Woman dancer among four booked for shooting Lavani video at place associated with Shivaji Maharaj
Pune (PTI): Police have registered a case against a female Marathi artiste and three others after a video showed her performing dance on a Lavani number in the premises of Lal Mahal here, where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had spent several years of his early life, an official said on Saturday.
Some political outfits, including the ruling NCP, condemned the dance video, which prompted the dancer, Vaishnavi Patil, to tender an apology.
The case against Patil and three others was registered at Faraskhana police station on Friday night based on a complaint lodged by the security guard of the Lal Mahal, the official said.
Lal Mahal is a red-coloured building located in the heart of the city, where Maratha warrior king Shivaji Maharaj, a revered figure, spent several years of his childhood.
"Vaishnavi Patil performed Lavani dance at the Lal Mahal on Monday and people accompanying her shot a video of the act, which they later posted on social media. As mentioned in his complaint, the security guard, who was on duty there at that time, asked them not to perform dance and shoot in the premises of the monument," the police official said.
The case against them was filed under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 295 (defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) and 186 (voluntarily obstructing a public servant in the discharge of his public functions), he added.
Lavani, a popular folk dance of Maharashtra, is known for its sensuous moves. Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad condemned the act of shooting Lavani dance at the Lal Mahal.
In a tweet, he said, "Shivaji Maharaj's Lal Mahal is not a place for shooting dance videos. This should not happen again. If anyone has done so (shot dance videos there), do not upload them."
NCP's city unit president Prashant Jagtap announced that a protest will be held outside the Lal Mahal on Saturday afternoon to denounce the video.
The Pune unit of Sambhaji Brigade, a hardline Maratha outfit, also condemned the video.
After her video kicked up a row, Patil, a winner of a dance show, on Friday apologised for her act.
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Rs 23.8 crore scam: Relief money for natural calamity victims siphoned off to govt employees in MP
Bhopal: A massive financial irregularity has come to light in Madhya Pradesh, where Rs 23.81 crore, earmarked as relief aid for families of natural calamities and accidents, was siphoned into the accounts of government employees, their relatives, and other ineligible individuals across 13 districts, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
The CAG audit, as cited by The New Indian Express on Tuesday, revealed that the funds—intended to assist families affected by disasters such as lightning strikes, hailstorms, drought, excessive rain, floods, and accidents like snakebites and drowning—were misappropriated. The fraudulent transactions were reported across thirteen districts, including Seoni, Sheopur, Sehore, Shivpuri, Dewas, Chhatarpur, Khandwa, Mandsaur, Raisen, Damoh, Satna, Agar-Malwa, and Vidisha.
The audit report, tabled in the Vidhan Sabha, disclosed that of the total misappropriated sum, Rs 21.14 crore was transferred to unauthorised (ineligible) individuals, while Rs 2.67 crore was distributed to government employees and their relatives.
The investigation further revealed that government personnel exploited loopholes in the global budget system and the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) to facilitate the scam, TNIE added.
Fake sanction orders and fake beneficiaries were created on paper to authorise e-payments, diverting funds into unauthorised accounts.
Following the shocking revelations, disciplinary action has been initiated. In Seoni district, which witnessed the highest amount of fraud, four government employees, including a tehsildar and a naib tehsildar, have been suspended, while an FIR has been registered against another employee. In Sheopur, a district-level committee has been set up to identify those involved in the fraud. In Shivpuri, where relief funds meant for drought victims were siphoned off, one government staff has been suspended, and three others have been booked.
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