Maha Council clears amendment to decentralise lift inspections, ease safety oversightChittaranjan Tembhekar | TNNMumbai: In a move aimed at strengthening elevator safety and speeding up regulatory clearances, the state Legislative Council on Thursday passed an amendment to the Maharashtra Lifts, Escalators and Moving Walks Act, 2017, empowering electrical inspectors at district or inspection division level to carry out inspections of lifts, escalators and moving walks before licences are granted and during periodic checks.The amendment seeks to decentralise powers that were earlier concentrated with the office of the chief electrical inspector, which currently grants licences for operating lifts, escalators and moving walkways across the state. Officials said the growing number of installations—particularly in high-rise cities such as Mumbai—has placed heavy pressure on the centralised system.Under the amendment, electrical inspectors posted in districts or inspection divisions will be authorised to inspect equipment within their jurisdiction prior to the grant of licences and conduct periodic safety inspections. The government said the step is intended to ensure quicker inspections and improve efficiency in public services.The statement of objects and reasons of the bill noted that the 2017 law was enacted to regulate the construction, installation, maintenance and safe operation of lifts, escalators and moving walkways in the state, along with all associated machinery and apparatus. However, with installations increasing rapidly, the existing inspection structure has become overstretched.The amendment also proposes consequential changes replacing references to the Indian Penal Code with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the Factories Act, 1948 with the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.The development comes amid growing concern over elevator safety in Maharashtra. Despite the passage of the 2017 law, the rules required to fully operationalise it are still being finalised, leaving the state largely governed by the decades-old Bombay Lift Rules of 1958.Safety experts have long argued that the older framework is inadequate to regulate modern elevator systems in high-rise buildings, malls and hospitals. Recent incidents—including lift malfunctions, collapses and trapping cases in parts of the Mumbai metropolitan region—have underscored the need for stricter inspection and certification mechanisms.Officials said decentralising inspection powers is expected to help speed up approvals, improve monitoring and strengthen safety oversight as the state continues to build vertically.

TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains mention of death.Malayalam actor Hari Murali, who began his career as a child artist in films and television, has passed away. He was 27 years old. Reports from Manorama Online says that the young actor was found dead at his residence in Annoor, Payyannur.Reports also say that his body was later shifted to a private hospital in Payyannur and further details surrounding the circumstances of his death have not yet been publicly confirmed.

Son of veteran theatre artist

Hari Murali came from a family with a strong background in theatre and cinema as he was the son of theatre and film actor K. U. Murali, popularly known as Payyannur Murali.See More: ‘Why did you do this?’ Actor Seema G. Nair mourns Hari Murali’s demise with an emotional tribute

Actor Ganapathi’s relative

His father has been active in the theatre field for nearly three decades. Hari’s mother is Prasanna, and he is survived by his brother Sreemurali. ‘Manjummel Boys’ actor Ganapathi is reportedly a relative of Hari Murali.Additionally, actor Babu Annoor—who portrayed the father of Fahadh Faasil in the film ‘Oru Indian Pranayakatha’—is the brother of Hari’s father.

Hari Murali first entered the world of acting through television serials. Director A. M. Naseer reportedly gave him a small role in a serial when he was just four and a half years old.Hari’s first movie appearance was in Dileep’s ‘Rasikan’ which received good reviews from the audiences even though it flopped.After his debut in Rasikan, Hari Murali went on to appear in several popular Malayalam movies such as Annan Thambi, directed by Anwar Rasheed, as well as Madampi, Don, Pattanathil Bhootham and Ulakham Chuttum Valiban.In total, he appeared in around 10 to 15 films during his childhood years.After spending several years in front of the camera, Hari gradually stepped away from acting to focus on his education.Hari completed a BSc in Visual Effects and Animation from Bengaluru and after finishing his studies, he began working in Ernakulam as a graphic designer.His last outing as an actor was ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’.

Dancer and choreographer Shakti Mohan who started out with ‘Dance India Dance‘ has come a long way after the reality show. Shakti has managed to create her own niche over the years. In a recent interview, Shakti opened up about landing her first big choreography opportunity with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali for the ‘Padmaavat‘ track featuring Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone. She also shared what it was like working with the renowned director, describing him as “very strict.”During a conversation with Hauterrfly, Shakti recalled how overwhelming the opportunity felt. She said, “My first song as a choreographer was with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It was ‘Nainowale Ne’ from the film Padmaavat. There, I freaked out because I got the chance to work with Bhansali in my first song as a choreographer.”

The choreographer also revealed that she chose not to take any payment for the project, considering it a priceless learning experience. “I refused to be paid for that song. I told him that ‘I should pay you because I’m learning from you.’ It was a big deal for me. So, when he spoke about money, I said, ‘Please, mat dijiye mujhe.‘ I will always do it for free for him because you are getting to work with such a genius.”

Shakti went on to describe Bhansali’s intense work style, noting that everyone around him needs to stay alert on set. “Yes, he is very strict. Even if somebody breathes around him, he will turn and give them a look. For three hours, people would just hold their breath and stand beside him. He has a vision of each and everything, and even if the light is dim on one leaf, he has to correct it. Everyone has to be very patient for that process.”Speaking about her experience working with Deepika, Shakti explained that most of their interaction happened directly on set due to the actor’s tight schedule. “My interaction with Deepika was directly on the set and there were no rehearsals because she was shooting all the time. We were teaching her dance steps on set. There was a dance sequence where she had to perform it on a stone in the middle of the lake while holding a bow and wearing a saree. It was so challenging. That had so many takes, but in the end, it was removed from the song, but the rest of the romantic bits were there.”

NOIDA: A fast-track court has acquitted a Delhi-based HR manager accused of rape after the complainant retracted her allegations during trial, telling the court that the police had drafted the complaint themselves.Additional sessions judge Priyanka Singh also ordered proceedings against the woman under Section 344 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for filing a false case and giving false evidence.An FIR in the case was registered at the Phase III police station in Noida on March 25, last year. In her complaint, the woman alleged that her colleague, HR manager Karan Gujral, had first raped her in 2023 after allegedly mixing an intoxicant in her food and drink. She claimed that he repeatedly called her to a hotel and raped her for more than a year on the promise of marriage.According to the FIR, the two later married at a temple in Feb 2024 and began living together. The woman told police that she became pregnant in Nov but the accused later stopped responding to her calls. When she approached his family, she was allegedly told that he was already married.Police registered a case under IPC Section 376 and recorded her statement before a magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC. The accused was arrested on April 4, and the chargesheet was filed 10 days later. The case was subsequently transferred to a fast-track court for trial.However, the prosecution’s case weakened when the complainant took the witness stand. During her testimony, she contradicted the claims made in the FIR and said she had been working at the same company where the accused served as HR manager. She told the court that her job had not been regularised and she was upset about the delays in salary payments.The woman said that colleagues had advised her to approach the police. When she went to the station with company officials to complain about the salary dispute, she alleged, the police themselves drafted the FIR. She also told the court that the statements recorded before the magistrate had been made at the police’s behest.During cross-examination, she denied that the accused had called her to hotels or had sexual relations with her. She also admitted that she had never met him alone. The woman acknowledged that she was about six months pregnant when the FIR was filed, but said the child was not fathered by the accused.The prosecution declared her a hostile witness, but the court noted that her testimony substantially undermined the case.Medical evidence also failed to support the allegations. The doctor who examined the complainant testified that there were no visible injuries and no forensic indications of sexual assault. The court said the medical findings did not establish that the accused had forcibly raped the woman or administered any intoxicating substance.Referring to the Supreme Court’s ruling in State of Delhi vs Shriram Lohiya, the judge observed that statements recorded under Section 164 CrPC cannot be treated as substantive evidence unless corroborated by other material.The court therefore acquitted Gujral and directed that a separate case be initiated against the complainant for allegedly misusing legal provisions intended to protect women.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a Ludhiana-based cloth trader after he admitted using artificial intelligence tools to draft the petition and could not explain complex legal terms used in it.According to news agency PTI, the exchange took place before a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and R Mahadevan.

The bench became suspicious when the petitioner, Rajnish Sidhu — a hosiery trader who said he had studied up to Class 12 — began reading from a written text while arguing his plea related to the PM CARES Fund.When asked about his background, Sidhu said he had not filed any petition in the past and had come directly to the apex court with his first plea.Responding sarcastically, the Chief Justice said, “‘Bada bahaduri ka kaam kiya, seedha Ludhiana se chalke aagaye’ (Very brave of you to come straight from Ludhiana to the Supreme Court).”He also warned the petitioner against filing such cases through others, saying, “Jaao, Ludhiana mein 2-3 aur sweater becho… Jin logo ka kaam hai aisi petition file karna, woh nuksaan kardengay apka costs lagwa ke’ (Go and sell 2-3 more sweaters in Ludhiana… If you continue filing such petitions through others, they will end up having costs imposed upon you).”During the hearing, the CJI said he would test whether Sidhu had actually drafted the petition himself. “I will take your English exam right here,” he said, adding, “If you manage to score even 30 per cent, I will believe you drafted this plea.”The moment of truth came when the bench asked Sidhu to explain “Fiduciary Risk of Corporate Donors”, a term used in the PIL. Sidhu was unable to define it and attempted to read from his notes.“Mr Sidhu, this has been written and given to you by some advocate. You are just reading the script,” the Chief Justice interjected, warning that he could order an investigation by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau.The petitioner then said that a typist working on the Supreme Court premises had initially helped him draft the petition.“The typist was very helpful. I gifted him four jackets. He was asking for Rs 1,000 per hour,” Sidhu said, adding, “But I have not used his petition and drafted my own.”He later admitted that he had used three to four artificial intelligence tools to prepare the plea because he could not afford a lawyer.The bench dismissed the PIL and warned that any such attempt in the future would invite penal and financial consequences.On Monday, the CJI-led bench had also dismissed five “frivolous” PILs filed by a lawyer, including one seeking a scientific study on whether onion and garlic contained “tamasic” (negative) energy, and questioned if they had been drafted in the middle of the night.(With inputs from PTI)

Archana Puran Singh, who is currently winning hearts on The Great Indian Kapil Show, keeps fans updated about her personal and professional life through her YouTube videos. She recently shared that she will stop posting videos on her YouTube channel for now. This came as a major shocker for fans, as the channel has crossed 1 million subscribers and generates revenue as well. The family revealed that they are planning to take a short break from YouTube for the time being.In a recent video, she shared, “This is not really sad news, but I feel we should share it with our subscribers, with the members of our AAAP ka Parivar. We started this about a year ago, and now we want to take a little bit of rest, just for a few weeks. I love you all. You have shown us tremendous love, but we hope that you will shower us with even more love when we come back because we love you.”Son Aaryamann said, “We will do something new that will be fun. What we did for the last year, we are happy with it. This will be the next step in AAAP ka Parivar’s evolution.” Archana then shared that they will still be a part of Aaryamann’s YouTube channel. “Aary vlogs will continue, so you won’t miss us. We will be there on Aary vlogs,” she said.Soon after the video came out, fans expressed their concern and disappointment over the same. While some requested Archana to continue sharing videos on her YouTube channel, others asked her to resume shooting shortly after the break.A user wrote, “This breaks my heart because my family and I used to watch your videos all the time, but hoping for you to return soon.” Another user wrote, “Yes, you guys do deserve a break, and please come back soon.” On the work front, Archana is currently winning hearts on The Great Indian Kapil Show.

Two brothers from Pennsylvania, Bhaskar Savani and Arun Savani, have been found guilty in a multi-state racketeering conspiracy that included different types of fraud. The Savani brothers built the Savani Group that amassed millions of dollars through these fraud schemes. Bhaskar Savani is a dentist and their group committed medical fraud too. Interestingly, the brothers bragged on social media about meeting Kash Patel and posted photos with him. They also celebrated when Kash Patel became the FBI director though they were on the radar of the agency and were charged in 2023. An associate of the two brothers, Aleksandra Radomiak, has also been convicted and faces up to 40 yearsof imprisonment and fines. The two brothers face over 400 years of imprisonment — Bhaskar 420 years and Arun 415 years. Their sentencing will take place in July 2026.

Details of the Savani brothers’ scam

H-1B visa scam: According to DOJ charges, their group filed false H-1B visa applications and petitions with the administration for hiring Indians who were dependent on the Savani Group and used to take fees from them. Medicaid fraud: They fraudulently obtained Medicaid contracts and billed Medicaid using nominee business owners after Savani Group dental practices were terminated from Medicaid insurance contracts. The Savani Group defrauded Medicaid of more than $30 million through the scheme.Healthcare fraud: Submitting false bills to Medicaid using another dentist’s National Provider Identifier (NPI) on dates when the other dentist was physically outside of the United States and for dental services performed by uncredentialed dentists.Money laundering: Transferring and concealing health care fraud proceeds from the nominee-owned dental practices through a complex web of Savani group corporate entities’ bank accounts that ultimately benefited the Savani brothers and their associated corporate entities.Tax and wire fraud: The Savani brothers and their companies failed to pay taxes on approximately $1.6 million of unreported personal income and $1.1 million of their employees’ unreported income. They failed to pay personal and payroll taxes and fraudulently expensed through their businesses, among other personal expenses, college tuition payments, personal property taxes, and pool and lawn maintenance costs for their personal homes.FDCA conspiracy: They used dental implants not for human use in human patients without their knowledge and consent.

MUMBAI: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday proposed a dedicated policy for the chemical industry and the creation of plug-and-play manufacturing hubs as part of a roadmap to position Maharashtra as a global chemicals hub.Speaking at a CEO roundtable organised by the Indian Chemical Council (ICC) during the India Chemical Industry Outlook Conference in Mumbai, Fadnavis interacted with more than 100 CEOs from Indian and multinational chemical and petrochemical companies.

The chief minister said the state’s chemical sector already contributes nearly 10% to Maharashtra’s industrial GDP and assured industry leaders that the govt would actively support its growth through policy interventions and infrastructure development. He proposed that the state govt work with ICC to formulate a new policy defining the future of the sector, including the creation of chemical parks, improved infrastructure and a clear investment roadmap.Fadnavis also suggested developing plug-and-play chemical manufacturing hubs modelled on facilities such as those at Dahej in Gujarat. He stressed the need for stronger industry–academia collaboration for skill development, proposing partnerships with institutions such as Institute of Chemical Technology and ITIs.The roundtable, moderated by ICC vice-president Samir Somaiah and additional vice-president Jayant Dhobley, focused on strengthening India’s global competitiveness in the chemicals sector, building resilient supply chains and accelerating the transition to sustainable manufacturing.A presentation by McKinsey & Company highlighted the strategic importance of the chemicals industry to India’s economic growth. Industry leaders at the meeting said India’s chemical sector is at a critical inflection point and has the potential to significantly expand its role in global value chains amid shifting geopolitical and supply-chain dynamics.Participants underlined the need for policy stability, reliable feedstock supply, research and innovation, and stronger industry–government collaboration to unlock the sector’s growth potential.ICC president Ramya Bharathram said platforms such as the CEO roundtable enable meaningful dialogue between policymakers and industry leaders and help shape a shared roadmap for the sector’s future.The annual conference organised by ICC brings together policymakers, global CEOs, technology providers and industry experts to discuss the outlook and emerging opportunities for the chemical industry.