Maharashtra CM Withdraws FIRs Against NEET Protesters as Mumbai FDA Targets Eateries
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the home department to withdraw FIRs registered against students who participated in NEET-related protests, offering legal relief to hundreds of demonstrators statewide. The same week, Maharashtra's FDA moved aggressively on food safety, revoking the FSSAI licence of the much-loved Poornima Restaurant and pressing the High Court for hygiene data on government-run eateries.
🗳️ FIRs Against NEET Protest Students to Be Withdrawn
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed Maharashtra's home department to withdraw the First Information Reports filed against students who took to the streets over the NEET controversy. The directive covers protesters who were booked during agitations connected to irregularities surrounding the national medical entrance exam. Fadnavis framed the move as an acknowledgment that the student demonstrations were driven by legitimate concerns about exam integrity rather than criminal intent. The order is expected to benefit hundreds of young protesters across the state who faced the prospect of police records interfering with their academic and professional futures. A separate Maharashtra government notification also announced the withdrawal of cases registered during earlier student protests, signalling a broader policy decision to draw a line under the NEET agitation period and allow the affected students to move forward. The action comes as scrutiny of NEET administration continues nationally, and Maharashtra has been among the states most vocal about demanding greater accountability from central examination bodies. [1]
Poornima Restaurant Loses FSSAI Licence in FDA Sweep
Mumbai's celebrated Poornima Restaurant, a dining landmark with decades of loyal patronage, has had its FSSAI food safety licence revoked by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration as part of a sweeping hygiene compliance crackdown. The action against Poornima sent ripples through the city's restaurant community because the establishment carries significant sentimental and cultural weight for Mumbaikars who have dined there for generations. The FDA's enforcement drive targeted establishments where hygiene standards did not meet statutory requirements, and Poornima's licence cancellation was among the most prominent actions in the sweep. Simultaneously, the Bombay High Court flagged that its inspection orders had not been fully complied with by government-run and semi-government catering facilities, directing the FDA to furnish inspection details for state-owned establishments. The High Court's intervention added pressure on regulators to apply hygiene standards uniformly, regardless of whether a kitchen is run by a private operator or a government body. The dual developments — private venues losing licences and courts scrutinising public eateries — signalled a more assertive approach to food safety enforcement across Maharashtra. [2]
🎓 Crime Branch to Probe Viral Audio on MHT CET Centre Manipulation
Mumbai's Crime Branch has been tasked with investigating a viral audio clip that surfaced online alleging manipulation at Maharashtra's MHT CET examination centres. The recording, which gained wide circulation on social media, raised allegations that some centres were being run irregularly or that their administration had been compromised. Authorities confirmed the Crime Branch would lead the probe given the seriousness of the allegations and the potential scale of impact on students who sat the examination. MHT CET is a critical gateway for engineering and pharmacy admissions across Maharashtra, and any suggestion of centre-level irregularities carries significant implications for students whose results and college placements depend on the examination's integrity. The investigation follows a pattern of scrutiny around high-stakes entrance exams that has intensified since the national NEET controversy, with state governments across India under pressure to demonstrate that their own competitive examinations are administered with transparency. Mumbai's Crime Branch was chosen to handle the probe rather than local police, reflecting the cross-jurisdictional nature of the alleged irregularities. [9]
Maharashtra Boosts Railway Vikas Corporation's Authorised Capital
The Maharashtra government has approved a substantial increase in the authorised share capital of the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation, raising the ceiling from Rs 25 crore to a significantly higher figure. The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation functions as the dedicated planning and development body for suburban rail infrastructure in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, overseeing projects that affect millions of daily rail commuters. Raising the authorised capital enables the corporation to seek larger equity investments and borrow against a bigger capital base, providing it with the financial headroom needed to pursue ambitious infrastructure upgrades. Mumbai's suburban rail network, operated jointly by Central and Western Railways, carries one of the highest passenger densities of any urban rail system in the world, and the city's infrastructure demands have long outpaced available funding. The capital enhancement is expected to accelerate projects related to station upgrades, new lines, and capacity augmentation that have been in various stages of planning. The Maharashtra government's move follows a broader pattern of state-level capitalisation of infrastructure bodies as urban centres seek to modernise transit assets without waiting solely on central government allocations. [5]
Anti-Drug Campaign to Reach Schools and Colleges Beyond Mumbai
Maharashtra has announced plans to extend its anti-drug awareness campaign beyond Mumbai, establishing counselling support infrastructure at schools and colleges across the state. The initiative reflects growing concern among health and education authorities about substance abuse among young people, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas. By placing counselling services within educational institutions, the government aims to create accessible pathways for students who may be struggling with substance use or peer pressure related to drugs, without requiring them to navigate formal medical systems on their own. Maharashtra's anti-drug campaign has previously focused much of its visible enforcement and awareness activity in Mumbai, but state officials acknowledged that the problem extends well into smaller cities and rural districts. The school and college counselling model draws on approaches that have shown results in reducing stigma-related barriers to seeking help. Schools will be supported with trained personnel who can identify at-risk students early and connect them with appropriate services. The expansion represents a shift from primarily enforcement-led responses toward a more integrated model that combines awareness, counselling, and community engagement as tools for addressing the drug challenge among Maharashtra's youth. [6]
Sources: [1] The Times of India · [2] WION · [9] UNITED NEWS OF INDIA · [5] Moneycontrol.com · [6] News18