RAJ KAPOOR'S GRANDSON ARRIVES BEFORE ED
MMRDA joint commissioner BG Pawar was also present at the ED office
The agency is probing alleged misappropriations in a contract bagged by Tops Group with the MMRDA
Actor Armaan Jain, grandson of late Bollywood actor and director Raj Kapoor, and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) joint commissioner BG Pawar reached the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office for a short while on Wednesday in connection with its money laundering probe into the TopsGrup case.
The duos were summoned by the agency.
However, the agency was not able to record their statements on Wednesday. Both of them refrained from speaking with the media. Pawar appeared before the ED for the first time, a day after MMRDA
commissioner RA Rajeev recorded his statement. The MMRDA and Rajeev have earlier clarified that he will be visiting the ED of fice on behalf of MMR
DA though the case pertains to his predecessor’s tenure. Pawar was also not in MMRDA during the tenure of the alleged scam.
The agency is probing alleged misappropriations in a contract bagged by Tops Group with the MMRDA.
As per allegations, a contract was signed by M/s Topsgrup services and solutions limited, with MMRDA as per which there were about 350 to 500 guards which were to be deployed on MMRDA sites on a monthly basis.
That out of the same, only 70% of guards were actually deployed; that however the billing was done for all the guards as per contract and the wages paid details were submitted to MMRDA for 100 % of the contract value based on the number of guards to be deployed as per the contract and not on the basis of actual deployment of the guards.
Over 13,000 people have been penalised in a single day by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for not wearing facemask in public place despite the number of COVID cases rising steadily in the city. According action take report (ATR) shared by the civic body on Wednesday, total Rs 30.96 crore has been collected as fine from 15.29 lakh people who were caught without face mask till February 16.
Concerned over the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday asked citizens to strictly follow governmentmandated guidelines on masks and physical distancing or be prepared to face another round of lockdown. Shockingly BMC collected 27.11 lakh from 13,557 people in a single day on Tuesday, February 16.
In less than three months, number of violators caught without face masks in public places has increased three times. Till November 28, 2020 BMC collected a fine amount of Rs.10,07,81,600 from 4,85,737 violators. The fine amount up to February 16 has increased to Rs 30.96 crore that was collected from 15,29,955 lakh violators.
The violation which attracted Rs 1,000 fine until September 12 was brought down to Rs 200 fine starting September 13. "We have been appealing to the citizens to follow the COVID-19 safety protocol. We have no intention of declaring a lockdown, but we want citizens to cooperated and adopt ' COVID appropriate behaviour'. Face mask is compulsory since the pandemic was on peak and even now. Anybody who violates the norm will be penalised," said Suresh Kakani, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Health).
Following the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) direction to defer reopening of of fline lectures till February 22, the University of Mumbai (MU) has directed affiliated degree colleges and universities in districts only outside Mumbai to reopen offline lectures. This decision has been taken after MU received per mission letters with a final goahead for offline reopening from municipal corporations and collectors of Panvel, Raigad, Alibaug, Ratnagiri and Palghar districts.
Authorities of MU said affiliated degree colleges and universities in districts outside Mumbai and adjoining suburban areas can reopen offline lectures. A senior officer of MU said, "The local administrative authorities and municipal corporations of some areas outside
Mumbai have given permission to reopen offline lectures in affiliated degree colleges and universities."
The officer said, "Degree colleges can reopen offline lectures by maintaining Covid-19 SOPs and following the 50 per cent attendance rule on a rotational basis. Local administrative authorities have given permission for resumption of offline lectures provided directions from the state government are strictly followed."
While, degree colleges and universities in Mumbai have been directed by the BMC to remain shut offline. The BMC stated, "The decision regarding reopening of offline lectures for colleges and universities will be taken after February 22, 2021. The decision will be taken after analysing the number of cases and spread of the Covid-19 infection."
The officer added, "We will wait till February 22 for further directions from the civic body regarding reopening of offline lectures and campuses in degree colleges and universities in Mumbai."