Maharashtra: Shiv Sena workers protest against party rebels; say 'traitors' won't be forgiven
Mumbai/Pune(PTI): Amid the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra following a rebellion by senior Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde and others, the loyalists of party president and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray took out a two-wheeler rally in Mumbai and held protests in parts of Pune against the dissident leaders on Sunday.
Sena workers and its local functionaries, led by the Pune city unit president Gajanan Tharkude, staged 'jode maro' (hit with footwear) protests at two places - outside Balgandharva auditorium and in Kothrud - and raised slogans against the rebels.
The party workers were seen hitting Shinde's photo with footwear.
"These protests are meant to put out a message that Shiv Sainiks will not forgive the traitors," Tharkude said.
Party corporators, local office-bearers and workers took part in the agitations, he said, adding that a two-wheeler rally was also organised in support of Thackeray.
On Saturday, Sena workers, led by corporator Vishal Dhanwade, had vandalised the office of rebel MLA Tanaji Sawant in Katraj area for "betryaing" CM Thackeray.
Meanwhile, in Mumbai, a large number of party workers, including women, assembled outside the office of 'Saamana', Shiv Sena's mouthpiece, at Prabhadevi and took out a two-wheeler rally raising slogans against Shinde and rebel MLAs.
A Sena supporter, who took part in the rally, said, "Hindutva is with Uddhav Thackeray. If rebel MLAs have to say anything, then they should come to Mumbai instead of sitting in Guwahati."
"Shiv Sena belongs to Balasaheb Thackeray. Nobody else can stake claim to it. We are here to support Uddhav Thackeray," another party worker said.
In view of the rally, the Mumbai police tightened security in the area, an official said.
Meanwhile, a signboard carrying the name of Byculla MLA Yamini Jadhav, who is one of the party rebels, was found blackened. The board is positioned under the Byculla bridge, a police official said.
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CBI closes case against DHFL, its directors in 'fake' home loan accounts case
New Delhi, Jan 23 (PTI): The CBI has closed the case against the DHFL and its directors pertaining to 2.60 lakh allegedly fictitious home loan accounts, some of which were used to claim interest subsidies under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna, officials said.
After over three years of probe, the agency could not find evidence suggesting a criminal conspiracy which could have led to the creation of such accounts, they said.
The irregularities were pointed out in the report of auditor Grant Thornton, appointed by the new board of the scam-hit Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL), they said.
The agency has now submitted its final report before a special court in Delhi, which would take a call on whether to accept the closure report or order further investigation into the matter.
The CBI had booked promoters Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan along with the company.
It was alleged that DHFL had opened a fictitious branch in Bandra and fake accounts worth Rs 14,046 crore of home-loan borrowers, who had already repaid their loans, were entered in the database, they said.
A total of 2.60 lakh "fake and fictitious" home loan accounts were created in the non-existent branch from 2007-19 for a total loan worth Rs 14,046 crore, out of which Rs 11,755.79 crore were deposited or routed to several fictitious firms known as Bandra Book firms, the CBI had alleged in the FIR.
Several of these bogus loan accounts were linked in the Pradhan Mantri Awas (PMAY) to claim interest subsidies from the National Housing Bank in connivance with its officials, the CBI had alleged.
The DHFL had allegedly processed 88,651 cases under the PMAY till December 2018, and it received an interest subsidy of Rs 539.40 crore, while it has to receive Rs 1,347.80 crore from the government, it had said.
PMAY is a central scheme to ensure housing for all.
