After an alleged sexual assault on a girl child in Badlapur, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde has ordered a high-level probe with a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate and promised strict action against the guilty. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray demands passing of the Shakti Bill for women's safety and emphasizes that politics should not be involved in this matter. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi expresses disappointment with the lack of action for women's rights and safety.
The political landscape in India was shaken as US short seller Hindenburg Research made allegations that the chairperson of India's stock market regulator Sebi had a stake in offshore entities involved in the Adani money siphoning scandal. Congress party leaders demanded the government take action to eliminate conflicts of interest in the regulator's investigation of the Adani Group. This comes after the Expert Committee appointed by the Supreme Court noted Sebi's reluctance to investigate the scam and highlighted the regulator's dilution of reporting requirements in 2018, leading to ineffective investigations. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh questioned who will guard the guards and Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi called out the sudden adjournment of Parliament sessions.
Opposition parties NCP-SP and Shiv Sena-UBT have accused a college in Mumbai's Kandivali area of forcing students to attend a speech by Dhruv Goyal, son of Union Minister Piyush Goyal and BJP candidate for Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat. Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray alleged that students' IDs were confiscated while NCP-SP MLA Awhad shared a video of a student objecting to the event. The controversy has led to the college releasing a statement saying the matter is under review, while also accusing Shiv Sena-UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi of sharing a manipulated video for political gain. Aaditya Thackeray also took a dig at the government, saying that instead of attending lectures by candidates' sons, students should focus on the lack of job opportunities under the current regime.
In a letter to the Election Commission, former Union Secretary E A S Sarma expressed concerns over the nomination of directors with alleged BJP affiliation on the board of Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), which is responsible for manufacturing EVMs. Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala and Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also questioned the safety and fairness of elections with BJP office-bearers and nominees as directors in BEL. The ECI has yet to address these concerns.