AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide free electricity in the NDA-ruled states before the Delhi Assembly elections, promising to campaign for the saffron party if he fulfills this demand.

Addressing a public gathering at ‘Janta Ki Adalat’, Kejriwal accused the BJP’s “double engine” governments of failing across the states, predicting their ouster from Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.

He termed the “double engine” model as “double loot and double corruption”.

“I challenge PM Modi to provide free electricity in all 22 BJP-ruled states before the Delhi Assembly elections in February. If he does, I will campaign for the BJP,” Kejriwal asserted.

“The exit polls show the BJP’s double engine governments will soon collapse in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.

Kejriwal further accused the BJP of being anti-poor, citing the removal of bus marshals and data entry operators as well as the halting of home guards’ salaries in Delhi.

“There is no democracy in Delhi. It’s under the LG’s rule,” he alleged.

Seven persons, including three minors, were killed after a fire broke out in a double-storey shop-cum-residential structure in Mumbai on Sunday morning, a fire official said.

The incident took place at 5.20 am at Siddharth Colony in Chembur area, he said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde later visited the site. He announced a high-level probe into the incident and a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the kin of the deceased.

The ground floor of the structure was used as a shop and the upper floor as residence, an official said.

The blaze was confined to the electric wiring and installations in the shop at the ground floor and spread to the upper floor, he said, adding it was a ‘level-one’ fire.

Seven persons were injured in the incident. They were taken to the Rajawadi Hospital where all of them were declared brought dead, the official said.

Fire engines, water tankers and other assistance were rushed to the spot and the blaze was doused by 9.15 am, the official said.

The deceased have been identified as Paris Gupta (7), Manju Prem Gupta (30), Anita Gupta (39), Prem Gupta (30), Narendra Gupta (10), Vidhi Chediram Gupta (15) and Gitadevi Dharamdev Gupta (60), he said.

CM Shinde visited the site and met family members of the victims.

Later, talking to reporters, he said the incident was very unfortunate.

The chief minister announced a high-level probe in the incident and a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the kin of the deceased.

The cost of treatment of the injured persons will be borne by the government, he said.

If the slum rehabilitation work has run into hurdles, the issues would be looked into, he added.

The CM was accompanied by Union minister Ramdas Athawale.

Nasheman news

Lalu Prasad | Tejashwi Yadav

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to RJD chief and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and his sons Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav in the land-for-jobs money laundering case.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne granted the relief to the accused persons on a personal bond of Rs one lakh each, noting that they were not arrested during the investigation.

The accused appeared before the court in pursuance to summons issued to them by the court earlier.

The judge had issued the summons after taking cognisance of a supplementary charge sheet against the accused persons.

The final report was filed before the court by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on August 6.

The ED filed its case based on an FIR lodged by the CBI.

The case pertains to Group-D appointments made in West Central Zone of the railways based in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh during Prasad’s tenure as railway minister from 2004 to 2009 in return for land parcels gifted or transferred by the recruits in the name of the RJD supremo’s family or associates, the ED said.

Nasheman news

Mangaluru: The body of businessman and community leader B M Mumtaz Ali was found in the Phalguni River at Kuloor on Monday morning. He was reported missing after his car was discovered near the Kuloor bridge on Sunday early morning.

The body was immediately taken to AJ Hospital in the city. Earlier, signs of an accident were found on the right front side of the car.

An FIR has been registered at Kavoor Police Station against six individuals, including a woman, under s.173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) for allegedly extorting lakhs of rupees from Mumtaz Ali by repeatedly threatening and blackmailing him.

Hindu Priest Yati Narsinghanand

Ghaziabad: The Uttar Pradesh Police have reportedly filed a First Information Report (FIR) against controversial Hindu Priest Yati Narsinghanand for his alleged hate speech delivered at the Hindi Bhawan in Ghaziabad’s Lohia Nagar on 29 September against Prophet Muhammad.

According to a Maqtoob Media report, an FIR was registered under section 302 (hurting someone’s religious feelings) of BNS based on a complaint by police sub-inspector Trivendra Singh.

A purported video said to be of the event went viral over social media sites, causing widespread outrage among the public. In the video, the priest is heard saying, “If you have to burn effigies on every Dussehra, then burn the effigies of Mohammad.”

The speech was given allegedly at an event organised by Major Asharam Vyag Seva Sansthan at the Dasna temple where he is the head priest.

Station House Officer at Sihani Gate Police Station, confirmed that police took cognizance of the viral video and initiated legal proceedings.

The action followed a formal complaint from Maulana Mahmood Madani, President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, who urged Home Minister Amit Shah condemning the priest’s remarks and to take immediate action in this regard.

In a ‘X’ post, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, wrote, “This hate speech threatens communal harmony and must be addressed. Immediate legal action and removal of the video are essential to maintain peace and respect for all religions.”

Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court that approximately 67 FIRs have been registered statewide against Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj, a Hindu religious leader, because of his alleged derogatory remarks against Islam and Prophet Mohammed at an event in Nashik. They added that the objectionable material containing the alleged derogatory remarks, which was shared online, is being taken down by the cyber crime police.

According to Maharashtra Advocate General Dr Birendra Saraf made this submission while opposing a petition which sought registration of an FIR against Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for sharing a stage with Ramgiri Maharaj after FIRs were filed against him.

The petition, filed by advocate Mohammad Wasi Sayed and others, alleges a significant increase in communal incidents since 2014, claiming that “systematic Islamophobic customs are protected by the state and Union governments,” leading to mob lynchings, riots, and the ostracism of Muslims.

Advocate Ejaz Naqvi, representing the petitioners, argued that instead of taking action against Ramgiri Maharaj, Shinde chose to share a platform with him, asserting that saints would be protected in the state.

However, Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan noted that petitions regarding the removal of the seer’s videos and the registration of FIRs for alleged hate speech are already being heard.

Regarding hate speech, the bench remarked that while they cannot prevent individuals from giving speeches, the police are taking necessary action and registering FIRs.

“Just because they (Eknath Shinde and Ramgiri) are sharing a stage, it does not mean that FIR should be registered. You have to show malafides. If there is a breach, there are FIRs being registered. You (Naqvi) are making the issue political. When you digress from the core issue, then this is what happens. Your core issue is to take down videos,” the bench added, as mentioned by the publication.

Saraf opposed the plea, emphasising that FIRs against Ramgiri Maharaj had already been registered, stating that as of September 19, 67 FIRs were filed. He argued that proceedings cannot be initiated in this manner and urged for the removal of CM’s name from the list of respondents in the petition. The bench agreed and warned of imposing costs on the petitioners.

The bench further directed Naqvi to modify his prayers and delete all the respondents except cyber police and local police officials. “Police have a mechanism. They will deal with this,” the bench stated.

The bench will further hear the petition on October 17.