Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 25 (ANI): In the wake of the ultimatum by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil on Monday said that Central government should make rules regarding loudspeakers at the national level.

Mumbai Apr 20 PTI Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil on Wednesday said he will hold a meeting with the key leaders of all political parties and some organisations in the state before a final decision is taken over with the use of loudspeakers He made the comments against the backdrop of a strong pitch made by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS and the opposition BJP over removing high-decibel loudspeakers installed on mosques Interacting with media persons here Walse Patil also said that loudspeakers can be installed only after seeking permission from the police as per law He said states Director General of Police DGP Rajnish Seth held a meeting with the top officials on the issue of loudspeakers on Tuesday and submitted a report in this regard to him on Wednesday He Seth has submitted a report to me on what situation may arise in the state over the next some days and steps to be taken in that regard the minister added Walse Patil without naming anyone reiterated that attempts are being made to disturb law and order in the state and added that the government has taken a serious view of the same He requested everyone to desist from taking law into their hands escalating conflicts and dividing communities Strict action will be taken if anyone does this and peace will be established he added Walse Patil said that the Supreme Court had passed a judgement on noise pollution in 2005 and added the state government had issued some government resolutions GR in that regard in 2015 and 2017 Instruction will be issued to authorities concerned to implement the same But before taking a final decision in this regard I will hold a meeting with leaders of key parties in the state to discuss the issue I will hold discussions with some organisations as well After that a final decision will be made he added To a question Walse Patil said MNS chief Raj Thackeray who had made a strong pitch for removing loudspeakers from mosques earlier this month will also be invited for the meeting Walse Patil however did not specify the date when the meeting will be held The minister also said he will welcome if people follow the Supreme Court order on noise pollution on their own To another question Walse Patil said Aurangabad police commissioner has received letters seeking to disallow Thackerays planned rally in Aurangabad city and added that cops will take a call in this regard assessing the local situation Walse Patil also said that there is no reason for the government to oppose if anyone installs CCTVs at temples or any other place of prayers voluntarily from a security point of view He was replying to a question on the MNS reportedly demanding installation of CCTVs in mosques Asked whether loudspeakers installed without permissions on temples or mosques will be removed Walse Patil said that it is not the governments responsibility to install or remove loudspeakers One who wishes to install a loudspeaker should do so as per law seeking police permission Loudspeakers cannot be installed if there is no police permission Those who install loudspeakers they will have to follow the SC order and governments GRs he added Replying to a query the minister said the government has inputs about pockets in the state where the situation may be tense and added that the police have been asked to be fully prepared to face such situations Walse Patil said there is no need to give importance to Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her MLA-husband Ravi Ranas talk of reading Hanuman Chalisa outside Chief Minister Uddhav Thackerays official residence Varsha here Raj Thackeray has earlier asked the MVA government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3 citing noise pollution and threatened to play Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques in a higher volume if his demand was not met The BJP has supported Raj Thackerays demand PTI ENM NP NP

Mumbai Apr 19 PTI Against the backdrop the MNS demand to remove loudspeakers from mosques Maharashtra Director General of Police on Tuesday instructed the officials to enforce the law and Supreme Courts guidelines on the issue strictlyDGP Rajnish Seth held a meeting through video conference in the morning with all district superintendents of police special inspector generals of various ranges and commissioners of major cities said an officialA senior official attended the meeting on behalf of the Mumbai police commissioner The DGP instructed unit commanders to allow loudspeakers between 6 am and 10 pm with prior permission from the police and asked them to strictly abide by the Supreme Courts guidelines on loudspeakers use as well as the noise pollution norms laid down by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board MPCBThe use of loudspeakers in public places was an old issue and there are clear guidelines the DGP said while instructing all police units to take action in case there was any complaint of noise pollution the official said Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray demanded earlier this month that loudspeakers at mosques relaying azaan prayers be removed by May 3 or else his party would play the Hanuman Chalisa at higher volumes to counter them Meanwhile state Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil said police were keeping a close watch on the situation and fully prepared to take action against those trying to create communal disturbances over the loudspeaker issue Earlier on Monday Walse-Patil had said DGP Rajnish Seth and Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Pandey would prepare comprehensive guidelines in a couple of days on the use of loudspeakers at the places of worship On Monday Nashik police commissioner Deepak Pandey had issued an order directing that no bhajan or religious songs be played on loudspeakers 15 minutes before or after azaan in a radius of 100 metres of any mosque PTI DC BNM KRK KRK

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 30 (ANI): Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of racking up issues related to Hindutva in a bid to polarise the atmosphere ahead of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) civic polls.

Mumbai Mar 28 PTI Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader Dilip Walse Patil on Monday said Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was not upset with him as claimed in certain quarters over his reply to BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis allegation that Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA was hatching a conspiracy to frame some leaders of the Opposition party Speaking to reporters here after he met with NCP chief Sharad Pawar Walse Patil said Thackeray is not upset with him over any issue He said on the contrary Thackeray called him and congratulated him over his reply to Fadnavis During the recently-concluded budget session of the Maharashtra legislature Fadnavis had said the MVA was hatching a conspiracy to frame some BJP leaders including himself in false cases Walse Patil had in the Assembly announced a criminal investigation department CID probe into the matter Thackeray reportedly expressed his displeasure over the issue in the cabinet meeting held last Wednesday The chief minister is not upset over any issue Everyone has hisher style of expressionThe chief minister is not upset Rather he had called and congratulated me Walse Patil said The home minister said this issue didnt crop up during his meeting with Pawar Walse Patil also dismissed BJPs allegation that IPS officer Sanjay Pandey was appointed as Mumbai police commissioner to frame BJP leaders I have clearly said that nobody has been appointed to take revenge There was no discussion on this in todays meeting with Pawar the minister said adding that he discussed some public issues during the meeting PTI ENM NSK NSK

Mumbai Mar 25 PTI Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil on Friday handed over a case related to an inter-state gang allegedly involved in terror funding to the Anti-Terrorism Squad ATS of the state police Making the announcement in the state Assembly he also denied Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis allegation that the case probed by Pune Police was being closed under somebodys pressureYou alleged it was a terror funding case and someone exerted pressure to stop the probethere is no question of anyone putting pressure the minister told FadnavisThe matter is being probedas usual you demanded a CBI probe How many cases will the CBI probe But I am handing over the probe to the ATS and we will take action if there is any terror connection Walse-Patil saidHe also informed the House that the government has declared Deputy Commissioner of Police Saurabh Tripathi who is facing allegations of extorting money from angadiyas couriers in the name of Income Tax department as abscondingFadnavis had also alleged on Thursday that retired Mumbai police officer Ishaq Bagwan had got a piece of land through a gift deed from the son of Farid Mohammed Ali Welder who was named as an accomplice of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahims brother Ibrahim Kaskar in a caseThe BJP leader had also submitted to Walse-Patil a pen drive of a sting operation in this connectionThe official from the minority community retired in 2009 If we are levelling allegations against him in 2022I will take detailed information and take appropriate decision the minister said on FridayTalking about the suspension of DCP Tripathi BJP MLA Ashish Shelar on Wednesday had wondered whether a conspiracy was being hatched to defame the IT department which is a central agencyDismissing the allegation Walse-Patil said it was Mumbai Police which took the initiative and arrested three other policemenWe will not spare anyone The government suspended Saurabh Tripathi and today he has been declared absconding He is not available The government is searching for him the home minister saidWalse-Patil who belongs to the NCP also hit out at the BJP over the arrest of minister and fellow party leader Nawab Malik in a money laundering case allegedly linked to Dawood IbrahimWhat was Malik doing He was speaking firmly against the Union governments wrong decisions A conspiracy was hatched to defame him the home minister allegedThe BJP did not seek to link Malik to Dawood Ibrahim when the NCP leader was elected to Assembly five times but when he spoke out against the Union government such allegations were levelled Walse-Patil saidYou may think you will benefit from such politics of defaming But you wont I am sure Malik will emerge innocent the minister said PTI ENM KRK KRK

Mumbai Mar 23 PTI Latching onto suspension of DCP Saurabh Tripathi accused of threatening angadiyas using the I-T departments name Maharashtra BJP MLA Ashish Shelar on Wednesday wondered whether a conspiracy was being hatched in the state administrative services to defame the central agencySpeaking in the Assembly the former Maharashtra minister asked whether such a conspiracy was being hatched in the states administrative services with someones blessingReplying Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil said he will seek information in this regard and take action if there is any truth in itThe Maharashtra government on Tuesday suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP Tripathi who is a wanted accused in an extortion case registered by the Mumbai police following a complaint by angadiyas or tradition couriers who provide money transfer service to businessmen for a commissionAs per the complaint lodged by angadiyas the accused officials had allegedly extorted money from them on several occasions in December by threatening to tip-off the Income Tax department about their cash movements and business activitiesWhat is the charge against him Tripathi He threatened angadiyas saying that the Income Tax department will raid them take action against themIf police officials are going to extort money from people taking the Income Tax departments name and spreading lies the question is whether any conspiracy was being hatched in the states administrative services to defame central agencies with someones blessings Shelar askedThe opposition legislator said it will not behoove Maharashtra and the country if any such conspiracy is being hatchedThe BJP leader however also said the governments action of suspending Tripathi was appropriateOn his part Walse Patil said he has taken note of the issue Shelar has raised in the HouseI will definitely take information in this regard and take action if any truth is found in it the minister assured PTI ENM RSY RSY

Mumbai Feb 25 PTI Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday approved a proposal to give three promotion opportunities to police constables which will help them attain officer rank before retirement state Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil said In a series of tweets Walse Patil hoped the move will strengthen the force and help prevent crime and improve detection A decision has been made today to fulfill dreams of thousands of head constables in the state of becoming police sub-inspector Due to this decision a police constable category staffer will get three promotion opportunities during his service period paving way for hisher retirement as an officer he said The minister said a steering committee will be formed at the level of director general of police to implement the government decision In the wake of the decision the police force will have 108058 constables 51210 head constables and 17071 assistant police sub-inspectors he said The minister hoped the number of investigation officers will go up substantially due to this move which will in turn reduce stress on the existing pool of officers PTI ENM BNM BNM BNM

Mumbai Feb 23 PTI Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil on Wednesday accused the Centre of engaging in vendetta and objected to the questioning of his cabinet colleague Nawab Malik by the Enforcement Directorate ED in a money laundering case without any notice NCP leader and former Rajya Sabha member Majeed Memon said the party will not keep quiet and fight lawfully till the end if the action against Malik is motivated by politics and being carried out with some vengeance and malice and asked the ED officials not to be their political masters slave The ED on Wednesday questioned state Minority Affairs Minister and NCPs chief spokesperson Malik in a money laundering probe linked to the activities of the Mumbai underworld fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides officials said Walse Patil said NCP leaders stand firmly with Malik The Union government has used central agencies with vendetta to target several people Malik is an honourable minister of the state It was required to issue him a notice if he is to be investigated in any case the NCP leader said But the notice was not served He was taken from his home early morning to the ED office This is against democracy and the common mans rights the state home minister said He said it is being seen that whenever central agencies take action somebody has talked about it earlier either on TV or Twitter This means it is all done in a pre-decided manner and selectivelyI am of the opinion that Malik is innocent he said Walse Patil also said the state Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA government comprising the Shiv Sena NCP and Congress is not in trouble and will complete its tenure Speaking to reporters separately Memon questioned the timing of the action He said the ED was questioning Malik linking the latter to the underworld and in connection with a land purchased 17 years ago A 17-year-old matter is being raked up now I want to ask the ED humbly what is the basis for opening the case now The judges will ask you tomorrow that how come you woke up after 17 years Why did you not probe this in 2005 he said Memon said Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis had talked about the land scam four months ago Why did ED not act for four months Wasnt the ED aware of this It was all in public domain he said Memon also asked the ED officials to not be slaves of their political masters and not a pawn in anyones hands You are the slave of law justice and the Constitution of India Dont become a victim of race between political parties he added If the ED thinks Malik is involved in any crime then it should investigate maintaining secrecy and not publicise the same on TV the NCP leader said What you are doing is against law and justice It is violating your own course of investigation The courts have said many times that the investigation in important matters has to be carried out maintaining secrecy It need not be publicisedSecrecy is the hallmark of a fair investigation he said Memon also accused BJP leader and former state CM Fadnavis of not getting sleep at night for want of power We have nothing to say if they are doing something legal But if they are doing something motivated by politics if they are doing something with vengeance and malice then we are the last people to keep quiet he said Our party will not remain silent if you misuse the lawWe will agitate from day one till the end and fight lawfully he said Memon also picked holes in Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman comments where she had rubbished charges against the BJP-led central government of using central agencies against political opponents I want to tell her Madam you are holding the finance portfolio The home ministry should speak about it I would also ask the home ministry about the misuse of central agencies during the past seven-eight years especially during the second term of the NDA after 2019 he said PTI ENM GK GK

Mumbai Jan 27 PTI Two officials of the Maharashtra ATS on Thursday left the special court here which is conducting the trial of the 2008 Malegaon blast case after the defense lawyers objected to their presence The Anti-Terrorism Squad ATS had probed the case initially before the National Investigation Agency NIA took it over When two ATS officials turned up in the court on Thursday on the Maharashtra governments directions the NIA lawyer said it did not have any intimation in this regard Advocate J P Mishra a defense lawyer contended that these officers were not authorized to attend the trial As per the law the NIA can take help of another probe agency during investigation but not during a trial the defense lawyer said When Judge P R Sitre asked the two officials about their presence they said they were sent by ATS chief Vineet Agarwal on the directions of Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil They only had oral instructions and no written order they informed the court When the defense lawyers said they would not proceed if ATS officials remained present the duo left the court room They would file an application seeking permission to attend at the next hearing they told the judge before leaving Taking note of several prosecution witnesses turning hostile in the case home minister Walse-Patil had last week said ATS officials would attend the trialSix people were killed and over 100 injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon a communally sensitive town in north Maharashtra on September 29 2008 Pragya Singh Thakur the BJP MP from Bhopal is among the accused PTI AVI KRK KRK