1.Mumbai Poet Talks About CAA Protests, Uber Driver Takes Him to Police
A poet from Jaipur, Bappadittya Sarkar (23), has alleged that he was questioned by the Mumbai police for over two hours on Wednesday night, after he was taken to the police station by an Uber driver who reportedly told the police that he had overheard, and recorded, his phone conversation on the anti-CAA protests. While police confirmed the incident, a senior officer said both the driver and passenger were “asked to go” as there was “no cognizable offence”. An Uber spokesperson said they were “reviewing the matter”.
Sarkar, who is in Mumbai since February 3 for the Kala Ghoda festival, told The Indian Express that he had hired an Uber cab, from Juhu Silver Beach to Kurla, at 11 pm Wednesday. After getting into the vehicle, he said he called up a friend in Jaipur.
“We were talking about protest cultures in different cities, what happened at Shaheen Bagh yesterday, people’s discomfort with Laal Salaam and how we could make Jaipur’s protests more effective,” Sarkar said in a WhatsApp message.
(Source: The Indian Express)
2. Sheena Bora Murder: HC Grants Bail to Peter Mukerjea, Stays Its Order for 6 Weeks
The Bombay high court (HC) on Thursday granted bail to former media baron Peter Mukerjea on medical grounds and because the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) failed to prove Mukerjea’s involvement in Sheena Bora’s alleged murder. However, the court has stayed its order by six weeks during which time the CBI may approach Supreme Court to challenge the order.
Justice Nitin Sambre granted Mukerjea, 64, bail on Thursday against a personal bond of ₹2 lakh. Mukerjea may not contact any other witness in the case, including his children Rahul and Vidhi. He is also required to regularly attend the murder trial and will need the court’s permission to travel.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
3. Minor Among 5 Booked for ‘Abetting’ Woman’s Suicide
Five people, including a minor, were booked for allegedly abetting the suicide of a 55-year-old woman, who was found hanging at her residence in Panvel. The Navi Mumbai Police said the incident took place Wednes-day, when Sharda Mali was found dead. They said she had bought a mangalsutra on February 3 and was showing it to her neighbours. Hours later, there was reportedly a conflict between the two families after the mangalsutra went missing.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. Amid Dip in Onion Prices, Traders Want Export Ban Scrapped
As the average traded price of onions continues to slide in most wholesale markets in Maharashtra, traders have raised the pitch to demand lifting the ban on onion exports. Dr Bharati Chavan, the BJP MP from Dindori, which is located in the onion-growing hub of Nashik district, recently raised the matter during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament.
Chavan pointed out how the export ban has resulted in a sharp dip in prices, and sought immediate scrapping of the ban. A similar demand has been made by Anil Ghanwat, president of the farmers’ union Shetkari Sanghtana, who said unless the export ban was lifted, onion growers will not have a good realisation. Ghanwat warned that the Sanghtana members will take to the streets in case the government failed to lift the ban immediately.
(Source: The Indian Express)
5. Only One-Third of MU Teachers Signed up for Assessment
Months after the University of Mumbai claimed that they managed to announce results of all exams held in the first half of 2019 within the stipulated time, figures revealed that only a third of the teachers eligible to assess the papers signed up for the work.
The University’s examination department recently revealed that assessment of all papers held in first half of 2019 (second half of the academic year 2018-19) was assessed by 5,525 teachers, whereas the total number of eligible teachers was beyond 15,000.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
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