Category: State

Following directives from the Central Government in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, police across Madhya Pradesh have begun identifying Pakistani visa holders residing in the state and asking them to leave, senior officials confirmed on Monday. A senior officer at the state police headquarters told The Free Press that exit permits have already been issued to four individuals in Indore. In addition, several complex cases involving Indian women with Pakistan-born minor children have been reported in Bhopal, Jabalpur, and Indore. In Indore, two Indian sisters were found to have one and three Pakistan-born children, respectively. Similarly, in Bhopal, an Indian woman has two minor children — aged five years and one-and-a-half years — holding Pakistani nationality. Another woman has applied for a long-term visa for her child. In Jabalpur, police identified an Indian woman married to a Pakistani citizen who had traveled to India with her three children for passport renewal. She is expected to return to Pakistan after completing the process. “In cases involving minor children, they cannot be forcibly deported,” the police officer clarified, noting that guidance from higher authorities has been sought on how to proceed in such sensitive situations. Following the Pahalgam attack, the Centre ordered the cancellation of visas for Pakistani nationals, identifying 14 of the 16 categories of visas for termination. This move is part of broader measures taken by the Indian government in response to escalating tensions after the attack.

BHOPAL/INDORE/REWA/MANDSAUR, April 28 – The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday conducted raids at several locations across Madhya Pradesh linked to liquor contractors Yogendra Jaiswal and Vijay Shrivastava, in connection with alleged irregularities worth ₹71 crore. The raids, which took place simultaneously in Bhopal, Indore, Rewa, and Mandsaur, are part of an ongoing probe into the Fake Challan Scam related to the state Excise Department, dating back to 2014–2017. Bhopal: Initial reports indicated that Deputy Commissioner of the Excise Flying Squad, Alok Khare’s premises, were being searched. However, ED sources later clarified that no action was taken against Khare. Indore: In Indore, ED teams raided 18 locations connected to several liquor traders, including: Key areas like Basant Vihar Colony, Tulsi Nagar, and Mahalaxmi Nagar were targeted during the operations. Other Cities: Raids were also conducted at locations in Jabalpur and Mandsaur. As of now, the ED has not officially released a public statement regarding the findings from the raids. Background: The case involves 194 fraudulent bank challans used between 2014 and 2017 to illegally lift liquor from government warehouses. The accused allegedly manipulated small bank challans into large ones, enabling them to collect and sell more liquor through their government-approved shops. Following complaints and initial inquiries, the ED formally began investigating the scam in 2024.

The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) is facing serious allegations of financial irregularities after Leader of Opposition (LoP) Shabista Zaki claimed discrepancies worth ₹43 lakh in the construction of the corporation’s new headquarters. According to BMC’s civil department, the initial estimated cost of the new building was over ₹22.50 crore. As per regulations, the Mayor-in-Council (MiC) could authorize a maximum 20% cost escalation, but the project cost was directly increased by 50%, raising the total budget to over ₹33 crore. In addition, more than ₹6 crore was further added to the corporation’s 2025-26 budget, even though the construction remains incomplete. A new completion deadline has now been set for June 30. Key Allegations by Zaki: Corporation’s Defense: Responding to the allegations, Mayor-in-Council member Ashok Vani defended BMC’s actions, stating that the SD was returned against a bank guarantee (BG), calling it standard procedure. He further asserted that the GST revision aligned with Central government rules and that due process was followed. However, Zaki countered this claim, insisting that no such bank guarantee was submitted and that there is no official documentation supporting the GST rate change.