SC Agrees to Examine Plea against Acquittal of 22 Accused in Sohrabuddin Shaikh Encounter Case
According to the prosecution case, Sohrabuddin, his wife and Prajapati were travelling by bus from Hyderabad to Sangli in Maharashtra when they were allegedly taken into custody by a police team on the night of November 22-23, 2005
FDA officials extorting lakhs from eateries, quick-commerce firms, alleges Raut; seeks probe
Sanjay Raut has accused Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration officials of engaging in extortion against local businesses. He claims that officials are bypassing legal procedures to extract money from hotel and quick-commerce operators. According to Raut, complaints lead to inspections that may not be genuine. He is demanding an independent inquiry and disciplinary action against errant officials. Raut believes that the system's improvement cannot happen without control over FDA officials.
Medical community can't be attacked: SC cancels Shiv Sena corporator's bail
Asserting that the medical fraternity cannot be touched, the Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Bombay High Court order granting bail to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre who was accused of assaulting doctors at a municipal hospital in Thane district. The corporator was directed to surrender within three days A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta admitted the Maharashtra government's order appeal for hearing. The message should go out loud and clear that the medical fraternity cannot be touched. They serve people and cannot be attacked in this manner, it said. There was a similar incident involving the same party after the Mhatre episode, the apex court noted. Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Mhatre, said two witnesses had already been examined. The complainant, a woman doctor, is to be examined on October 3, the trial has started and there is no obstruction, he said. The bench said the Mhatre incident also shows that he was involved in 19 criminal case
Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd leads gainers in 'A' group
KPI Green Energy Ltd, Elecon Engineering Company Ltd, Mangalore Refinery And Petrochemicals Ltd and Aegis Vopak Terminals Ltd are among the other gainers in the BSE's 'A' group today, 28 September 2026.
DRDO, CSIR to develop lightweight bulletproof glass for armoured vehicles
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has joined hands with CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI) as technology partner for a Rs 50-crore project to develop indigenous advanced lightweight bulletproof glass for armoured vehicles. The four-year project, being executed with DRDO laboratories including the Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL) in Maharashtra and TBRL in Chandigarh, is at an advanced stage and seeks to take the technology from laboratory development to large-scale manufacturing with an industry partner to be selected by DRDO. The technology is aimed at replacing imported transparent armour while reducing its weight and thickness by up to 50 per cent. The Rs 50-crore project is aimed at developing advanced indigenous bulletproof glass technology for defence applications and aligns our R&D capabilities directly with national strategic requirements, CSIR-CGCRI Director Bikramjit Basu told PTI. The project is focused on ..
Nifty PSU Bank tanks 2%, stocks dip up to 4%; Analysts flag rate hike woes
PSU Bank stocks slide: Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, Union Bank of India, Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank and Bank of Baroda declined 2-4% in Monday's trading session.
IndusInd Bank CEO Rajiv Anand says name unmapped from voter roll
Rajiv Anand, the MD and CEO of IndusInd Bank, has been informed that his name is unmapped from the electoral roll. He expressed confusion as he has valid identification including voter ID and Aadhar card. The Election Commission is conducting a Special Intensive Revision for voter list updates. They have extended deadlines for filing claims in Delhi and Maharashtra as part of this effort.
Shiv Sena(UBT) accuses EC of voter disenfranchisement, warns of public unrest in 'Saamana'
Digital Desk | Mumbai, Sep 28 (IANS) The Shiv Sena(UBT) on Monday accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of eroding democratic institutions and using key constitutional bodies for political gain. The criticism follows media reports which uncovered severe internal rifts within the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The party said that there has been rising public anger and political friction culminating in widespread demonstrations across major Indian cities, following revelations surrounding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Strongly condemning the Chief Election Commissioner's alleged bias, the Thackeray camp in the party's mouthpiece, 'Saamana', described the current situation as a direct assault on Indian democracy. The Saamana editorial asserted that constitutional offices are being used as partisan instruments, alleging that 13 crore voters were systematically disenfranchised in key states like Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Bihar as part of a strategy to influence election outcomes. The Chief Election Commissioners actions have compromised the neutrality of an autonomous institution. Rather than acting as a neutral arbiter of democracy, the Election Commission is functioning under political influence, the editorial stated, calling for the immediate resignation and accountability of top officials. The editorial said that controversy has triggered a wave of public outrage. In New Delhi, thousands of protesters, student groups, and political activists gathered at Jantar Mantar over the weekend, demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, it claimed. According to the editorial, heavy police and security personnel surrounded the protest site and key areas in Central Delhi, making several arrests as demonstrators raised slogans against the government. Protests were also witnessed in Mumbai, with demonstrators gathering near metro stations, railway platforms, and public places to voice their anger over the reported electoral malpractices and administrative overreach. Tensions mounted further after former Kerala Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson disclosed that CEC Gyanesh Kumar -- while still serving as a senior bureaucrat -- had attempted to persuade him to join the BJP, contest the Lok Sabha elections on a party ticket from Kerala, and promised a central ministerial berth if he won, stated the editorial. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena said that the political fallout has united opposition forces. West Bengal former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reportedly reached out to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Left parties, urging a united front under the INDIA bloc to formulate a coordinated strategy against the government and demand transparency in the electoral process, it added. While BJP spokespersons and leaders from BJP-ruled states defended the Election Commission and dismissed the allegations as political rhetoric, opposition leaders insisted that public discontent was rapidly reaching a tipping point. The editorial concluded by warning that unless constitutional integrity is restored, widespread public unrest will continue to challenge the government's legitimacy.
IndusInd Bank CEO Rajiv Anand says his name 'unmapped' from voter roll
IndusInd Bank MD & CEO Rajiv Anand has said his name has been unmapped from the electoral roll and he has been asked to appear for a hearing to avoid deletion from the voter list. I have been told my name is unmapped from the voting list. I have voted in every election ever since I have been eligible to vote. I hold a passport, PAN Card, voter ID card and Aadhar card. I am now being asked to appear for a hearing else my name will be deleted. Why should I?, Anand said in a X post on Sunday. Indians have so many certificates to prove who they are. Aadhar card. PAN Card. Voter ID. Passport. You would think there is an identity crisis!, he said in another post. Amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, the Election Commission last week announced a slew of decisions for the ease of voters who have been issued notices, including doorstep collection of documents and extending deadlines in Delhi and Maharashtra. The period for filing claims and objections has ...
Dilip Buildcon bags NHAI road project worth Rs 688 cr in Maharashtra
Dilip Buildcon secures transmission project in Yavatmal, Maharashtra
Under TBCB route
Parked BMW on highway catches fire; consumer court orders insurer to pay Rs 70 lakh
Maharashtra state consumer commission ruled that United India Insurance must compensate a BMW owner after a claim rejection. The car was destroyed by fire following a late-night tyre puncture, leading to the owner seeking compensation. The commission determined that the owner's actions constituted reasonable precautions under the circumstances. The insurer's refusal was deemed a deficiency in service without sufficient justification.
LPU protest: NH-44 traffic restored, situation under control, say police
Students of Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara went on a rampage on the campus on Sunday, vandalising property and blocking a stretch of the New Delhi-Amritsar highway outside their campus over claims that an outsider raped a female student on the university premises
Former Tripura CM Manik Sarkar faces black-flag protest in Tripura
Sarkar was the Chief Minister of Tripura for 20 years between 1998 and 2018
AI could drive events causing one billion deaths: Bill Gates
Theres never been a weapon as powerful as the combination of people with ill intent using the latest AI tools, he added
US-China tariff plan covers dollar 30 billion each way
The board is focused initially on trade in non-sensitive goods between the two countries
Delhi PWD Minister slaps man on camera
A young man standing nearby was recording the proceedings when Verma allegedly slapped him
Bank of Maharashtra among 5 stocks showing RSI trending up
Five Nifty500 stocks gained over 3% and featured in StockEdges RSI Trending Up scan on September 25, signalling strengthening momentum as their RSI values crossed above 50.
Amit Shah flags off Indias first LNG train from Sabarmati station in Gujarat
Among these are line doubling works, the Kavach train protection system, automatic signalling system and a WAG-12 electric locomotive maintenance shed
Punjab: LPU protest turns violent over alleged rape
A special investigation team has also been formed to investigate the matter, police said
Tamil Nadu govt revokes order exempting Law and Order dept from RTI Act
The administration officially withdrew the GO of the Human Resources Management (R) Department, dated September 21
New satellite engine uses atmosphere as fuel source
Featuring an efficient intake and an MRI-inspired thruster, the system operates on solar power and could also support future Mars missions
Activist Sonam Wangchuk backs Oct 2 CJP protest against CEC
While he expressed his support for CJPs proposed agitation, Wangchuk added that he might not be physically present during the protest
Masoud Pezeshkian says Iran wont retreat as Trump rejects ceasefire proposal
The navy said that the vehicle was being examined by specialists to recover its data
India is still a solid democracy
Its easy to see why this country continues to be a shining beacon of hope for countries where citizens have no voice
Keeping beaches clean is part of our civic duty!
Cynics may scoff this is a one-off effort, and others may laugh at what critics call a photo-op
Mumbai toilet deaths: Factory, toilet block sealed as family seeks strictest punishment
Two youths tragically died after visiting a public toilet block in Goregaon on Sunday night. Following their deaths, Vanrai police filed an FIR against the factory owner and staff of a metal polishing unit. Relatives of the victims expressed their grief as they sought justice for their untimely deaths. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board is monitoring the site for pollution levels after the incident.
Maharashtra declares drought in 265 of 368 talukas
Maharashtra declares drought in 265 talukas across 32 districts, announcing crop-loss surveys, farm loan relief, fee waivers, jobs, water and fodder support.
Education in Ireland Fair on October 4
Pawar writes to CM, demands special session, Rs1 lakh per hectare for farmers
LVK agreement gives global G-wave network plan a boost
11 from Malegaon arrested for stealing cellphones during immersion procession
Maximum Retail Price in India: Consumer Protection or a Tool for Exploitation
Maximum Retail Price (MRP) was introduced in India in 1990 through an amendment to the Standards of Weights and Measures (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 1976 , by the Ministry of Civil Supplies. MRP was primarily introduced as a consumer protection mechanism to prevent exploitation in markets with fragmented supply chains by Preventing Black-Marketing and Price Gouging. In remote areas or during times of high demand (like a festival or a shortage), retailers might be tempted to artificially inflate prices. MRP sets a legal ceiling. Providing Asymmetric Information Balance: Consumers often do not know the fair market value of packaged goods. The printed MRP gives them instant transparency and bargaining leverage. It also provides governments with a clear, uniform baseline to calculate indirect taxes (like GST) at the manufacturing level rather than trying to track varying retail prices across millions of stores. While designed to protect consumers, manufacturers and retailers use MRP as a highly strategic pricing and psychological tool to cheat the customers at large. Manufacturers frequently set an artificially high MRP. This allows retailers to offer massive, permanent discounts (e.g., MRP Rs.100, Our Price Rs. 49). It triggers a psychological sense of value and urgency in the buyer. Sometimes they print different MRPs on the exact same product depending on where it is sold. A bottle of water sold at a local grocery store might have an MRP of Rs. 20, but the same bottle destined for a luxury hotel, multiplex, or airport might have a printed MRP of Rs. 60 to legally justify higher margins. Additionally, a high MRP gives manufacturers the flexibility to absorb sudden increases in raw material costs or supply chain disruptions without needing to constantly reprint packaging. By setting the maximum cap, manufacturers dictate the maximum profit a retailer can make, effectively maintaining control over their brand's market positioning and preventing retail wars that could devalue the product. Other major problems with the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) system include: Unpriced loose goods: Fruits, milk, flour, grains, and pulses are often sold without an MRP. Prices can fluctuate daily, and consumers in rural or remote areas may have fewer sellers to choose from. Limited competition can enable traders to overcharge, making effective government oversight important. Overcharging: Some retailers charge above the printed MRP or add unexplained fees. Consumers buying several items may not notice. Inflated MRPs: Manufacturers may set high MRPs for products sold through channels with limited competition, such as airports, or for goods consumers find difficult to compare. This can enable unusually high margins. Artificial discounts: A product with a fair market price of 100 might carry an MRP of 200 and be advertised at 40% off for 120. The customer pays 20% above the fair price but may believe they got a bargain. No standard rates for services: Consumers often have little basis for judging the cost of services, from plumbing and electrical work to legal representation. Published reference rates, like taxi fare cards, could help consumers compare prices, even if service rates cannot be fixed. MRP gives governments a uniform basis for calculating indirect taxes such as GST at the manufacturing level, avoiding the need to track prices across millions of stores. But it can also be used as a pricing and psychological tool that disadvantages consumers. Generally, manufacturers do set an artificially high MRP such that retailers can advertise steep discounts that make ordinary prices seem like bargains. The same product may also carry different MRPs for different sales channels, such as grocery stores, hotels, multiplexes, or airports. A high MRP can further give manufacturers room to absorb cost increases without changing packaging and limit how retailers price a product, helping protect its market position. This is substantiated by the fact that retailers of consumer products invariably promote 50 % or higher discounts or evenbroadcast Buy one get one or even two free. Such promotions are not possible unless the profit margins are very high. Recently, in April 2026, Zee News exposed a massive profiteering scam on its prime-time show DNA, revealing that basic medical equipment was being sold at up to 3,000% markups using inflated Maximum Retail Prices (MRP). Investigative reports showed items like BP monitors, thermometers, and glucometers procured at low wholesale prices (such as Rs 7 or Rs 325) carried inflated retail MRPs reaching up to Rs 210 and Rs 1,750. Public Impact: The expose highlighted how the medical mafia and supply chain loopholes fleece ordinary citizens on everyday healthcare essentials. It is encouraging to note that the Lawmakers and politicians across parties acknowledged the issue, calling for strict rate controls and standardised pricing parameters for medical devices akin to essential drugs. (Although the pricing of essential drugs also needs to be put to strict scrutiny). Of late, even the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, in addition to the exposure of Food Adulteration across Maharashtra, also exposed massive price markups of up to 2,841% on essential medical consumables and surgical items in private hospitals. A state-wide audit by the Maharashtra FDA reviewed procurement invoices and patient bills across healthcare facilities. The survey found a huge gap between what hospitals pay to buy basic items and the printed Maximum Retail Price (MRP) charged to patients: IV Infusion Sets: Bought for 11.05, billed to patients at 325 (a 2,841% markup). Routine Syringes: Bought for 6.75, billed at 57.20 (a 747% markup). Catheters: Bought for 29.41, billed at 310 (a 954% markup). IV Cannula Extensions: Bought for 22.50, billed at 424 (a 1,784% markup). Nebuliser Kits: Bought for 45, billed at 652. Hepa Breathing Filters: Bought for 50, billed at 473. The above data is confined to medical emergency equipment only, but the buck does not stop here. Presently, practically for all the products sold in the Indian retail markets, be it medicines, electronic, electric, mechanical or daily-use products like clothing/garments, consumer goods or groceries, etc., the MRPs are highly inflated. Does nobody in the government look into the gross exploitation of the common man in the Country? Despite the remarkable progress our country has made over the past seven decades, it is worth recalling a warning issued in 1921 by C. RajagopalachariRajaji, one of the most distinguished intellectuals among Indias freedom leaders. Writing from Vellore Jail, he cautioned that We all ought to know that Swaraj will not at once or, I think, even for a long time to come, be better government or greater happiness for the people. Elections and their corruptions, injustice, and the power and tyranny of wealth, and inefficiency of administration, will make a hell of life as soon as freedom is given to us. Men will look regretfully back to the old regime of comparative justice, and efficient, peaceful, more or less honest administration. The only thing gained will be that as a race we will be saved from dishonour and subordination. Hope lies only in universal education by which right conduct, fear of God, and love will be developed among the citizens from childhood. It is only if we succeed in this that Swaraj will mean happiness. Otherwise, it will mean the grinding injustices and tyranny of wealth. (The Author is a Former Fellow of the United Nations University. Feedback: ssapru@gmail.com)
Car crashes into railings after driver hits bike, 7 injured
No farmer will be left out of drought relief: Fadnavis
128 deaths in 8 months this year on Samruddhi e-way
After months of sightings, forest team finally rescues Nagbhid bear
2 Vidarbha women power Indias gold surge in Asian Games
Remove festive advertising material in 48hrs: Civic group to PMC
Congress to meet BMC over slum demolition in Mumbai
Cybercrook dupes woman of Rs8L on word of marriage
Opposition slams Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation mayors US study tour
On World Rivers Day, Punes river movement seek a Mula-Mutha reconnect
Cop dies of heart attack hrs after immersion duty
Jewellery store heist in Navi Mumbai: One held, 3 others at large
Start ops at super speciality dental care and research centre within 3 months, orders CM
Bank unions defer three-day nationwide strike after IBA assurance
The strike, called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), was scheduled to begin on September 28 and coincided with the half-yearly closing of banks. With the strike deferred, banks will remain open on Monday
TMC won 15 seats with sharpest voter drop: Fadnavis on SIR row
4 weeks after delivery boys death, driver arrested using mobile trail
15,000 in Bhamragarh cut-off for 48 hrs, 3 patients airlifted
Senior citizen killed in hit-and-run as biker flees without offering help
Six Years Later, Maha Graduates & Teachers Polls Hit New Political Math
Alliances, Party Structures And Candidate Equations Have Changed Since 2020
Gadchiroli Malaria Cases Dip 41.6% Amid Stepped-Up Vigil
NMC Makes Utility Ducts, Rainwater Shafts Mandatory In New Roads
Delays in Punes Sadhu Vaswani bridge project leave residents trapped
Woman hides 14L jewellery, stages burglary to stop husband from selling it
BMC to deploy 2 more unmanned boats to clear floating waste at Sassoon Dock in Mumbai
Rs575.79 Crore Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital Work Begins at Indora
Govt allots plot for Sant Ravidas memorial in Nagpur, state to fund construction
Lakhani re-elected chief of Maha Badminton Association, Kashikar as senior vice-president
Fatal head-on crash kills father, son and driver on NH 61 in Maharashtra
Maharashtra Tribunal awards Rs 4 crore to 2018 bike crash victims kin
BJP Faces Internal Tussle Over Nagpur Graduates Poll Ticket
Wadgaon Sheri residents march against plastic bags, seek stricter PMC action
Heavy traffic in core Pune prompts commuters to turn to Metro, PMPML services during Ganeshotsav
Cockroach Janta Party announces Jail Bharo Andolan after Mumbai Police denies protest permission
VBAs Prakash Ambedkar questions LoP Rahul Gandhi over lack of united opposition protest in ECI issue
Friend says IIT-B student told her in last call he cheated: Cops
Reduced rent for Dharavi locals refusing to vacate: Firm
IIT-B suicide probe panel gets 1-week extension, parents to begin hunger strike on Sept 28
Bombay HC: Cant deny claim if first policy ends, second kicks in during hospital stay
Fadnavis Attacks Rahul Gandhi Over Vote Theft Allegations
Mr. Gandhi was deliberately creating doubts about constitutional institutions: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis
Beed MSEDCL Technician Held For Bribe
A senior Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) technician was apprehended by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Beed for allegedly accepting a Rs 13,000 bribe. The technician demanded money to replace a faulty electricity meter and restore power supply to a complainant's residence.
Rohit Pawar Warns Voter Deletions in Maharashtra Could Reach 3 Crore
Nearly 2.07 crore enumeration forms were not collected, but officials attributed the uncollected forms to deceased, relocated, untraceable or duplicate entries.
Travel operators seek one-month tax waiver for out-of-State tourist vehicles during Mysuru Dasara
In a representation to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh and the Transport Commissioner, the association requested that tourist transport vehicles arriving from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Goa and Maharashtra be exempted from the applicable taxes and permit fees during the festival period.
Drought across Maharashtra clouds Mumbais water relief despite 97% lake stock
Punjab: Protests erupt at university after posts about alleged rape
A senior police official said that the students began protesting at around 2 am on Sunday after the reports about an alleged rape case in the campus spread on social media
El Nino peak expected in February2027: Fadnavis
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said El Nino could peak around February 2027 as the state prepares for drought and water shortages.
Back-to-back pujas, 40 homes a day: Ganeshotsav had priests racing against time
Weather updates tomorrow: The IMD has forecast rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds across several parts of India on September 28. Uttarakhand, parts of northeast India, Maharashtra and southern states are likely to see rainfall, while isolated heavy rain is expected in some areas. The weather comes as the southwest monsoon continues to withdraw, with multiple weather systems influencing conditions across the country.
Asian Games 2026: Harita Bhadra Wins Women
Indias sprint campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 concluded on a high note on Sunday, courtesy of a stellar performance by debutant Harita Bhadra. The 23-year-old Maharashtra sprinter clinched a hard-earned bronze medal in the womens 200m final, bringing a glorious end to Indias podium drought in the event. Clocking an impressive 23.20 seconds, [] The post Asian Games 2026: Harita Bhadra Wins Womens 200m Bronze appeared first on Pragativadi I Latest Odisha News in English I Breaking News .
Ganeshotsav: 29.77 lakh people undergo health screening under special campaign
A total of 53,862 health camps were organised across all 36 districts of Maharashtra, providing people with access to basic health screening close to their homes and neighbourhoods, officials said
Fadnavis flags El Nino concerns as govt begins assessment in drought-hit talukas
The government declared drought in 265 of the states 358 talukas, covering around 74 per cent of the state, following deficient rainfall and prolonged dry spells. The decision has triggered a package of relief measures for affected farmers and rural communities
Responding to a query on water wastage at certain facilities, CM Fadnavis said every district should prepare a water plan
