Kolkata/Howrah: Arrests, FIRs, resignations and administrative upheavals in several municipal corporations and municipalities in Bengal have raised concerns over the functioning of civic bodies and delivery of services.This tension is most evident in the Trinamool Congress-run KMC, where the civic board has become almost “defunct” due to the Mayor-in-Council not holding meetings. The crisis began with the resignation of Borough IX president Deblina Biswas, and intensified after Sushant Ghosh and Arup Chakraborty stepped down as Borough President (Borough XII) and KMC Accounts Committee member, respectively.The situation worsened on Tuesday when MMIC Tarak Singh, in-charge of KMC’s sewerage and drainage, resigned and submitted his letter to Municipal Corporation Commissioner Smita Pandey. Although as per KMC rules the MMIC has to send a resignation letter to the mayor, Singh said the municipal commissioner had asked him to reconsider before the monsoon. Singh alleged that he could not work independently and said he was “feeling bad” for failing to take “effective” steps ahead of the rainy season.Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh said the KMC health department needs a comprehensive pre-monsoon plan to deal with dengue and malaria. At the ward level, councilors have largely stopped working, alleging that they are not being “helped” by the civic authorities. A senior Trinamool functionary said many councilors have been kept indoors due to fear of arrest, adding that the arrest of city president Sudip Poli and councilor Sachin Singh has “sent a message to others”. FIRs have been lodged against at least six other councilors – Baiswanor Chattopadhyay (Ward 91), Mala Roy (Ward 88), Sushant Ghosh (Ward 108), Shanti Ranjan Kundu (Ward 32), Jui Biswas (Ward 81) and Ashutosh Das (Ward 35).In Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC), legal cases have entangled councilors and civic officials. Four out of 41 councilors have been arrested on charges including extortion and threats. An MMIC and his wife, a former MLA, have secured interim protection from arrest till June 19. The husband and brother-in-law of another MMIC – a former councilor in Baguiati area – have also been arrested.Monthly MMIC and board meetings of BMC have not been held since the formation of the new BJP government in the state. Bidhannagar MLA Sharadwat Mukherjee described the situation as “missing (missing) councillor”.South Dum Dum Municipality has not seen resignations, but civic functioning has been jolted by the death of councilor and chairman-in-council member Sanjay Das, who was found hanging in his apartment on May 23. Two other councilors – Mrinmoy Das and former chairman-in-council member Partha Verma – were recently arrested on charges of extortion, assault and criminal intimidation.In North Dum Dum Municipality, civic services were disrupted after hundreds of temporary employees staged a week-long protest demanding equal pay for equal work, timely salaries and regular EPF deposits.Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC), the state’s second largest civic body, continues without an elected board. The last elections were held in 2013 and the term of the board ended in 2018. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari appointed a chief administrator to oversee both the HMC and Bally Municipality, which is also without an elected civic body since 2018.Residents of Howrah and Bally have repeatedly complained of inadequate civic services, alleging that the prolonged absence of elected representatives has weakened accountability and affected service delivery.The disruption is most visible in Barrackpore Industrial Area, where civic boards have collapsed due to mass resignations in Bhatpara, Kanchrapara, Halisahar, Garulia and North Barrackpore. About 115 councilors including five municipality presidents have resigned.

Air India building at Nariman Point in Mumbai

Mumbai: Three years after the plan was approved by the Cabinet, the state government on Tuesday took over the Air India building at Nariman Point.Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Presided over the deed of surrender between the state Public Works Department and Air India Assets Holding Limited, which owns the building.“This will not only save rent but will also bring together offices,” Fadnavis told TOI. In 2023, the state cabinet had approved a plan to purchase the Air India building to expand the ministry and create state government offices there.The cabinet had decided to waive off all unearned income, transfer charges and other penalties of Air India so that the state government can take possession of the building soon.The state government paid Rs 1,601 crore for the building. The acquisition will provide 46,470 square meters of space for government offices in the 22-storey building.Officials said the state government would save about Rs 200 crore in annual rent if all the offices currently located in private buildings are shifted to the Air India building.Officials said it would take more than six months to make the building usable. The lifts are not working and a lot of interior work needs to be done. Even the central air conditioning system is not working as the building is more than 50 years old.The building opened on June 1, 1970. Designed by Manhattan-based architect John Burgi, it was one of the first centrally air-conditioned skyscrapers in India. The 23-storey tall building had six state-of-the-art elevators with piped music and was the first building in India to install escalators, which took customers from the street to the main booking office.Initially topped by an illuminated metal centaur (Air India’s trademark logo chosen by founder JRD Tata), the building stood as an unmistakable centerpiece of the Marine Drive skyline. It housed the famous Air India Art Collection, which was carefully curated over decades. The building was the target of a series of bombings on March 12, 1993, when a car bomb detonated in the basement garage.In 2022, Fadnavis, who was then the Deputy Chief Minister, met the then Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia And urged them to give priority to the state government for the building. apart from the state government reserve Bank of India (RBI) was said to be in a race to buy the building.Fadnavis had said that the state government was facing shortage of space for government offices in the ministry and annexe buildings. He said, “Met Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in New Delhi and requested to give the Air India building in Mumbai to the state government. At present, even with the ministry and an auxiliary building, the space for government offices is inadequate, hence this building was demanded. We had made this proposal when I was the chief minister.” But in the meantime that proposal was withdrawn. After this we corresponded again. At present, both the Reserve Bank and the Maharashtra government have demanded this space,” Fadnavis had said in a tweet.Officials said the state had leased the sea-facing property to Air India in 1970 for a 99-year tenure. Officials said that as per land transfer rules, the state revenue department was entitled to charge transfer fee (or unearned income) during transfer of lease, which would have been about one-eighth of the market value.“Air India had then also sought exemption from this payment as a special case, which was approved,” an official said.

Indian man Lubana Singh included in DHS’s list of worst criminals in the US.

The Department of Homeland Security added Indian man Lubana Singh to its ‘worst’ criminals list along with 5000 others, taking the list to more than 35,000. Lubana Singh, a convicted illegal alien from India, was arrested in Milan, Michigan. The department said his criminal history includes the sale of synthetic narcotics and dangerous drugs.DHS started this list on December 8, 2025 and made it a website. It allows visitors to find some of the hundreds of thousands of dangerous, criminal illegal aliens who have been arrested in all 50 states. The criminal histories of those arrested include murder, sex crimes against children, driving under the influence, aggravated assault, hit and run, drug possession and arson.Acting Assistant Secretary of State Lauren Biss said, “To continue the Trump Administration’s mission of transparency with the American people, DHS has added another 5,000 criminal illegal aliens to the Worst of the Worst website.” “With this webpage, the American people can search for criminals we have arrested in their communities. Criminal illegal aliens arrested by ICE include murderers, rapists, pedophiles, and gang members. If you see an ICE law enforcement officer, thank them for removing these thugs from your neighborhood.”In addition to Lubana Singh, new additions to the list include: Santos Archaga Mendoza, whom DHS describes as a criminal illegal alien from Honduras, who has been arrested in Newark, New Jersey. His criminal history includes murder – negligent homicide – vehicular manslaughter and assault.Cuban Reyniel Parazon Gomez was arrested in Miami, Florida. His criminal history includes cruelty to children and sexual offenses against children – fondling.Omar Martínez-Reyna of Mexico was arrested in Thomson, Illinois. His criminal history includes driving under the influence, sexual assault, failure to register as a sex offender and illegal re-entry.Augusto Castillo Recinos of Guatemala was arrested in Conroe, Texas. His criminal history includes lewd or lascivious acts with a minor.Trần Nguyễn, a Vietnamese, was arrested in Rockland, Massachusetts. His criminal history includes aggravated assault with a weapon, assault, stolen vehicle, and receiving stolen property.Alexander Worjolo of Liberia was arrested in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. His criminal history includes possession of a stolen vehicle, burglary, theft and escape from custody.Jose Argueta Hernandez of El Salvador was arrested in Alexandria, Virginia. His criminal history includes drug possession, dangerous drugs and hit and run.Vladimir Kapnik of Ukraine was arrested in Spartanburg, South Carolina. His criminal history includes child neglect, aircraft theft, and amphetamine manufacturing.Sribounthai Keopanya of Laos was arrested in Nashville, Tennessee. His criminal history includes dwelling robbery with a gun, marijuana – sale, street robbery with a gun, aggravated assault with a gun – non-familial, arson, assault and drug possession.