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Good evening, On Thursday, the Supreme Court stayed the Bombay High Court's decision to acquit all 12 defendants in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case. The move was prompted by concerns from the Maharashtra government, which argued that the high court’s ruling raised critical legal issues and might be used as a precedent in future cases. The government clarified, however, that neither the prosecution nor anyone else had requested or intended to seek immediate imprisonment of those acquitted. The Supreme Court has also issued notices to the acquitted individuals, requesting their response. The stay follows the Bombay High Court’s overturning of the 2015 judgment of a special MCOCA court on Monday, which had sentenced five convicts to death, and handed out life terms to seven in the 7/11 Mumbai train blasts. On that note, let’s dive in 👇🏽
📝 The Debrief
The Opposition is increasingly in a bind over the now former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s abrupt resignation
As the dust settles on the now-former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden late-evening resignation on Monday, the Opposition – whose notice likely triggered it all – is on a sticky wicket. Its unity, a crucial factor in the number of seats it managed to secure last year, appears to be breaking down, and its initial strategy to corner the government over the Pahalgam terror attack and the alleged US role in the ceasefire afterwards has gone somewhat awry since Dhankhar resigned. Little clarity: The Opposition queered the pitch with its initial reactions to Dhankhar’s resignation, particularly with Congress MP Jairam Ramesh stating on X that “there is far more to this totally unexpected resignation than meets the eye.” However, the Opposition, which hasn’t enjoyed the best of relations with Dhankhar, is at a loss, unsure of how to cash in on the issue and score political points against the government. Dhankhar’s resignation on health grounds compounds the problem. Cracks: Two opposition parties – the Trinamool Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party – are gradually distancing themselves from the rest of the pack. The TMC has electoral calculations, with Bengal heading to the polls next year. It also has a tense history with Dhankhar to consider before making a decision. It might prefer to sit this one out tactically, which explains why it has remained silent on Dhankhar’s resignation. Save for a quip from his former bete noir, Mamata Banerjee, who said, “His health is absolutely fine.” The AAP has made it clear that it is not part of the INDIA bloc. The vocal voices: While the Congress, the principal Opposition party, has been leading the chorus, there are also public disagreements from other parties, such as the Shiv Sena (UBT), over its somewhat conciliatory position on Dhankhar. Ramesh, for instance, stated that Dhankhar “took both the Government and the Opposition to task in equal measure,” while also urging the Vice President to reconsider his move, adding, “This will be in the nation’s interest. The farming community will be greatly relieved.” Ramesh’s former colleague and current Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi quote-posted his X comments, reminded her Parliamentary colleague that “Opposition was forced to file a no-confidence motion against the Chair because of the partisan manner of conduct. Let’s not forget that just because the moment has come as a surprise.” Dilemma: Having called him “explicitly partisan” during the no-confidence motion in December last year, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party's warming up to Dhankhar puts them in a peculiar situation. It now wants a farewell for the outgoing Vice President. While the broad consensus among the Opposition is that the ruling government forced out Dhankhar, they believe that one day, much like former governor Satyapal Malik, Dhankhar will speak out, especially if the government continues to evade questions about his resignation.
✍️ From our newsroom
The honeytrap: The ghost of the 2022 Shiv Sena split is rattling Maharashtra again. And this time, it's dragging a shadowy figure from Jalgaon: Praful Lodha. Once a BJP man, briefly a member of the NCP and VBA as well, Lodha is at the centre of explosive “honeytrap” allegations linked to the fall of the MVA government. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claims over a dozen MLAs and four MPs were blackmailed with compromising videos, not CBI or ED pressure. Lodha, a 62-year-old political wanderer with a murky past, has been arrested in multiple sexual assault cases, including two under the POSCO Act. His digital devices have been seized, FIRs have piled up, and questions swirl about his ties to top BJP leaders. Once close to Jamner MLA Girish Mahajan, who now distances himself, Lodha has managed to circle back to the BJP despite serious allegations. As investigations deepen, the state’s political corridors are once again bracing for fallout.
🔎 Need to know
Search party: The Enforcement Directorate carried out raids on Thursday at premises associated with Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani and Yes Bank as part of an investigation into a Rs 30,000 crore loan fraud. The ED targeted 35 locations across Mumbai and New Delhi, involving 25 companies and around 50 individuals, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Time off: India’s vice-captain and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has been advised to take six weeks' rest after fracturing his toe on Day 1 of the ongoing Manchester Test. Tragic: A Russian passenger aircraft carrying 50 people on board crashed in the far eastern region of Amur. The Antonov-24 aircraft, operated by Siberian regional airline Angara, disappeared from radar screens while en route to its destination of Tynda.
🎙️Expresso Playlist
In today’s Playlist, I’ll recommend an episode from Intelligence Squared, where journalist and author Joey D’Urso explores the fascinating world of football shirts and how they reveal themes such as global politics, money, and power. Must listen.
✋🏽 One last thing
While on football, here’s a super interesting profile of Newcastle United’s new technical director, Sudarshan Gopalasdesikan or Suds, in The Athletic. Fun fact: Suds once worked as a research assistant at Infosys in Bengaluru!
Until tomorrow, Venkat Ananth |
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