In a major development in the Mundhwa land deal case involving the alleged fraudulent sale of a 40-acre government plot to a firm linked to Parth Pawar, the son of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, suspended sub-registrar Ravindra Balkrushna Taru was arrested on Sunday by the Pimpri Chinchwad Police in Pune, news agency PTI reported. Taru, who was suspended after irregularities came to light in the registration of the land deal, was arrested on the basis of a complaint filed by Joint District Registrar Santosh Hingane at Bavdhan Police Station. “He was arrested today,” confirmed Pimpri Chinchwad Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishal Gaikwad. According to an inquiry committee headed by Rajendra Muthe, joint inspector general of registration (IGR), the 58-year-old official processed the sale deed on May 19 by exploiting a critical loophole in the registration system, PTI reported. The report stated that Taru used the “skip” option in the e-mutation module, classifying the government-owned land as “movable property” to bypass mandatory verification protocols. Police said the land — with an estimated market value of around Rs 1,800 crore — was illegally sold for Rs 300 crore to Amadea Enterprises LLP, a firm in which Parth Pawar is a partner. The inquiry report further noted that Taru violated Section 18 of the Registration Act, 1908, by failing to verify the ownership status of the land before approving the transaction, PTI reported. The report also names Amadea Enterprises partner and Parth Pawar’s cousin Digvijay Patil and Shital Tejwani, who acted as the power of attorney holder and executed the sale deed. Tejwani has already been arrested. Taru’s arrest comes just a day before the Maharashtra legislature’s Winter Session begins in Nagpur, adding political weight to the ongoing investigation. Tejwani, who was arrested on Wednesday, allegedly executed the illegal sale deed as the power of attorney holder for the 40-acre Botanical Survey of India lease land in Mundhwa. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Economic Offences Wing), Vivek Masal, said Tejwani was arrested following an FIR registered at Khadak Police Station. According to the police, Tejwani had been questioned earlier, and officers decided to arrest her after gathering sufficient evidence. “The investigation will continue based on the statements collected and the new names emerging during questioning,” DCP Masal said. (With PTI inputs)
07 December,2025 10:28 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentPrime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi will initiate the debate on the 150th anniversary of the national song, ‘Vande Mataram’, in Lok Sabha on Monday, highlighting several important and previously unknown facets of the iconic composition, news agency PTI reported. Lok Sabha has allocated 10 hours for the discussion titled ‘Discussion on the 150th anniversary of national song Vande Mataram’. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to speak second, while Congress Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi and Wayanad Member of Parliament (MP) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, among others, will also participate. The debate forms part of year-long celebrations marking 150 years of Vande Mataram, a poem written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and set to tune by Jadunath Bhattacharya. PM Modi has previously criticised the Congress for removing key stanzas from the song in 1937, saying it “sowed the seeds of partition”. On November 7, he launched the year-long celebrations aimed particularly at students and youth to deepen awareness about the song’s significance. Many important and unknown facets related to Vande Mataram will come out in front of the nation during the debate, officials told PTI. In Rajya Sabha, Home Minister Amit Shah will initiate the discussion on Tuesday, followed by Health Minister and Leader of the House, JP Nadda. Alongside the Vande Mataram debate, the Lower House of the Parliament will discuss electoral reforms on Tuesday and Wednesday, covering all the aspects of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, PTI reported. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition, is scheduled to speak during this debate. Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha will take up electoral reforms on Wednesday and Thursday, with Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge among the speakers. Congress has finalised its list of participants for both debates. On Vande Mataram, besides Gogoi and Gandhi Vadra, the speakers include Deepender Hooda, Bimol Akoijam, Praniti Shinde, Prashant Padole, Kiran Chamala Reddy, and Jyotsana Mahant. For electoral reforms, the party’s speakers include KC Venugopal, Manish Tewari, Varsha Gaikwad, Mohammed Javaid, Ujjwal Raman Singh, Isa Khan, Ravi Mallu, Imran Masood, Gowaal Padavi, and Jyothimani. The first two days of the Winter Session, which began on Monday, December 1, saw repeated adjournments due to Opposition protests on SIR. The Monsoon Session had also been largely disrupted over the same issue in Bihar. (With PTI inputs)
07 December,2025 06:25 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentOn Friday, villagers from Shirala in Maharashtra’s Sangli District alerted animal organisation Sahyadri Rescue Warriors after two leopard cubs were spotted during sugarcane harvesting. The Sahyadri Rescue Warriors team, along with Maharashtra Forest Department officials, immediately reached the site and placed the cubs in a crate to facilitate their reunion with the mother leopard. Despite the efforts, however, the mother did not return on the first night. The following morning, the cubs were shifted to the forest department for hand-feeding, veterinary examination, and observation. Later that evening, they were again positioned inside the sugarcane field for another reunion attempt. However, the female leopard did not show up on the second day either. On Sunday, around 5 am, the mother leopard finally returned and successfully retrieved both cubs, concluding a careful and coordinated two-day operation.
07 December,2025 05:53 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavUnion Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol on Sunday said that passengers have endured mental harassment and distress due to IndiGo's ongoing operational crisis and assured that steps are being taken to ensure accountability is fixed, reported news agency PTI. IndiGo has cancelled more than 2,000 flights and delayed others, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at several airports around the country since Tuesday. The aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has constituted a four-member inquiry panel to determine reasons for the current situation and recommend mitigation measures, and has issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers. Talking to reporters, Mohol said, "All passengers have suffered mental distress and have had to face many difficulties. They had to endure mental harassment because of IndiGo," reported PTI. Action will be taken after the four-member committee submits its report, he said, adding that accountability will be fixed, and nobody will be spared. "Certain responsibilities that IndiGo was expected to carry out were not fulfilled, and this is what led to the present situation. The DGCA has formed an inquiry committee and set up a control room. It has also issued a notice to IndiGo. Limits on ticket sales have been imposed on all airline companies," he said, reported PTI. Mohol said that instructions have been given to ensure all passengers whose flights were cancelled are refunded. IndiGo cancels over 220 flights at Mumbai, Delhi airports Meanwhile, IndiGo cancelled more than 220 flights at Delhi and Mumbai airports on Sunday, as the disruptions entered the sixth day while efforts are on to normalise operations. The disruptions have resulted in hundreds of flight cancellations and delays in the last few days, causing hardships to thousands of passengers. Sources said at least 112 flights were cancelled at the Mumbai airport and 109 flights at Delhi airport. After cancelling approximately 1,600 of its 2,300 daily flights on Friday, the airline saw a reduction in disruptions on Saturday, with cancellations falling to around 800, sources told PTI. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO and Accountable Manager Porqueras on Saturday received DGCA notices, seeking explanations within 24 hours on the massive flight disruptions. "The main objective (of operating just 700 flights on Friday) was to reboot the network, systems, and rosters so that we could start afresh today (Saturday) with higher number of flights, improved stability, and there are some early signs of improvement," IndiGo had said in a statement. The airline said it operated 1,500 flights on Saturday. In the notices sent to Elbers and Porqueras, the regulator said the large-scale operational failures indicate significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management. The notices mentioned that the primary cause of the flight disruptions is non-provisioning of adequate arrangements to cater to the revised requirements for smooth implementation of the approved FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) scheme for the airline. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked Elbers and Porqueras to reply within 24 hours. (With inputs from PTI)
07 December,2025 01:59 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentAmid the ongoing power tussle in Karnataka, the Congress' top brass on Saturday deliberated over the leadership issue there, but the meeting was inconclusive and another round will be held soon. Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi is learnt to have participated in the discussions at her 10, Janpath residence as the party seeks to lower the tension between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary in-charge organisation K C Venugopal also joined the deliberations at 10, Janpath. Speaking with reporters after the meeting, Venugopal said, "We had a general discussion about the current political situation. We also discussed Karnataka, but there will be another discussion about Karnataka." "We discussed Karnataka today, but nothing came out of that. We will discuss it again... Congress is united. Karnataka Congress, also, there is unity," he said. Venugopal said the preparations for the December 14 rally against "vote chori" and the general political situation was also discussed. Earlier in the day in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge to airport from the Vidhana Soudha, after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary, which had led to some speculation about a possible discussion between the two on the leadership issue. The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculations about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20. However, both the CM and the Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each other's residences on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session.
07 December,2025 11:23 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIIf the Congress declares Navjot Singh Sidhu as the party's chief ministerial face, he will return to active politics, indicated his wife and Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu on Saturday. She, however, also pointed towards "infighting" within the Punjab Congress unit, claiming that already there are five leaders aspiring for the chief minister's position, and they won't let Sidhu come forward. Navjot Kaur Sidhu further said they do not have any money to give to any party but can transform Punjab into a "golden state". She was speaking to reporters after meeting Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on issues including alleged "deteriorating" law and order in the state. Replying to a question, she said her husband is "strongly attached" with the Congress and the party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. "But with so much infighting, I do not feel that they will let Navjot Sidhu be promoted as there are already five CMs faces and they are hell bent on defeating the Congress. If they (high command) understand this then it is a different matter," she said. Asked if the BJP gives him this responsibility then whether Sidhu will rejoin the BJP, she said, "I cannot comment on his behalf." Asked whether Sidhu will return to active politics if the Congress announces him as chief ministerial face, she said he will return. "But otherwise, he is earning good money and he is happy," she added. We always speak for Punjab but we do not have Rs 500 crore to secure the chief ministerial chair, she said. When asked if anybody demanded money from them, she said that nobody demanded from them but the "one who gives a suitcase of Rs 500 crore, he becomes the CM". 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
07 December,2025 11:21 AM IST | Chandigarh | PTIAt least 23 persons were killed in a blaze at a nightclub in North Goa following a cylinder blast late Saturday night, police said. Most of the dead were the club's kitchen workers, and included three women, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said. There were 'three to four tourists' among those killed, he added. Sawant, who rushed to the spot, told reporters that of the 23, three succumbed to burn injuries and the others died due to suffocation. As per initial information, the nightclub had not abided by the fire safety norms, the chief minister said. The fire broke out at Birch by Romeo Lane after midnight. The popular party venue at Arpora village, around 25 km from the state capital Panaji, opened last year, 'We will take action against the club management and also against the officials who allowed it to operate despite flouting safety norms,' Sawant said. 'This is an unfortunate incident during the peak tourist season in the coastal state,' Sawant said. 'We will conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident and stringent action will be taken against the guilty,' the chief minister added. Goa police chief Alok Kumar told PTI that the fire occurred due to a cylinder blast. "All the 23 bodies have been recovered from the premises and sent to the government medical college at Bambolim,' local BJP MLA Michael Lobo said. Firefighters and police teams rushed to the spot immediately and were engaged in rescue efforts through the night, Lobo told reporters. Lobo said officials will conduct the fire safety audit of all the clubs to ensure that such incidents do not recur. The Calangute panchayat will be issuing notices to all the nightclubs on Monday asking them to provide fire safety permissions, the MLA said. The licenses of clubs not having necessary permissions will be cancelled, he added. 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
07 December,2025 11:10 AM IST | Panaji | PTIDuring a visit to Delhi, British star Hugh Grant on Saturday said his father was born in an obscure northern town in the Indian subcontinent, which may now be in Pakistan, and joked that this makes him “half Indian”. The British star, known for romance classics such as “Four Weddings and a Funeral”, “Notting Hill” and “Love Actually”. “My father was a soldier. In fact, he was born in India. I had to find his birth certificate, and it was really tough. It was some obscure town in the north of India. It may well be Pakistan now,” Grant, 65, said. “He was born in either India or Pakistan. I guess that makes me half Indian, really,” he added. Hugh Grant. Pic/X@hughgrantupdate Grant also recalled his first visit to India in 1988 when he came to shoot for “La Nuit Bengali” (The Bengali Night) in Kolkata, then Calcutta. “I shot a very arty film in 1988 in Kolkata and it never really had much of a release... but I thoroughly enjoyed being in Kolkata, although people said, ‘Hugh, it is going to be a cultural shock for you.’ and it was but I ended up loving it,” he said. “I for some reason got swept up into Kolkata high society, went to cocktail parties and polo. I didn’t know that life still existed anywhere. But it existed then in Kolkata. The Tollygunge Club and I went there to parties and people like Moon Moon Sen, I had a lovely time there.” Adapted from the semi-autobiographical novel by Mircea Eliade, “La Nuit Bengali” was set in 1930s Calcutta. Starring Grant and Supriya Pathak in the lead roles, the film follows a young European engineer who becomes entangled in a forbidden romance with the daughter of the traditional Bengali family hosting him. The movie also starred cinema icons Shabana Azmi and the late Soumitra Chatterjee in pivotal roles. 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
07 December,2025 07:58 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesAfter days of disruptions, IndiGo on Saturday reported a major recovery in its network, an official statement said. The airline said that it was on its way to operate 1,500 flights by the end of the day, restoring connectivity to 95 per cent of its destinations. An airline spokesperson said that the efforts were ongoing to fully stabilise operations and thanked passengers, staff, and government agencies for their support and patience. The statement said that on Friday, the airline operated just over 700 flights connecting 113 destinations as it rebooted its network, systems, and rosters. "Addressing the recent disruptions in our network, we had cancelled a significant number of flights and operated little above 700 flights yesterday connecting 113 destinations. The main objective was to reboot the network, systems, and rosters so that we could start afresh today with higher number of flights, improved stability, and there are some early signs of improvement. Today, we are on our way to operate over 1500 flights by end of day. With regards to destinations, over 95 per cent of network connectivity has already been re-established as we are able to operate to 135 out of the existing 138 destinations in operations. While we understand that we have a long way to go, we are committed to build back the trust of our customers. We would like to thank all our partners and government agencies for their constant support and guidance. Most of all we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our customers and staff for their patience and cooperation through these tough times. We apologise once again," an IndiGo Spokesperson said. Status of IndiGo operations at Mumbai airport on December 6, 2025 (from 0000 hrs to 2000 hrs.) Arrivals at Mumbai airport on Saturday: 70 flights Departures: 76 flights Total cancellations: 146 flights
06 December,2025 11:12 PM IST | Mumbai | Madhulika Ram KavatturAir India and Air India Express have clarified that they have capped economy class fares on all non-stop domestic flights since December 4, 2025. The move was taken to prevent fare hikes that usually occur through revenue management systems when demand increases suddenly, an official statement said. The airlines said they were aware of screenshots circulating online that showed very high last-minute fares for journeys involving one-stop or two-stop routes, or combinations of economy, premium economy and business class. They explained that it is not technically possible to cap every such route or mixed-class itinerary, especially those displayed on third-party booking platforms. However, the airlines confirmed they are engaging with these platforms to ensure better monitoring and oversight. A spokesperson said that both Air India and Air India Express are working to add more capacity so that the travellers and their baggage can reach their destinations as quickly as possible. "Air India & Air India Express clarify that, since 4 December, economy class airfares on non-stop domestic flights have been proactively capped to prevent the usual demand-and-supply mechanism being applied by revenue management systems. We are aware of screenshots of last-minute itineraries with one-stop or two-stop flights or a combination of economy and premium economy or business cabins taken from third party platforms. It is not technically possible to cap all such permutations, but we are engaging such platforms to exercise oversight. Air India and Air India Express are seeking to add capacity to help travellers and their baggage reach their destinations as quickly as possible," an Air India spokesperson said. The airlines also announced a series of measures to support passengers affected by the widespread travel disruptions across the country. The airlines said the steps are aimed at helping stranded travellers reach their destinations as smoothly as possible. To offer passengers more flexibility, the airlines have introduced a one-time waiver of change or cancellation fees. This applies to customers who booked their domestic Air India or Air India Express tickets on or before December 4 for travel until December 15, 2025. They may reschedule their travel without paying rescheduling fees (fare difference may apply), or cancel their tickets and receive a full refund with no cancellation charges, it said. The waiver is valid for changes or cancellations made until 8 December 2025. Passengers may contact the 24x7 call centres or their travel agents. Air India Express customers can also use its chatbot Tia via WhatsApp, the website, mobile app, and Facebook Messenger. "Both airlines have deployed more staff to manage high call volumes and reduce waiting times. Air India: +91 11 6932 9333 and Air India Express: +91 124 443 5600 / +91 124 693 5600," an official statement said. The airlines also said they are using every available seat to help stranded travellers. Where possible, eligible Economy passengers may be upgraded at no extra cost. Additional flights are also being operated on key routes to clear backlogs and ensure passengers—and their baggage—reach their destinations quickly. It said that Air India and Air India Express confirmed that students, senior citizens, armed forces personnel and their dependents will continue to receive special discounted fares. These concessions may allow eligible passengers to book fares even lower than the capped economy rates.
06 December,2025 10:52 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party NCP (SP) leader and Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule has introduced a private member’s Right to Disconnect Bill aimed at protecting employees from excessive digital work pressure and ensuring a healthier work–life balance, reported the ANI. Titled “The Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025,” the proposal gives employees the legal right to stop responding to work-related emails, calls or messages outside office hours. It also allows penalties of 1 per cent of the total employee remuneration for companies that fail to comply, according to the ANI. In a post on X, Sule said the Bill seeks to “reduce burnout caused by today’s digital culture” and improve overall quality of life. The Bill argues that while modern communication technology offers flexibility, it has also blurred the boundaries between personal and professional life. It cites research showing that employees expected to be available round the clock often suffer from sleep deprivation, stress, emotional exhaustion and “telepressure” — the compulsion to check messages constantly, even on weekends and holidays. It also refers to “info-obesity”, a condition linked to overloading the brain with continuous digital communication, as per the ANI. To restore balance, the Bill says employees must have the right to protect their personal time and decline work communications after hours. At the same time, it allows companies flexibility to negotiate terms suited to their work culture. It also proposes overtime pay at the normal wage rate if employees choose to work outside regular hours, the news agency reported. The Bill further recommends counselling services to promote healthier digital habits and even suggests the creation of “digital detox centres” to help employees disconnect meaningfully. Supriya Sule said the Bill aims to protect employees’ rights while recognising employers’ operational needs, creating more respectful and sustainable work environments. Alongside this, she introduced two more private member’s Bill, the Paternity and Paternal Benefits Bill, 2025, which proposes paid paternal leave to allow fathers to play an active role in early childcare, support new mothers and encourage flexible parenting. The Code on Social Security (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to classify platform-based gig workers as a separate category entitled to minimum wages, regulated working hours, social security, fair contracts and safer working conditions. Many other Lok Sabha members also introduced their private member’s Bills during the session. (with ANI inputs)
06 December,2025 10:21 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
