant Taufeeq was not keen on pursuing legal action. KK Mishra, father of the accused and owner of Banshidhar Exports Pvt Ltd — a firm engaged in supplying tobacco to gutkha manufacturers in the region — had earlier claimed that his son was not driving and was asleep in the car at the time of the accident. Police have registered an FIR against Shivam Mishra under relevant sections of the IPC and the Motor Vehicles Act, including rash and negligent driving, causing hurt, and endangering life. Further investigation is under way. (With PTI inputs)
12 February,2026 11:11 AM IST | Kanpur | mid-day online correspondentFormer Devaswom Board president N. Vasu was released from the Thiruvananthapuram Special Sub-Jail on statutory bail in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case. Vasu had spent 90 days in custody, with the bail granted as the charge sheet had not yet been filed. Vasu is the fifth accused to be released in the case. He is the third accused in the Dwarapalaka gold theft case and the fifth in the Sreekovil threshold gold theft case. Commenting on the case, Kerala Minister MB Rajesh defended the ongoing investigation, stating that it is being conducted under the supervision of the Kerala High Court. He said the state government has not raised any objections at any stage, adding that it was the opposition which repeatedly questioned the court-monitored probe. Speaking to ANI, Rajesh said, "The entire investigation is being conducted under the supervision of the Honourable High Court of Kerala. Therefore, we never raised any objection to the investigation at any stage. It was the opposition that consistently raised objections to the High Court-monitored investigation. Now the investigation has reached the Congress leadership. They are very upset about it. We have no problem. Let the investigation continue and whoever has done wrong should be brought to justice", he told ANI. Earlier, Kerala MLA VD Satheesan said that almost all the accused in the Sabarimala gold pilferage case have been released on statutory bail after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) failed to submit even a preliminary FIR or charge sheet within the mandatory 90-day period. Satheesan expressed concern that the lack of evidence collection could allow the accused to destroy evidence and jeopardise the case. "In the Sabarimala gold pilferage case, almost all the accused are coming out on bail. The Honourable High Court and the Honourable Supreme Court had denied bail to all the accused persons. However, since the Special Investigation Team (SIT) did not submit the FIR, not even a preliminary one, they have obtained statutory bail", said Satheesan. "Even though the Supreme Court had refused bail, they have now secured statutory bail. Even after 90 days, the SIT was unable to file a preliminary charge sheet. As a result, all the accused persons are being released. This will affect the investigation of the case. Our concern is that, without securing sufficient evidence, these individuals may destroy or otherwise eliminate it. If evidence is not obtained, the case itself may collapse. That is our concern," Satheesan added. On the Sabarimala gold theft case, LoP VD Satheesan further stated, "I fear that the accused who are being released now will erase all the evidence. The High Court and Supreme Court had denied bail to the accused, but because the special investigation team has not even filed a preliminary chargesheet, all the accused are being released." On Jauaray 20, the Kollam Vigilance Court granted statutory bail to Unnikrishnan Potti, a former helper and the sponsor of gold-plating works at the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, in the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols case. He remains the main accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case. Statutory bail was granted as the chargesheet was not filed even after 90 days. However, Potti will remain in jail in the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames case linked to the gold theft at the Sabrimala temple. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 February,2026 09:46 AM IST | Thiruvananthapuram | ANIAn incident of alleged vandalism disrupted the World Cultural Festival at MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU) after alleged members of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) reportedly ransacked a Bangladesh food stall and set fire to a Bangladesh flag on the campus. According to preliminary information, the incident took place on Tuesday evening during the annual cultural event, which showcases food, music, and traditions from different countries and is attended by Indian and international students. Witnesses said a group of individuals entered the university premises and targeted the stall representing Bangladesh, leading to panic among students and organisers. MIT-WPU Registrar Ganesh B. Pokale said the university is treating the matter seriously and has initiated the process of filing a formal police complaint. "An unfortunate incident occurred during the World Cultural Festival. Preliminary information indicates that certain unauthorised individuals entered the campus premises. The University is in the process of lodging a formal complaint with the police," Pokale said in an official statement. He added that the World Cultural Festival is an annual event celebrating cultural diversity and providing international students a platform to showcase their traditions, similar to events held by other universities in Pune each year. "The University remains committed to ensuring a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all," Pokale said. Police officials said they are verifying the details of the incident and will take appropriate action after reviewing CCTV footage and statements from eyewitnesses. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 February,2026 09:26 AM IST | Pune | ANIThe Delhi Police has issued a notice to Penguin Random House India seeking clarifications over the circulation of the unpublished book of former Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on social media, an official said. The notice was served as claims over the status of the book and the alleged circulation of unauthorised versions intensified, drawing the publisher, the former Army chief and senior political figures into a widening public dispute. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 February,2026 09:03 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesFour robotic tele-surgical procedures were conducted successfully at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital with surgeons remotely operating from Gujarat, using a high-speed network that allowed a real-time transmission of surgical commands and visuals between the two locations, the hospital said on Wednesday. The surgeons operated from Vapi in Gujarat using the Mizzo Endo 4000 robotic surgical system, the hospital said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 February,2026 08:57 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesAround 120 students were hospitalised in Farrukhabad and Mainpuri districts after they fell ill during a deworming drive conducted at their schools, officials said. The children complained of headache and vomiting shortly after being administered Albendazole tablets. In Farrukhabad, the incident occurred on Tuesday at Jawahar Lal Prema Devi School in Rathora Mohaddinpur village of Kamalganj block. Out of around 150 students who were given the medication, about 100 complained of discomfort, triggering panic among parents and authorities. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 February,2026 08:47 AM IST | Farrukhabad | AgenciesThe Union Home Ministry has directed that all six stanzas of the national song Vande Mataram, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, shall be sung first when the national song and National Anthem Jan Gana Mana are to be played together. Amit Shah In an order dated January 28, the MHA directed directing that six stanzas of Vande Mataram, having a duration of 3 minutes 10 seconds, shall be sung on official functions such as the arrival of the President, unfurling of the tricolour, and speeches of governors. “When the national song and the National Anthem are sung or played, the national song will be sung or played first,” the order read. It said that the assembly where the national song is sung shall stand in attention and the work in school shall begin with the playing of the national song. The Centre is observing the 150th year of Vande Mataram. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 February,2026 08:37 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesIn a no-holds-barred attack, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that the government has “sold Bharat Mata” through the India-US interim trade deal, and that it was a “wholesale surrender” with India’s energy security handed over to America and farmers’ interests compromised. Participating in the debate on the Union Budget, Gandhi said he does not believe that any Indian prime minister, including Narendra Modi, would agree to such a deal unless there is a “chokehold” on him. “Why has he [Modi] sold India — because they [the US] are choking him. They have a grip on his neck,” said Gandhi. “We are moving into a dangerous world. We have to understand our strengths, and the central strength of our country is our people,” he pointed out. He underlined the need to protect the country’s people, data, food supply, and energy system. Gandhi said that had an INDIA bloc government negotiated the trade agreement with the US, it would have told President Donald Trump that he should treat India as an equal. The LoP claimed that India’s energy security was gone under the India-US interim trade deal, and the US will decide “who we buy oil from.” He added an INDIA bloc government would have told Trump that India's energy security is non-negotiable and “we are going to protect our energy security”. ‘Full of lies’ Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday alleged that Rahul Gandhi’s speech in the Lok Sabha was “full of lies” and the ruling alliance will seek to expunge from the House records. Soon after Gandhi’s speech during a debate on the Union Budget, Rijiju said the ruling alliance members will serve a notice before the chair seeking authentication of whatever the leader of opposition has spoken. “We will demand expunging of whatever lies Rahul Gandhi has spoken,” he said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 February,2026 08:15 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe Supreme Court on Wednesday granted three weeks’ time to the Centre to place on record the status of the probe into the Ahmedabad air crash that claimed 260 lives. A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing pleas, including one filed by the father of late Captain Sumeet Sabharwal -- the Pilot-in-Command of Air India flight AI-171 that crashed June on 12, 2025 -- seeking an independent, court-monitored investigation into the tragedy. During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), submitted that the inquiry by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) was in its final stages. "We are at the fag end of the enquiry, and the report will soon be prepared," the Centre’s second-highest law officer told the apex court, adding that certain aircraft components had been sent to foreign jurisdictions for specialised testing. Since victims of multiple nationalities were involved, SG Mehta said that international protocols were being followed in the inquiry. T Taking note of the submission, the CJI-led Bench granted three weeks to the Centre to complete the exercise and directed that the report be filed in a sealed cover along with an affidavit detailing the procedural protocol followed so far. "What is the procedural protocol followed? Tell us in three weeks," the top court said, also asking for a progress report to be placed on record on the next date of hearing. Appearing for NGO Safety Matters Foundation, advocate Prashant Bhushan submitted that pilot associations had flagged concerns regarding the safety of Boeing 787 aircraft and had sought that such planes be grounded pending a thorough examination. "The entire pilots’ association is saying there is a problem in the Boeing 787 aircraft which needs to be grounded," he contended, adding that neither the government nor the AAIB had responded to the representations raising these issues. Appearing for Captain Sabharwal’s father, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan reiterated the plea for a court-monitored investigation, alleging that in previous instances involving aircraft crashes abroad, initial findings had attributed blame to pilots, only for subsequent inquiries to reveal technical defects. He referred to past Boeing 737 crashes where, according to him, pilots were initially faulted before US regulators found defects in the aircraft, contending that crucial documents in those cases were not immediately made public. Observing that the tragedy was "very unfortunate", the bench cautioned against making sweeping remarks against any particular aircraft model or airline without conclusive findings. "Let us be very careful while making remarks against any particular brand of aircraft. Dreamliners were once considered the best," the apex court remarked. Referring to recent media reports about an alleged fuel switch issue in another Dreamliner flight, the bench said that initial claims were later clarified by official sources. "Last week, it was said that a Dreamliner from London to Delhi had some problem with the fuel switch. Later, it was said from the official account that it was perfectly fine. But this incident, of course, was very unfortunate. Let us be very conservative while making comments on a particular airline," it said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
11 February,2026 10:55 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSAs Maharashtra inches closer to the peak summer months of March, April and May, early signs of rising heat have already begun to surface across the state. Daytime temperatures are gradually climbing, and afternoons are turning noticeably warmer, signalling the seasonal transition from winter to pre-summer conditions. The dry air and clear skies are further intensifying the heat during the day, even as mornings remain relatively mild in some pockets. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), most regions recorded maximum temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, with little to no rainfall, indicating the steady onset of warmer and predominantly dry weather across Maharashtra. Highest and Lowest temperatures recorded in Maharashtra Amravati emerged as the hottest location, recording a maximum temperature of 35.6 degrees Celsius with 50 per cent humidity. Solapur followed at 34.4 degrees Celsius, Ratnagiri at 35.4 degrees Celsius, while the Thane Belapur Industrial Area recorded 34.0 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, Ahilyanagar recorded the lowest minimum temperature in the state, with the mercury dipping to 13.4 degrees Celsius. Mumbai records warm afternoon with moderate humidity In the Mumbai region, Colaba registered a maximum temperature of 32.2 degrees Celsius with 64 per cent humidity. Santacruz recorded a maximum temperature of 33.6 degrees Celsius. Relative humidity stood at 45 per cent. Alibaug reported 32.7 degrees Celsius and relatively high humidity at 69 per cent. Mahabaleshwar experienced haze, with the maximum temperature settling at 26.0 degrees Celsius, as per the IMD data. Pune recorded a high of 31.9 degrees Celsius under clear skies, with easterly winds blowing at three knots. Nearby Baramati registered 31.1 degrees Celsius, while Satara reported 30.7 degrees Celsius with low humidity at 28 per cent. In Marathwada, stations including Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Parbhani, Jalna, Beed and Dharashiv recorded maximum temperatures ranging between 31 degrees Celsius and 32.8 degrees Celsius. Beed also reported a minimum temperature of 14.5 degrees Celsius. Western Maharashtra districts such as Sangli recorded 32.6 degrees Celsius, Kolhapur 31.0 degrees Celsius and Ahilyanagar 32.0 degrees Celsius, all under dry conditions. Hottest regions in Madhya Maharashtra and Vidarbha Parts of Madhya Maharashtra and Vidarbha continued to reel under warm conditions, with several districts recording high day temperatures. Ahilyanagar recorded a maximum temperature of 32.0 degrees Celsius, while the minimum dropped to 13.4 degrees Celsius. In Vidarbha, Amravati emerged as one of the hotter locations, registering a high of 35.6 degrees Celsius and a low of 15.3 degrees Celsius. Bramhapuri also reported elevated temperatures, with the mercury touching 35.4 degrees Celsius and settling at a minimum of 15.6 degrees Celsius. Dahanu records humid conditions along Konkan coast Along the Konkan coast, Dahanu recorded 29.9 degrees Celsius with 71 per cent humidity, while Harnai reported 29.8 degrees Celsius along with thick haze and cirrus cloud cover. In northern Maharashtra, Nandurbar recorded 32.7 degrees Celsius and Jalgaon 33.3 degrees Celsius, with warm and humid conditions prevailing. AQI across Maharashtra Thane – 102Navi Mumbai – 118Mumbai-120Dhule – 128Jalgaon – 115Nanded – 136Sangli – 123Amravati – 122Akola – 94Nashik – 101Nagpur – 172Latur – 84Solapur – 100Kolhapur – 101 Delhi air quality worsens to 301 AQI in 'poor' category Meanwhile, the air quality in the national capital deteriorated on Wednesday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) rising to 301, placing it in the 'poor' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Several areas of Delhi are now witnessing a layer of smog, raising concerns among residents, especially those with respiratory issues. Areas around India Gate and Kartavya Path recorded AQI readings of 355, while Bawana recorded 313. The AQI of Akshardham Temple reported 325, classified as 'very poor'. The minimum temperature at Safdarjung settled at 13.2 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal. The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 26 degrees Celsius, with mist likely during the day.
11 February,2026 09:01 PM IST | MumbaiADVERTISEMENT
