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Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Maharashtra BJP neta's aide Prafulla Lodha named in ‘honeytrap op', booked in third rape case; threatened survivor with job loss
Prafulla Lodha, an aide of a BJP leader, faces sexual assault charges. Pune police booked him for allegedly assaulting a woman after promising her husband a job. He threatened to take away her job when she refused to have sex with him. Lodha is already in Mumbai police custody for similar cases. PUNE: A purported aide of a senior BJP leader, Prafulla Lodha (62), who has been accused by the opposition of being involved in an alleged honey-trapping operation used to topple the MVA govt in the state, has been booked by Pune's Bavdhan police on charges of sexually assaulting a 36-year-old woman under the pretext of helping her husband secure a job and later threatening to take away her job when she refused to have sex with him. Lodha is in Mumbai police's custody in connection with similar cases registered at MIDC and Sakinaka police stations. Pimpri Chinchwad police said that the alleged sexual assault occurred on May 27 in a hotel room in Pune. "The woman approached us with her complaint on July 17 and we immediately registered a case. We are in the process of securing Lodha's custody from our Mumbai counterparts," said senior inspector Anil Vibhute of Bavdhan police. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Police have invoked sections 64 (1) (rape) and 351 (2) (criminal intimidation) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita in the case. The survivor is the sole breadwinner of her family and the accused threatened to take away her job using his influence. Vibhute said the woman was scared after the accused threatened her. The officer said she reached the police station more than a month after the incident, when she gained the courage to lodge a complaint. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 15 Most Beautiful Women in the World Undo Sakinaka police had booked Lodha, from Jalgaon district, earlier this month for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl and her friend, also under the pretext of getting them jobs. He was also accused of holding them captive and torturing them at his house in Chakala. In another case registered against him at the MIDC police station in the same month, he allegedly raped a woman in Andheri using the same ruse. He was arrested by Mumbai police from Chakala on July 5. On Monday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut had alleged that Lodha had played a key role in an alleged honeytrap operation involving several MPs and MLAs of the state. Raut had said they were blackmailed using compromising videos and these were also used to topple the MVA govt. Last week, Congress leaders had claimed that 72 politicians, bureaucrats and former officials had allegedly fallen prey to the honeytrap in the state. CM Devendra Fadnavis had dismissed Congress's allegations. "There is no honey and no trap," he had said in the assembly. (The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Amid Maharashtra poll ‘fraud' row, decks cleared for EVM verification, mock polls in Pune seats
Months after several losing Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidates alleged irregularities in the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Pune district election officer has ordered inspection and verification of electronic voting machines (EVMs) of 27 polling stations in the Hadapsar constituency on an application of NCP(SP) candidate Prashant Jagtap from July 25 to August 2. Jagtap was defeated by sitting NCP legislator Chetan Tupe by 7,122 votes. Jagtap has deposited a fee of Rs 12.74 lakh to the district election officer or collector for the EVMs' verification in 27 of the constituency's booths, where he believes he should have gained an upper hand. The checking and verification of the 27 EVMs, which will also involve mock polls, will be done at the Bhosari godown in the district, where the voting machines are stored in a strong room. The entire process will be carried out as per the Election Commission (EC)'s standard operating procedure (SOP). Each EVM comprising a control unit and a VVPAT (voter verified paper audit trail) machine with 1,400 votes would be checked, official sources said. Two EVMs would be verified on July 25, followed by the checking of four voting machines each day for the next six days, with the remaining one machine to be verified on August 2. According to the deputy district election officer and deputy collector, Meenal Kalaskar, 27 EVMs' data will be verified, which were registered during the counting of votes in November 2024, in the presence of the candidate's representatives. 'The data will be erased and a mock poll for each EVM consisting of a control unit and a VVPAT will be conducted to further verify the operation of the machine,' Kalaskar said, adding that a final report will be submitted to the EC for any further action. Jagtap said the checking and verification of EVMs would 'expose' alleged electoral malpractices due to which, he claimed, he lost the polls in Hadapsar to his NCP rival. He said he would seek re-election once it is proved that the EVMs had 'discrepancies' during the polls. While the Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP) is an ally of the MVA, the NCP, headed by Ajit Pawar, is a key constituent of the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition. Chetan Tupe, however, rejected Jagtap's allegations, saying that 'The defeated candidate will achieve nothing out of this exercise. It is a mere mock poll. It has been proved time and again that EVMs are accurate. The defeated candidate has raised doubts about EVMs, so it is between Jagtap and Election Commission.' He also said, 'I have been elected and declared a legislator constitutionally. I have nothing to worry about. There is no question of any re-election.' The mock drill of each EVM is done before the start of voting and only verified machines are used in actual polling, Tupe said, pointing out that the verification of five EVMs of each Assembly constituency had also been done after the counting of votes, in which votes polled are matched with the VVPAT slips. 'Both times, there were no problems in EVMs. It will be the same now,' he said, adding Jagtap should accept his defeat. The incumbent Mahayuti, which includes the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena besides the NCP (SP), swept the Assembly polls, winning 235 of the total 288 seats as against the MVA's 50, with the latter comprising the Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP. However, barely five months earlier, in June 2024, the MVA had won 30 of the total 48 seats in the Lok Sabha polls in the state as against the Mahayuti's 17. So, in the wake of the Assembly poll results, the MVA leaders alleged that manipulated EVMs and rigged polls caused their debacle, with some of their losing candidates challenging it before the state election authorities too. The Pune administration's July 25-August 2 exercise will also involve the district's Khadakwasla Assembly constituency. The losing NCP(SP) candidate in Khadakwasla, Sachin Dodke, has sought the inspection and verification of only two EVMs though. He was defeated by BJP candidate Bhimrao Tapkir by 52,000 votes, who bagged the seat for the fourth consecutive time. Significantly, an NCP(SP) candidate, Uttamrao Jankar, also alleged tampering of EVMs despite winning his election from the Malshiras Assembly seat in Solapur district against the BJP candidate by over 13,000 votes. He extended his support to a mock poll with ballot papers proposed by the people of Markadwadi village in his constituency to 'verify' the Assembly poll results. However, the Markadwadi villagers' proposed ballot paper exercise on December 3 last year was called off after police warned of action citing prohibitory orders issued by the district administration. 'We will take up this issue with the EC and judiciary, we will not stop until we get justice,' Jankar had then said.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Hidden cameras, Pegasus-like systems were used to honeytrap MLAs of MVA government: Sena (UBT)
MUMBAI: Hidden cameras and a Pegasus-like surveillance system were used to honeytrap Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) MLAs and MPs, leading to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led government in 2022, the Shiv Sena (UBT) claimed on Tuesday. A Saamana editorial stated that some MLAs of the undivided Shiv Sena and the NCP switched loyalties due to pressure from Central agencies. At least 18 MLAs and four MPs were "honeytrapped," prompting them to join hands with the BJP to save their image. It further said Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar had alleged that MPs and MLAs were blackmailed and as a former leader of the opposition, his remarks must be taken seriously. "Hidden cameras and a Pegasus-like system from Israel were used (for surveillance) to its fullest extent. It is now clear that the MVA government collapsed due to this (honey) trapping," the editorial said. Pegasus is a spyware developed by Israeli cyber-arms company NSO Group. The BJP had a system to honeytrap, and even policemen conducted surveillance on the opposition, the Saamana said.
India Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
We'll realise dream of Maharashtra: Uddhav Thackeray on reuniting with cousin Raj
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, in a wide-ranging interview with Shiv Sena's mouthpiece, spoke extensively on the political developments in Maharashtra, but it was his remarks on reuniting with his cousin and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray that drew the sharpest together for the first time in two decades, the Thackeray cousins' announcement stirred both political circles and public about the possibility of a broader political alliance with Raj Thackeray, Uddhav responded, "Who has a problem with us coming together? They should take care of their own problems. Why should we think about it?" He added that their reunion had brought joy not just to Marathi people, but also to other communities. "Even our Muslim brothers were happy, openly expressing it. Gujarati and Hindi-speaking citizens said, 'Achcha kiya aapne.' If someone has a stomachache, it's their stomachache. I ignore that."When asked whether this show of unity would extend into political coordination, Uddhav said, "We have come together after 20 years. This is not even a little - this is very big. Our appearance together is more important than our speech today."He emphasised that politics was not the immediate priority, asserting, "I am ready to do whatever is needed for the Marathi language, for the religion of Maharashtra, for the Marathi people."Responding to queries on the Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance and local elections, Uddhav said discussions were ongoing. He mentioned that the Congress may take local-level decisions and if that happens, his party will respond whether coming together with MNS could affect MVA dynamics, he clarified, "Mumbai is not politically separate from Maharashtra. It is the capital. Every municipal corporation has autonomy. Each unit will do what is politically right."PAHALGAM ATTACK, ARTICLE 370 AND MOREIn the course of the interview, Thackeray also made sharp criticisms of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government's handling of national security, particularly in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 26 civilians it a "failure of the government," he questioned, "How could this attack have happened in the first place? We were constantly being told that the situation in Kashmir has been restored."He recalled how the Shiv Sena had supported the removal of Article 370 and the revival of tourism in Kashmir, but pointed out glaring lapses in security."Tourists who had gone there believing that they could spend joyful moments with their families were suddenly fired upon. The area where the incident took place is far from the border. How did terrorists get so far inside?"advertisementEven months after the incident, Thackeray said, there was no trace of the attackers. "The first pictures of these terrorists were published, later it was said those pictures were incorrect. They came, killed our people, and left. Where did they go?"He also raised questions over the withdrawal of 'Operation Sindoor', asking the Modi government to clarify under whose pressure the mission was halted."The kunku of 26 sisters was wiped and the terrorists disappeared. Tell the country under whose pressure 'Operation Sindoor' was withdrawn," he slammed what he described as the politicisation of military operations, alleging that international pressure-especially from US President Donald Trump - played a decisive role in forcing a remarks follow repeated claims by Trump that he compelled both India and Pakistan into a ceasefire by leveraging trade threats. "Trump has said 27 times that he stopped the war between India and Pakistan. And our brave Prime Minister is silent," he said, questioning, "Why did the war stop? Whose trade was at stake?"He further accused the government of prioritising trade over national security and the lives of soldiers. "You're playing diplomacy with the US President while soldiers are dying here... and your children are partying in Dubai with Pakistanis. The country has become subordinate to trade," he HINDI IMPOSITION ROWSpeaking about the imposition of Hindi in Maharashtra, Uddhav reiterated the Marathi identity of the state. "The unity of Marathi people is unbreakable. The BJP is trying to set Maharashtra on fire on the pretext of Hindi compulsion, but that will not happen. We do not hate any language, but Marathi people will not tolerate any language compulsion," he recalled how Balasaheb Thackeray always promoted multilingualism without linguistic domination. "Learn as many languages as you want, but don't force anyone," he said, stressing that Marathi pride cannot be compromised. "We have no objection to Hanuman Chalisa, but why are we made to forget our Maruti Stotra?"Thackeray also addressed issues like land acquisition and alleged misuse of the Public Safety Act. He accused the government of protecting corporate interests by silencing those who resist. "If you stand against Adani, remember this. This is the law. You will go to jail for endangering public safety," he the interview, Uddhav Thackeray said that as Chief Minister and during his tenure in Mumbai's municipal corporation, he had never discriminated based on religion or language."I am a Hindutva supporter, but did I treat Muslims differently during the pandemic? We gave water to every household. Maharashtra, Marathi, Maharashtra Dharma does not mean hatred of any state or language," he said.- EndsMust Watch
News18
4 days ago
- Science
- News18
International Moon Day 2025: History, Theme, And Significance
Last Updated: International Moon Day celebrates humanity's accomplishments in space, its prospects, and the universalism that binds us all together under the moon. News18 The world will once again look up to the sky to celebrate International Moon Day on July 20 this year. The United Nations established the occasion in December 2021 to commemorate the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 and to encourage further lunar exploration. The Moon Village Association (MVA)—a Vienna-based NGO that aims to unite engineers, scientists, private and public investors, and other stakeholders to construct a shared infrastructure on the Moon—helped the event gain international recognition. This year's International Moon Day Main Event will be hosted by the University of Dubai in association with MVA. International Moon Day 2025 will be centered around 'One Moon, One Vision, One Future." The idea behind the event was to educate the public on how important a sustainable approach to lunar exploration is. The first International Moon Day was marked on July 20, 2022. International Moon Day History Apollo 11 Moon Landing: President John F Kennedy set a national goal to send a man to the moon by the end of the 1960s, and the Apollo 11 mission was launched eight years later. The world watched as Apollo 11, carrying three men, took out from the Kennedy Space Centre on July 16, 1969. The spacecraft reached lunar orbit on July 19, three days later. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the moon on July 20, 1969, while Michael Collins stayed in lunar orbit in the command module. The following day, Armstrong and Aldrin's lunar module, Eagle, separated from the main command module. Armstrong sent the iconic radio transmission, 'The Eagle has landed," to Mission Control in Houston, Texas, as soon as Eagle touched down on the moon. In 2021, the UN General Assembly officially declared July 20 as the International Moon Day following the recommendation from the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). International Moon Day Significance The goal of this day is to celebrate the successes of lunar exploration. The primary objective of this occasion is to promote the remembrance of the first arrival of human beings on the surface of the Moon. International Moon Day offers a chance to highlight sustainable lunar exploration. The day promotes peaceful global collaboration in space exploration and the efficient use of space for the good of all people. International Moon Day's events and educational activities are designed to encourage young people to choose careers in mathematics, science, technology, and engineering. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
