Pune: The court of additional sessions judge DP Ragit has rejected the bail applications of power-of-attorney (PoA) holder Sheetal Tejwani and suspended sub registrar Ravindra B Taru in the illegal stamp duty waiver on the registration of a sale deed relating to the 40-acre govt land parcel in Mundhwa.A case update on the district court’s website on Monday confirmed the status of the two bail pleas as rejected on Feb 16. “A full text of the court’s order is expected in due course of time,” district govt pleader Pramod Bombatkar told TOI.

Tejwani’s lawyer Deepali Kedar told TOI, “The bail was declined. We believe the merits of the case and the chargesheet filed by the investigating agencies need to be appreciated properly. It is our case that the matter is more of a revenue violation. We have full faith in the higher judiciary and are confident that the matter will receive fair and objective consideration in accordance with law.”Taru is accused of conniving with Tejwani and another suspect to register the sale deed on May 20, 2025, and waiving a 7% stamp duty, which works out to Rs 21 crore for a declared land deal consideration of Rs 300 crore, causing revenue loss to state govt. Tejwani executed the sale deed on behalf of the 272 watandars (original holders of the Mahar Watan land before it was taken over by state govt after the abolition of the Mahar Watan system) in favour of Digvijay Patil, one of the partners in the Amadea Enterprises LLP, which intended to build a data centre at the site.Former deputy CM late Ajit Pawar’s son, Parth, is another partner in Amadea Enterprises, although Parth was not named in the FIR registered on Nov 6, 2025, by the Bavdhan police following a complaint by joint district registrar and stamp duty collector Santosh Hingane.As of now, the land is in possession of the Botanical Survey of India on a lease till 2038. Patil’s anticipatory bail application is pending before the sessions court and is slated for a hearing on Feb 18.On Jan 1, a magisterial court in Paud rejected Taru’s bail application, noting, “The allegations indicated that despite clear indicators of govt ownership and substantial stamp duty liability, Taru proceeded to register the document by charging a nominal amount, ie, stamp paper of 500, resulting in an alleged loss of several crores of rupees to the state. Such acts, at this prima facie stage, cannot be brushed aside as mere inadvertent or clerical mistakes.” The same court had on Jan 13 rejected Tejwani’s bail plea, following which the two moved the sessions court for bail relief.

Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar

PUNE: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Monday stayed certificates granting minority status to at least 75 educational institutes across the state soon after the death of former deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who also headed the minority affairs department, in a plane crash on Jan 28. The action followed inquiry demand from opposition members. “Orders have been issued to stay (the permissions) and investigate the matter,” Fadnavis told TOI on Monday. Deputy CM and late Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar, who now oversees the minority affairs ministry, convened an urgent meeting in Mumbai and directed senior officials to take strict action against those who issued these certificates. The issue was flagged by members of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) in Pune, who questioned how the department cleared certificates within hours of Ajit Pawar’s demise. Akshay Jain, general secretary of IYC’s state unit, said the process of issuing minority certificates had been halted by former minister Manikrao Kokate last Aug. After Kokate resigned in Dec 2025, Ajit Pawar took charge and maintained the status quo, he said. Jain said the department, however, abruptly resumed issuing certificates within hours of Ajit Pawar’s death. “He (Ajit) passed away in the morning, and by afternoon, applications from educational institutes were approved. Between Jan 28 and Feb 3, around 75 institutes were granted the minority tag,” Jain told TOI. “This appears to be a nexus rather than the act of an individual. Those found responsible should be punished,” he said, welcoming the CM’s decision to stay these certificates and order an inquiry. The issue was also raised by opposition members, including Congress state chief Harshwardhan Sapkal and NCP-SP MLA Rohit Pawar. “A mere stay on certificates is not enough. A thorough investigation must be conducted. We have information that officials collected Rs 25 lakh for issuing each certificate,” Rohit said. Sapkal said govt must clarify on whose orders the approvals were granted. “Ajit dada had a strong command over the administration. If such a thing happened in his department soon after his demise, the responsibility rests with CM Fadnavis,” he said. Sena UBT’s Ambadas Danve, too, hit out at govt over the issue and demanded a thorough probe. Pyare Khan, chairperson of state minority commission, told TOI that more than 3,300 educational institutes across Maharashtra held minority status and received various govt benefits. “I initiated action against some of these institutes as they operated only to corner concessions under the minority tag, without passing on the benefits to the students. Several cases were also registered against the owners of some education institutes after an investigation by the SIT revealed a large number of bogus teachers,” he said, adding that even education department officials were arrested for aiding these institutes. Khan said minority-status schools were exempted from admitting students under the Right to Education quota and could appoint teachers directly, even without TET qualification. He alleged that management of many such institutes misused this provision to appoint unqualified relatives, harming students’ education.

The defeat against Sri Lanka dragged Australia in front of the exit door of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Australia started the match well but could not carry the momentum, which eventually gifted them the second defeat in the campaign.

After the match, it was devastating Aussie skipper Mitchell Marsh who said that their chances of survival in the race are completely in the laps of the almighty.

Australia out on a challenging effort vs Sri Lanka

Australia went to bat first at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium and registered 181 in 20 overs. 181 was not a paltry total, but it was Pathum Nissanka, who claimed an unbeaten century, and the top-order Sri Lankan batters who made it easy to claim.

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Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head, the openers of Australia, started off the innings on a positive note. Both of the batters scored a half-century each to add 104 runs for the opening stand.

The way Australia went off, a total over 200 was looking not too far away. As the innings progressed, Sri Lankan bowlers balanced the momentum. Dushan Hemantha took 3, and a brace for Dushmantha Chameera.

Pathum Nissanka’s sublime ton has put Australia on the brink of #T20WorldCup elimination.

Full report: https://t.co/X32rXkliNC pic.twitter.com/Swhxt3gWB9

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 16, 2026

Mitchell Marsh explained why they lost the match

Mitchell Marsh pointed out they might have fallen short by some more runs. He credited the Sri Lankan bowlers.

“I thought it was a competitive total. We probably left ourselves a few short after the start we had. Well played to SL; they outplayed us tonight. We know that at our best we can make big scores. We just lost our way towards the back end. SL bowled really well towards the back end,” Mitchell Marsh said.

Marsh was running out of words as they were standing in front of an unexpected situation. Before the tournament, they were considered a top contender to play the semifinals. In reality, the Australia cricket team can suffer a humiliating exit from the 2026 T20 World Cup.

“We knew we were a few short. Not much else to say except that SL outplayed us. We’re in the lap of the gods now, I think. There are a lot of emotions in the room right now. Haven’t been at our best. Disappointed bunch at the moment,” Mitchell Marsh said in pure disappointment.

Points distribution in Group B

The Aussies are currently at the third spot on the points table of Group B with 2 points in 3 matches. They suffered a stunning loss against Zimbabwe as well. Sri Lanka, with 3 wins in 3 matches, remains on top of the ladder as an undefeated troop in the group stage.

Zimbabwe is placed in the second spot with 4 points. The upcoming match between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe on February 19 will decide the future of the Australia cricket team.

Read More: Watch: Pathum Nissanka takes a stunner to dismiss Glenn Maxwell in SL vs AUS T20 WC match

Veteran Hollywood star Robert Duvall, known for his iconic performances in The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, has died at the age of 95. His death on Sunday was confirmed by his wife, Luciana Duvall, on Monday.“Yesterday we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time. Bob passed away peacefully at home,” she said in a statement.“To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything,” she added, remembering his passion for acting, good food and conversation.

Oscar winner with a six-decade career

Blunt-spoken, prolific and famously averse to Hollywood glitz, Duvall built a career spanning more than six decades. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1983 for his performance in Tender Mercies, where he played a washed-up country singer seeking redemption.He also received six other Oscar nominations over the course of his career and seamlessly transitioned between lead and supporting roles. Later, he also stepped behind the camera as a director.

Iconic roles that defined cinema

Among his most memorable characters was the soft-spoken and loyal mob lawyer Tom Hagen in the first two installments of The Godfather. His portrayal remains one of the defining performances in American cinema.In Apocalypse Now, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Duvall played the flamboyant and surfing-obsessed Lieutenant Colonel William Kilgore — a role that earned him an Oscar nomination and elevated him to global stardom.The film gave audiences one of cinema’s most quoted lines: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning,” delivered as his character stood bare-chested in a cowboy hat while helicopters bombed a Vietnamese coastline he hoped to surf on. Interestingly, the character was initially conceived as even more exaggerated — reportedly named Colonel Carnage — but Duvall insisted on toning it down, reflecting his meticulous approach to acting.“I did my homework. I did my research,” he said in a 2015 interview with veteran talk show host Larry King.

A late bloomer who became a legend

Duvall was 31 when he landed his breakthrough role as the reclusive Boo Radley in the 1962 adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird, based on Harper Lee’s novel.He went on to deliver powerful performances in films such as Network (1976), where he played a ruthless corporate executive, and The Great Santini (1979), portraying a domineering Marine officer.However, Duvall often cited his favourite role as Augustus McCrae in the 1989 television mini-series Lonesome Dove, based on the novel by Larry McMurtry. His performance as the grizzled yet witty Texas Ranger-turned-cowboy won widespread acclaim.

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Pune: The Inspector General of Registration and Stamps (IGR) on Monday scheduled March 3 as the next hearing date for Amadea Enterprises LLP’s appeal chellenging the stamp duty shortfall and penalty in connection with the Mundhwa land deal.Amadea, in which Digvijay Patil and Parth Pawar (son of the late Ajit Pawar) are partners, owes a stamp duty shortfall of Rs 21 crore for a sale deed executed in May 2025, besides a statutory penalty of 1% per month under the Maharashtra Stamp Act.During the first hearing on Amadea’s appeal, the firm’s lawyers sought additional documents from the department and requested a month’s extension before the next hearing. “The IGR office, however, granted only 15 days, with the next hearing scheduled for March 3,” a senior official said.Registration officials emphasised that no stamp duty waiver had been granted to the firm. Since the matter is quasi-judicial, the IGR is obligated to provide a hearing once the firm contested the demand notice and refused to accept the liability.The department had earlier warned the firm that coercive recovery measures would be taken against it if dues were not cleared by Feb 10. “While internal recovery steps have already started, the final course of action will depend on the outcome of the March 3 hearing. There is no stay order, and the recovery process will continue as per procedure,” the official said.Earlier, the firm’s lawyers told TOI that the liability was unacceptable, arguing that no coercive action could be taken while the appeal was pending before the IGR. Another revenue official, however, said: “The penalty amounts to Rs 21 lakh per month, totalling Rs 1.47 crore for seven months up to Nov 2025. With the shortfall, the dues currently stand at Rs 22.47 crore, and liabilities will rise further once penalties for Dec (2025) and Jan are added.“The department had issued a demand notice last Nov, granting the firm 60 days from Dec 10 to pay the dues. The firm’s plea seeking exemption from the liability was later rejected, and the department reiterated that the full deficit and penalties must be paid. “If the dues remain unpaid after completion of due process, recovery measures under the Maharashtra Stamp Act could include attachment and auction of the firm’s movable and immovable assets,” the official added.

Las Vegas tragedy as cheerleader Addi Smith and mother Tawnia McGeehan found dead in suspected Rio Hotel murder suicide (Image Via X/@TMZ_Sports)

Tawnia McGeehan and her 11-year-old daughter, Addi Smith, traveled to Las Vegas for a cheer competition. But the trip ended in heartbreaking tragedy. Police say the Utah mother allegedly shot and killed her young daughter before taking her own life inside a room at the Rio Hotel and Casino. The two were found dead on Sunday after they failed to appear at their scheduled cheer event. According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, officers received a request for a welfare check around 10:45 a.m. Sunday. Police and hotel security knocked on the door many times but got no response. At first, there was not enough legal reason to enter the room. Later, as worries from family and friends kept growing, hotel security returned around 2:30 p.m. When they finally entered the room, they found both McGeehan and Addi dead. Police believe the deaths happened late Saturday night. A note was also discovered inside, though officials did not share what it said. The investigation is still ongoing.

Police say Tawnia McGeehan shot daughter Addi Smith before taking her own life at Rio Hotel and Casino

Investigators believe Tawnia McGeehan, reported to be 38 years old, shot her daughter Addi Smith before turning the gun on herself. Authorities are treating the case as a suspected murder suicide, but they continue to review evidence. No other injuries were reported, and police have not shared further details about the note found in the room.The mother and daughter had come from Utah to attend a cheerleading competition. When they did not arrive, their team, Utah Xtreme Cheer, asked for help on social media to locate them. After the devastating discovery, the team shared an emotional message on Facebook. The statement read, “We are completely heartbroken. No words do the situation justice. She was so beyond loved, and she will always be a part of the UXC family.”The news has deeply affected the cheer community and people who knew the family. What was meant to be a joyful weekend quickly turned into sorrow. Police say the investigation remains active as they continue to confirm details and timeline. Officials have not released more information about possible reasons behind the tragedy.For now, the focus remains on remembering a young cheerleader whose life ended far too soon and a case that has left many searching for understanding

NEW DELHI: India’s dominant 61-run victory over Pakistan in their high-voltage T20 World Cup clash in Colombo not only secured a place in the Super Eights but also produced a fiery on-field moment involving Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav that quickly went viral on social media.The incident occurred during the 18th over of Pakistan’s chase, when Hardik Pandya was bowling to Shaheen Afridi. Afridi pulled a short delivery towards long-on, where Kuldeep Yadav was stationed near the boundary.

Despite getting both hands to the ball, Kuldeep failed to complete the catch, instead allowing it to go for a six. Moments earlier, Ishan Kishan had also dropped a chance behind the stumps off the same batter.Visibly furious, Pandya pointed towards both fielders and shouted at them, using a couple of expletives in frustration. The animated reaction displayed the intensity of the India-Pakistan rivalry and the pressure of a World Cup match, even though India were firmly in control of the game.However, Pandya quickly backed up his aggression with performance. Watch Hardik Pandya’s angry reaction towards Kuldeep YadavHe kept his composure and won the match for India in the same over, bowling Usman Tariq with a full delivery that crashed into the middle stump. Pandya finished with figures of 3 overs, 16 runs, and 2 wickets, playing a key role in wrapping up Pakistan’s innings for just 114 in 18 overs.Earlier, India had posted a competitive total of 175/7, largely thanks to Ishan Kishan’s superb 77 after an early wicket. Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube added valuable runs to push the total beyond Pakistan’s reach on a pitch that was expected to assist spinners.Pakistan’s chase collapsed early as Jasprit Bumrah struck twice in the powerplay, reducing them to 13/3. Usman Khan’s 44 was the only notable contribution, but the rest of the batting lineup failed to handle India’s pace and spin attack.