MUMBAI MUMBAI | WEDNESDAY | JUNE 30, 2021

CSMIA continues Pulse Polio Immunisation Drive

MUMBAI: The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
International Airport (CSMIA) has facilitated the
immunisation for over 9,300 children against polio in a
span of 11 years. Over 80 children below the age of
five years were inoculated in the latest Pulse Polio
Immunisation Drive on June 27, which was organised
in association with the Public Health Department of the
Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM).

Former state home minister Anil Deshmukh misses 2nd ED summons Children of COVID-19
‘AVAILABLE VIA AUDIOVISUAL MODE ANY TIME’ victims to get full UG
and PG fees waiver
Anil Deshmukh tells ED he will furnish all information and documents needed when he is aware of the details of the case
RONALD RODRIGUES DETAILS
ronald.rodrigues@fpj.co.in
SOMENDRA SHARMA copy of ECIR and a list of � The admission process
somendra.sharma@fpj.co.in documents, for him to ren- The entire fee will be waived for diploma (Polytechnic)
der effective assistance. He till the completion of under- courses after completion

We must Former Maharashtra home

minister Anil Deshmukh
did not appear before the
said, “Record my statement
on audio-visual mode of
any nature at whatever
graduate (UG) or postgradu-
ate (PG) education of stu-
dents whose parents have
of Class 10 for the
academic year 2021-22 is
starting from June 30,

understand
Enforcement Directorate
(ED) for the second time on
Tuesday. The agency had
2021. Students can visit
time convenient to you. died due to the COVID-19 out- http://www.dtemaharashtr
Your summons do not clari- break, announced Uday a.gov.in/index.html for
fy the particular purpose of Samant, higher and techni- detailed schedule, details

both sides summoned him to record

his statement in connection
with the money laundering
my personal appearance. I
have learnt from media re-
ports that you arrested two
cal education minister of
Maharashtra on Tuesday.
This decision aims to pro-
of admission process,
important instructions and
application form.

of the coin,
case, spinning out of sus- persons who were associat- vide relief to students, re-
pended police officer ed with me. Therefore, in- duce financial burden and
Sachin Vaze’s alleged dis- sistence on personal ap- support their higher educa- considering the economic

says Raut
closures during the Antilia
bomb scare case.
In his written communi-
cation to the ED on Tues-
SANJAY JOG day, Deshmukh stated that
sanjay.jog@fpj.co.in he would furnish all infor-
pearance without even sup- tion amidst COVID-19 crisis. crisis due to COVID-19 and
plying me with a copy of Following a meeting with shift to online mode of edu-
ECIR or documents may Vice-Chancellors (VCs) of cation.
strengthen my assertion Deshmukh’s lawyer Indrapal Singh spoke to the media on Tuesday. non-agricultural universities Samant said, "Students
that there is some kind of of Maharashtra, Samant an- whose mother or father or
malice being nursed nounced provisions for relax- parents have died due to

‘Witness statements should

mation and any documents against me. I am sanguine ations and reduction in fees COVID-19 will be provided a
Shiv Sena Member of the that the agency requires that you shall act within the for higher education for the full fee waiver till the com-
Parliament (MP) Sanjay once he is aware of the con- four corners of law and will new academic year 2021-22. pletion of their undergradu-
Raut, on Tuesday, said that it tents and details of the not deny me the right of be- Also, student unions had re- ate or postgraduate educa-

is necessary to understand
the side of Member of the
Legislative Assembly (MLA)
Pratap Sarnaik and former
Home Minister Anil Desh-
mukh. Both the Maha Vikas
Aghadi (MVA) leaders have
been under the scanner of
central investigating agen-
cies. Raut also said that Chief
Minister Uddhav Thackeray
and Nationalist Congress
Party (NCP) chief Sharad
Pawar are likely to sit togeth-
er soon and arrive at a deci-
sion. "There is disagreement
on a few issues in the MVA
government, but no one is
upset. All three parties did a
great job in the last two
years," Raut said.
“Whether the government
is one-party, two-party, Maha
Vikas Aghadi or 32-party like
the one headed by Atalji,
there will be differences
amongst the constituents
case. He also stated that he
is available through any au-
dio-visual mode for interac-
tion at any time.
In his communication,
Deshmukh said, “I have
been repeatedly highlight-
ing that the proceedings be-
ing initiated against me are
at the instance of certain
individuals who are them-
selves guilty of grave of-
fences and have dubious an-
tecedents, as also the fact
that a political tug of war
has been initiated by the
Central government led by
a particular political party,
who seek to abuse their
power and authority for
vested interest and extrane-
ous considerations to sup-
press and oppress their po-
litical opponents like me.
My case in particular is an
example of such abuse.”
In his communication,
be recorded by magistrate’
ing heard.”
On Monday, Nagpur-based
advocate Tarun Parmar
had visited the ED office to
record his statement in con-
nection with the money
laundering case registered
by the agency against Desh-
mukh. Parmar had report-
edly complained to the
agency on June 19, accusing
Deshmukh and a few others
of money laundering.
Deshmukh, who was earli-
er summoned to appear be-
fore the ED on Saturday,
had not turned up for en-
quiries. His lawyer had in-
stead visited the ED office
and asked for a copy of the
case. On June 25, the
agency had arrested Desh-
mukh’s personal secretary
Sanjeev Palande and per-
sonal assistant Kundan
Shinde under provisions of
the Prevention of Money
BHAVNA UCHIL
bhavna.uchil@fpj.co.in
The Central Bureau of In-
vestigation (CBI), on Tues-
day, approached a special
court and sought that it di-
rect a magistrate to record
statements of four wit-
nesses in the corruption
case it has registered in
April against former
Home Minister Anil Desh-
mukh based on the letter of
former police chief Param
Bir Singh.
The special CBI court
permitted the plea of the
agency and requested that
the statements of the spe-
cific witnesses be recorded
by the Chief Metropolitan
Magistrate, Esplanade,
The prosecution general-
ly prefers to record state-
ments of important wit-
nesses under Section 164 of
the CrPC, so that witness-
es do not turn hostile dur-
ing a trial and claim that
they were coerced into
making these. When state-
ments are recorded by a
magistrate, the court
makes sure it is voluntary
and that officers are not
present near the witness.
The agency had made
separate pleas for four wit-
nesses -Mahesh Shetty,
Uday Shetty, Jaya Poojary
and Rama Shankar Yadav-
whose statements it had al-
ready recorded. The pleas
said that, during the
course of the probe, the in-
Special CBI judge AS
Sayyad said, in his order
passed on the same day,
that in his considered
opinion, it is necessary to
record the statements. “An
FIR is filed in this court
and pending for final re-
port. The offences men-
tioned in the FIR are ex-
clusively triable by this
court. In the circum-
stances as above and in or-
der to conduct fair trial,
the order will meet the
ends of justice,” the court
said, before requesting the
magistrate to record their
statements. The CBI had
registered an FIR against
Deshmukh consequent to
a preliminary enquiry ini-
tiated upon the direction
quested relaxation in fees tion."
Cops in city for over 8 yrs
can choose transfer spots
SOMENDRA SHARMA
somendra.sharma@fpj.co.in
Mumbai Police has given a list of 727 police officers, who have
worked here for eight years, to the Director General of Police
(DGP) office. This list comprises senior police inspectors, po-
lice inspectors, assistant inspectors and sub-inspectors, who
have been given a choice to select three districts they would
like to be transferred, which may also include their home dis-
trict. The list will be sent to the Police Establishment Board
(PEB), which will take a final call on whether the officers have
to be transferred, sources said.
"It is a routine process, wherein we give information about
those officers who have completed eight years in Mumbai to
the DGP office. Each officer has been asked three places of
choice for transfer in case his transfer order comes. The list
will be finally given to the PEB, which comprises DGP, CP
Mumbai, DG Anti-Corruption Bureau, ADG Law and Order

over the method of work.
This does not mean that any-
one is upset. The cabinet may
have a different opinion on
one issue. So a cabinet meet-
ing is called and a decision is
made,’’ said Raut.
‘
Deshmukh has asked for a Laundering Act (PMLA). and submitted to it in a
sealed envelope on or be-
Your summons do not clarify the particular fore July 5. It also directed
the investigating officer to
purpose of my personal appearance. keep witnesses present be-
Anil Deshmukh, former Home Minister fore the magistrate at the
earliest.
vestigating officer found
that the four are important
witnesses, who can throw
light on the role of the ac-
cused and that their state-
ments are crucial in the
case.
of the Bombay High Court
to do so. The direction for a
preliminary enquiry was
on the petitions by an ad-
vocate Jayshri Patil and
Singh himself for a CBI
probe on Deshmukh.
and ADG Establishment. The board will decide who should be
retained and who needs to be transferred. If any officer is
transferred, they will be communicated about the same," said
an officer from Mumbai Police.
The list comprises 89 senior police inspectors and 10 sub-in-
spectors and most people in the list are of the rank of inspec-
tors and assistant inspectors.

MUMBAI RADAR
Pradhan seeks techno-feasibility study
for refinery-cum-petrochemical complex
Probe underway against trust User-friendly dashboard for
SANJAY JOG | sanjay.jog@fpj.co.in

Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, on Tuesday,

through which MLA Siddiqui beds & drugs soon for state
provided essential medicines
directed the Ministry to soon complete the techno-feasibility study NARSI BENWAL
of constructing a refinery-cum-petrochemical complex in Vidarbha. narsi.benwal@fpj.co.in
This move was announced by Leader of Opposition Devendra
Fadnavis after he, along with the representatives of Vidarbha The Bombay High Court
Economic Development Council (VED), met Pradhan and made a
strong case for the project in Vidarbha, which is far away from the
Actor Sonu Sood moves HC, denies allegations of hoarding bench of Chief Justice Di-
pankar Datta and Justice
western coast. Girish Kulkarni was, on
Pradhan’s directives came when the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas NARSI BENWAL Tuesday, informed that the
Aghadi government is yet to take a formal call on the narsi.benwal@fpj.co.in state would launch a new
development of the Rs 3 lakh crore refinery-cum-petrochemical comprehensive dashboard
complex in Ratnagiri district by Ratnagiri Refinery and The Bombay High Court within two days. It would
Petrochemicals Limited at the new site. The previous Bharatiya bench of Chief Justice Di- give real-time updates on the
Janata Party (BJP) government, in March 2019, had cancelled the pankar Datta and Justice availability of beds; essen-
notification to develop the project at Nanar in Rajapur taluka of Girish Kulkarni was, on tial drugs like Remdesivir,
Ratnagiri district following strong opposition from the then ruling Tuesday, informed that in- Tocilizumab and Ampho-
partner Shiv Sena. vestigations against the tericin-B, amongst others;
'trust' through which Con- and oxygen. However, the COVID-19 DASHBOARD FEATURES
gress Member of the Leg- dashboard won't reflect in-
Bhima-Koregaon accused to be shifted islative Assembly (MLA) formation pertaining to � Real-time updates.
Zeeshan Siddiqui facilitated Mumbai and Pune, as the
from Taloja jail to other state prisons the supply of essential drugs zens who approached the tioned the bench through ad- civic bodies of both the
�Can be operated and updated using smartphones.
MUMBAI: The Taloja jail superintendent has written to a special like Remdesivir to citizens MLA. Probe is on in the mat- vocate Milan Desai and cities have their own dash- � Will track availability of beds.
National Investigation Agency (NIA) court regarding the transfer of who sought it through social ter, as the trust wasn't li- sought intervention into the boards. The bench was hear-
� Will track availability of essential drugs like Remdesivir,
all the accused in the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case to media was underway. Mean- cenced to supply the drug," proceedings. He has claimed ing a PIL, highlighting vari- Tocilizumab and Amphotericin-B.
other prisons. while, actor Sonu Sood Kumbhakoni said. "Even the that he only helped patients ous issues with regards to
The court received this letter on Monday. The superintendent, moved the bench and denied role of the MLA is being get the drugs and didn't per- the situation of the COVID- � Will track availability of oxygen.
when contacted, said it is an ‘administrative’ matter regarding the allegations of ‘hoarding looked into." sonally purchase or store the 19 pandemic across the state.
which he has informed the court and refused to divulge any essentials’ levelled against The bench, accordingly, or- essentials. In an earlier hearing, the
details. Except the three women accused in the case -Sudha him. dered AG Kumbhakoni to In a bulky plea, Sood de- bench had noted that there court's approval," advocate cluding the ones operated by
Bharadwaj, Shoma Sen and Jyoti Jagtap- all the other 13 accused On Tuesday, when the mat- hand over the note to advo- tailed the ‘work’ he has done is no comprehensive dash- general submitted. CJ Datta the BrihanMumbai Munici-
in the case are lodged in Navi Mumbai’s Taloja prison. Two of ter was called out, advocate cate Rajesh Inamdar, who for the citizens, doctors, board available in the state, responded, "There is no need pal Corporation (BMC) and
them -Stan Swamy and Hany Babu- are currently admitted in general Ashutosh Kumb- had raised the issue of health workers and even mi- reflecting data pertaining to for any approval from this the Pune Municipal Corpo-
different private hospitals, having tested positive for COVID-19 hakoni for the state submit- celebrities ‘illegally’ supply- grants in the first wave of beds and other essentials. court. If you have created a ration (PMC). We will inte-
and also suffering from other ailments. ted a note, detailing the ac- ing Remdesivir to netizens, the pandemic. He highlight- Accordingly, advocate gen- dashboard that is user- grate them with our new
In a separate development, on Tuesday, the Enforcement tion taken against Siddiqui especially when the state it- ed his work right from mak- eral Ashutosh Kumbhakoni friendly and provides the dashboard." "We also need to
Directorate (ED) approached the court for permission to record the and Sood. self failed to make these ing available meals for citi- appearing for the state, on requisite information, train the people who would
statement of journalist and activist Gautam Navlakha, an accused "As far as the MLA is con- drugs available. "Let him (In- zens to providing personal Tuesday, told the judges that launch it." operate it. Thus, we need
in the case, currently in custody. The plea will be heard on the cerned, a complaint has been amdar) go through the re- protective equipment (PPE) a ‘user-friendly’ dashboard However, Kumbhakoni told two weeks’ time to throw it
point of its maintainability today. -Staff Reporter filed with the magistrate port and specify his stand on kits and other essentials for is ready. "It has been de- the bench that there are cer- open for the public to use,"
against BDR trust, which the issue," CJ said. doctors and medical work- signed for the people to use tain issues. "At present, the advocate general submit-
supplied drugs to the neti- Meanwhile, Sood peti- ers. easily. However, we seek this there are 32 dashboards, ex- ted.
BJP and Shiv Sena at loggerheads over
naming flyover after Shivaji Maharaj BDD CHAWL
PRATIP ACHARYA | pratip.acharya@fpj.co.in ‘Not mulling drastic steps
Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have again locked
horns -this time over naming an upcoming flyover in the eastern against tobacco producers’ No one should be homeless in BDD chawl redvp: CM
suburbs. BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is SANJAY JOG here are owned by the fami-
constructing a 2.1 kilometre flyover to ease traffic between the NARSI BENWAL sanjay.jog@fpj.co.in lies of the deceased employ-
eastern suburbs and Navi Mumbai. The flyover is expected to be narsi.benwal@fpj.co.in ees and also by retired em-
opened next August. In the meanwhile, a controversy has erupted Chief Minister Uddhav ployees. In redevelopment,
over naming the flyover. The Bombay High Court Thackeray on Tuesday di- the number of homes cur-
Back in December, local Shiv Sena corporators Vaishali Shewale bench of Chief Justice Di- rected authorities to take rently occupied by the police
and Samiksha Sakre had proposed that the flyover should be pankar Datta and Justice care of all tenants and resi- personnel should be kept in-
renamed after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Manoj Kotak, BJP Girish Kulkarni was, on dents during the redevelop- tact, and sympathetic consid-
member of the parliament (MP) from Mumbai North East Tuesday, informed that the ment of Bombay Develop- eration should be given to the
constituency, had also written to the BMC administration, urging Maharashtra government ment Directorate (BDD) families of police personnel
that the flyover should be named after Shivaji Maharaj. won't take any 'drastic step' chawls. He said rehabilita- currently residing here. A
against the tobacco product tion should be carried out for plan should also be prepared
manufacturers at present. Subsequently, the state, all those affected. “No one for the houses to be made
NCP chief Sharad Pawar meets CM to The state said that it is not through advocate general will be homeless in BDD available through MHADA
discuss assembly Speaker’s election contemplating anything of
this sort, at least at the pres-
Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, had
submitted a report prepared
chawls redevelopment and
the rehabilitation of every-
ment and rehabilitation of
police residences. Thackeray
employees in the residences
allotted to the police in the re-
through redevelopment and
their allocation to the po-
SANJAY JOG | sanjay.jog@fpj.co.in ent stage. by Dr Rajendra Badwe, of the one should be taken care of,” chaired a meeting to take development project. lice,” the CM said.
Notably, the bench had, in Tata Memorial Center, which he noted. stock of the redevelopment Thackeray said no will be Tuesday’s meeting was im-
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, on an earlier hearing, sought to stated that smokers are more The CM also directed to set of BDD chawls and police deprived of rehabilitation, portant as the BDD chawl re-
Tuesday, met Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and discussed the know from the state govern- prone to contracting the up a ministerial committee housing. adding that “redevelopment development project, which
election to the post of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker ment about the impact of virus. The report even stated for strategic decisions re- The CM-led meeting also of BDD chawl is an ambi- was to be kicked off in
to be held during the two-day monsoon session scheduled on July smoking on COVID-19 pa- that smoking worsens the garding police housing. He discussed the issue of pro- tious project”. March-April 2021, has been
5 and July 6. Congress has already urged both Thackeray and tients and if it worsens their condition of a patient since it also asked the authorities to viding houses to the families “Some of the residences postponed due to the coron-
Pawar to not delay the election. condition. affects the lungs. prepare a plan for redevelop- of the deceased and retired given to police personnel avirus pandemic.