The stock opened strong and rose as high as ₹849.85, marking a nearly 15% gain over its IPO price of ₹740 per share. HDB is a non-banking financial company (NBFC) and a subsidiary of HDFC Bank Ltd., India’s largest private lender.

The offering attracted significant interest from both foreign and domestic investors, including Morgan Stanley, Allianz SE, and Life Insurance Corporation of India. In total, the IPO was oversubscribed more than 15 times, underscoring investor confidence in the company and the sector.

This listing is India’s largest IPO since Hyundai Motor India Ltd.’s $3.3 billion debut in October, and comes amid renewed momentum in institutional placements and public listings after a quieter period following 2024’s market highs.

India’s booming $5.4 trillion stock market, fueled by foreign inflows, has been pushing benchmark indices toward record highs. Analysts suggest that HDB’s robust listing could set the tone for other big-ticket IPOs expected later this year, such as Tata Capital Ltd. and the Indian unit of LG Electronics Inc.

Role of Shadow Lenders

As a shadow lender, HDB caters to borrowers typically underserved by traditional banks — often due to limited credit history or lower income levels — making companies like it vital in India’s financial ecosystem.

The Reserve Bank of India’s recent monetary policy moves, including interest rate cuts and liquidity support, have created a favorable environment for NBFCs. “There will be investor interest because of HDB’s asset size and parentage. It’s a strong brand play,” said Rajnath Yadav, analyst at Choice Equity Broking Pvt. He noted that policy tailwinds could further boost shadow lenders like HDB.

Attractive Valuation

HDB holds a loan book of nearly $12 billion, operates over 1,700 branches, and employs around 90,000 people, according to its IPO filing.

Rajiv Mehta, an analyst at Yes Securities India Ltd., said the IPO valuation appeared “palatable,” making it an attractive opportunity for investors. The shares were priced at roughly 3.4 times book value on a trailing 12-month basis — a discount compared to peers like:

• Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Co. (5.7x),
• Bajaj Finance Ltd. (6x), and
• Sundaram Finance Ltd. (4x+),
  according to Bloomberg data.

Backed by Major Investment Banks

A consortium of 12 investment banks helped structure and manage the HDB IPO, including BNP Paribas SA, JM Financial Ltd., and Bank of America Corp.

The successful listing underscores investor optimism in India’s financial sector and highlights the growing appetite for quality offerings amid a bullish market environment.

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The highlight of the week is the mainboard IPO of Arisinfra Solutions, a construction material distributor. The company aims to raise ₹499.6 crore through a pure fresh issue—meaning no Offer for Sale (OFS) component is included. The IPO opens on June 20 and will remain open for three days. The price band is set at ₹210–₹222 per share.

The other five IPOs this week fall under the SME category:

• Patil Automation and Samay Project Services will open their IPOs from June 16 to 18.
  • Patil targets ₹69.61 crore with a price band of ₹114–₹120.
  • Samay aims to raise ₹14.69 crore, with a price band of ₹32–₹34.
• Eppeltone Engineers, a New Delhi-based electronic energy meter firm, will open its IPO from June 17, aiming to raise ₹43.96 crore with a price band of ₹125–₹128.
• Influx Healthtech launches on June 18, targeting ₹58.56 crore via a mix of fresh issue (₹48 crore) and OFS (₹10.56 crore). Its price band is ₹91–₹96.
• Mayasheel Ventures, a company in the road construction sector, opens its IPO on June 20, aiming to raise ₹27.28 crore. The price band is ₹44–₹47.

On the listing front, IPOs of companies like Oswal Pumps, Monolithisch India, and Aten Papers & Foam, which closed recently, will debut on the exchanges this week:

• Oswal Pumps (mainboard IPO worth ₹1,387.3 crore) will list on June 20.
• Monolithisch India (₹82 crore IPO) and Aten Papers & Foam (₹31.7 crore IPO) will close their subscriptions on June 17.
• Sacheerome will list on the NSE Emerge on June 16,
• Jainik Power on June 17,
• Monolithisch India on June 19, and
• Aten Papers & Foam on the BSE SME platform on June 20.

This flurry of IPOs highlights renewed investor interest in the market despite global uncertainty.

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As of this morning, the rupee has weakened to ₹23.27 against the dirham, after hovering around the ₹23.00–₹23.10 range over the past 10 days. Not long ago, the INR had strengthened slightly to ₹22.89.

“This dip to ₹23.30 levels was expected this week, particularly with the US dollar gaining strength since Monday and picking up further on Wednesday evening,” said Neelesh Gopalan, Treasury Manager at a Dubai-based fintech firm. “The dollar is likely to continue its upward trend, which could push the rupee further down to around ₹23.40 against the dirham.”

Could INR Fall Further?

With June traditionally seeing one of the highest volumes of remittances from the Gulf to India, Indian expats are watching closely for currency movements. A further drop in the rupee could mean more favorable exchange rates for those transferring funds.

There is still room for the rupee to decline further. In fact, the INR touched a record low of ₹23.92 against the dirham in February of this year. Since then, the currency had shown signs of recovery — largely attributed to market pressures on the US dollar, including concerns over the US economy and trade policy decisions.

Although many of the proposed US import tariffs were delayed, uncertainty around a potential recession or stagflation in the US continues to impact global currency trends — keeping the rupee’s trajectory under close scrutiny.

For Indian expatriates, the recent currency dip might offer an ideal window to maximize remittance value, especially with upcoming financial obligations back home during the mid-year period.

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Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, who attended the launch of the new office in Bengaluru, said the initiative represents a strategic step that will elevate economic cooperation between Dubai and India.

“It lays the foundation for a new chapter of economic integration, stronger business partnerships, and the development of the digital economy,” Sheikh Hamdan said during an event held by Dubai Chambers in Mumbai, coinciding with his official visit to India.

The Chamber’s first office in India was launched in Mumbai in 2018. With the opening of the Bengaluru office, the number of international representative offices has now risen to 34. This expansion is part of the Dubai Global initiative, launched by Sheikh Hamdan, which aims to establish 50 offices around the world by 2030. The initiative seeks to attract foreign direct investment and support Dubai-based companies in exploring new business opportunities across 30 global markets.

Boosting investments

Sheikh Hamdan also met with Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, in Mumbai. The meeting reflected the two nations’ continued efforts to strengthen their strategic economic partnership.
Additionally, in Sheikh Hamdan’s presence, Dubai Chambers held a high-level business meeting in Mumbai, attended by senior officials and business leaders from both sides.

In their addresses at the event, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy, and Minister Goyal highlighted the strength of economic ties between the two nations. They noted that the new office marks a significant step toward expanding cooperation and supporting the ambitious goals of the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Chairman of Dubai Chambers, said that the Mumbai and Bengaluru offices will help accelerate the flow of investments between Dubai and India.

“Dubai International Chamber’s network of international offices plays a vital role in raising awareness among global businesses and investors on the high-potential opportunities Dubai offers across diverse sectors, while also encouraging multinational companies to benefit from the emirate’s competitive and business-friendly environment,” Al Mansoori said.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman of Dubai International Chamber, underlined that Dubai’s leadership has long recognised that international trade and deeper connections with global markets are central to the emirate’s future economic growth.

“The Dubai International Chamber plays a vital role in advancing this vision. By strengthening partnerships with key economies such as India, we are not only reinforcing Dubai’s role as a hub for international collaboration but also creating pathways for Emirati businesses to explore new global opportunities,” Sulayem added.

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The Dubai-India Business Forum, held in Mumbai on Tuesday, gathered 200 industry leaders, including about 40 who flew in from Dubai. R Mukundan, Vice President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), livened up the discussions by highlighting the crucial importance of the twin cities in global business.

“The power of India and the power of the UAE, and Dubai and Bombay [the old name for Mumbai], is so strong that an American colleague came here, landed at my office, and said: ‘Now I realise, if you are not in Dubai or Mumbai, it’s goodbye.’ So, that tells you the huge power of what these two countries, in combination, can do,” Mukundan said, to cheers and applause from the audience at the forum organised on the sidelines of the visit of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, to India.

Mukundan pointed out that the cultural similarities between India and the UAE, coupled with their shared ambition to act swiftly while building and valuing deep personal relationships, are the driving forces behind this dynamic synergy.

“India offers immense potential, as well as all the strengths Dubai has.”
Mukundan noted that with India pivoting toward digitalisation and sustainability, Dubai’s experience, especially in areas like fintech, creates fertile ground for mutual growth.

“Dubai is the way the entire world wants to be in the future,” he said, earning another round of applause.

Robust strategy
Mohammad Ali Rashid Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, said that Dubai is an ideal platform for startups, with events like Expand North Star attracting the largest number of startups from India.

“We had more than 300 startups coming from India. This has never happened, even with Silicon Valley or other places. Now, India is considered the third-largest producer of unicorns. This shows the very robust strategy India has in place.”

Lootah highlighted how Dubai has transformed itself into a business hub, not only for the Middle East but for Africa as well.

Tip of the iceberg
Adeeb Ahamed, Chair of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s (FICCI) Middle East Council, highlighted the deep cultural and business ties between the two countries.

“A large part of the fabric of Indian and UAE businesses, especially in Dubai, shares the same pattern – mostly family-owned, family-run businesses,” he said, explaining the shared values that underpin the thriving economies. The UAE is increasingly becoming a springboard for Indian companies to tap into international investments, while UAE-based companies are keen to expand into India’s diverse markets.

“I think we are only touching the tip of the iceberg. There is a lot more interaction necessary to involve more first-generation and second-generation companies, to understand each other’s strengths and how we could invite more FDI into India and leverage those investments to make the UAE a knowledge-led hub of the future as well,” Ahamed added.
Meanwhile, Anant Singhania, past President and current Managing Committee Member of the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, underscored the role of innovation in the relationship. Dubai’s vision, such as building Ski Dubai in the middle of a desert, and India’s vast pool of skilled professionals and robust systems, he noted, create a complementary synergy, and could be the key to a progressive future.

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The Adani family and Emaar are discussing the structure of a transaction, which could include an unlisted Adani unit infusing about $400 million in equity, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private.

An agreement could be reached soon as April, but there’s no guarantee of a deal as talks are ongoing, the people said. Representatives for Adani Group and Emaar didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Emaar said in January it was in discussions with some groups in India, including Adani, about a potential sale of a stake in Emaar India Ltd.

Portfolio boost
An acquisition of the Emaar unit would enlarge Adani’s real estate portfolio in India, which covers 24 million square feet of property and another 61 million under development, according to its website.

The Adani family’s real estate unit emerged as the top bidder to redevelop one of the largest housing projects in Mumbai at an estimated 360 billion rupees, Bloomberg News reported this month.

Adani is also in redeveloping Mumbai’s Dharavi slum, one of the biggest in the world and the backdrop to Hollywood movie Slumdog Millionaire.

Emaar India is developing residential and commercial projects in places including New Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

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The attacker was not working for any criminal gang and probably was not even aware whose house he had entered in, said police, citing their investigation carried out so far.

Police picked up a carpenter in connection with the attack on Khan (54) at his apartment in the wee hours of Thursday as he resembled the intruder, and brought him to the Bandra police station for questioning on Friday morning, but released him later.
A senior police official clarified the man was not related to the attack on Khan and no one has been arrested so far.
“The person detained in the morning has been released. He was picked up as he looked like the intruder captured in the CCTV footage. But he had an alibi which was verified by the police.

Based on that, the detained person has been released. Our probe is still on. We are looking at all angles,” said the senior official.

A senior police official clarified the man was not related to the attack on Khan and no one has been arrested so far.

“The person detained in the morning has been released. He was picked up as he looked like the intruder captured in the CCTV footage. But he had an alibi which was verified by the police.

Based on that, the detained person has been released. Our probe is still on. We are looking at all angles,” said the senior official.

“This seems to be a stray incident. The alleged intruder was not working for any gang as per prima facie investigation. He probably was not even aware whose house he had entered in,” he added.

He said more than 30 teams have been formed to track down and nab the attacker, who stabbed Khan in his 12th floor apartment during a robbery attempt.

The attacker’s face was captured in CCTV footage. The video showed the assailant, wearing a red scarf and carrying a backpack, scurrying down the stairs from the sixth floor of the ‘Satguru Sharan’ building, where Khan lives, at around 2.30 am.

Maharashtra Minister of State for Home (Urban) Yogesh Kadam said robbery was the motive behind the incident and clarified no underworld gang was involved in the knife attack.

The filmstar is recovering well at Lilavati Hospital, where he was taken after the brutal attack by an intruder in the early hours of Thursday that left him with multiple wounds, and is expected to be discharged in two to three days, doctors treating him said.

The actor, who suffered multiple stab injuries, including in his neck, underwent an emergency surgery at Lilavati Hospital, where he was rushed in an autorickshaw.

“We are observing his progress and he is doing excellently well according to our expectations. As per his progress, we have advised him bed rest and if he is comfortable, then in two to three days we will discharge him,” said Dr Nitin Dange, neurosurgeon at Lilavati Hospital.

He said a team of doctors checked on him and made him walk.

“Khan had four main wounds, which were a little deep, two in the hand, one on the neck and the most deep and dangerous was in the spine,” said the neurosurgeon, who led the team of doctors who operated on the actor.

During surgery, the doctors removed a 2.5-inch knife fragment lodged in his spine. They noted that if the knife had gone just 2 mm deeper, it could have caused a severe injury.

“So, we operated and removed it. But from there, the spinal fluid was leaking. Due to that repair, we are keeping him under observation. Today he is doing excellent. Wounds are healing and he has no neurological deficit,” Dr Dange informed.

His health parameters have improved and he has been shifted from the ICU to a special room, he said.

“Today we will be keeping visitors in check, because we want him to take a rest. Only thing we have advised is that he has to take rest for some time, because of the wounds on the back especially, which can have chances of infection, and his movements are restricted for a week almost,” he said.

“Besides visitors, his own movements are being restricted for a faster recovery, said the surgeon.

Doctors have removed the sharp object and done repairing of the spinal injury, he explained.

An image of the sharp object, a knife blade, went viral on social media.

“He is very lucky. We repaired the leaking spinal fluid and the dura which was there. We had to do a repair, which was successful. Today when we made him walk, he was completely okay to walk. He is on a regular diet,” he maintained.

The doctor said Khan was soaked in blood, but walked into the hospital, also located in Bandra, “like a lion”.

“When sir Wali sahib (referring to Khan) came to the hospital, he was covered in blood, but he walked in like a lion with his small child, that is his 6 to 7-year-old son, Taimur,” Dr Dange said.

Meanwhile, autorickshaw driver Bhajan Singh Rana, in whose vehicle the actor was rushed to the hospital, is hogging media limelight and is being hailed as a hero.

Rana said he was not aware that the passenger with blood-soaked ‘kurta’ he ferried to Lilavati Hospital was popular actor Khan, a Padma Shri awardee.

“It was only when we reached the hospital gate that he called the guard to fetch a stretcher, saying he was Saif Ali Khan,” he told reporters.

Rana said when he was passing by the building where the actor stayed, a woman and a few others asked him to stop the rickshaw.

“Then the person whose white kurta was soaked in blood got in the auto. I noticed he had neck and back injuries, but did not notice the hand injury,” he said.

“He (Saif) walked into the auto. There was a seven-eight year old boy who also boarded the rickshaw,” he said, when asked if the actor’s son Taimur accompanied him to the hospital.

“When we reached the hospital, he called out to the guard at the gate and told him: ‘Please bring a stretcher. I am Saif Ali Khan’,” he said.

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The decision, in alignment with the Governorates System under Royal Decree No. (36/2022), grants SEZAD authority over municipal licensing and technical affairs. It aims to accelerate infrastructure development, attract investments, and streamline services for citizens, residents, and investors in Duqm.

His Excellency Sheikh Ahmed bin Muslim Jadad Al Kathiri, Governor of Al Wusta, highlighted the potential of this shift to transform investment areas, enhance competitiveness, and foster growth.
Eng. Ahmed bin Ali Akaak, CEO of SEZAD, emphasized the significance of this development. He stressed that the Zone’s administration’s provision of municipal services to plans that have been lifted from the public benefit status is a strategic step to support economic development and stimulate investments in the region. It also allows for more flexibility in allocating land and developing its uses in line with the requirements of investment and development projects.

Covering approximately 33 square kilometers across nine plans, including the Sai District, the designated areas will benefit from integrated services provided by SEZAD. The administration has already launched operations at the service hall in the commercial district and implemented digital and one-stop services to ensure efficiency.

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The steep losses in the Adani group’s key firm was matched by heavy selling in its other key businesses, with Adani Power losing 11 per cent and Adani Energy Solutions tanking 20 per cent.

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Taking dissident Shiv Sena MLAs head on, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday accused them of betrayal and challenged them to try and wean away common party workers.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil Saturday denied claims made by Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde that the protection of rebel party MLAs has been withdrawn by the Maharashtra Chief Minister and state Home Minister. “There have been on orders issues either by the CM or the Home Ministry to withdraw the security of any MLA. Allegations being levelled to this effect are mischievous and false,” Patil said.

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Somaiya’s wife Medha has sought an unconditional apology and a permanent injunction against Raut, restraining him from publishing, circulating or printing material defamatory to her, in the future.

Mumbai:BJP leader Kirit Somaiya’s wife, Medha, has filed a defamation suit against Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut in the Bombay High Court, seeking damages of Rs 100 crore.

Medha, who is a professor of organic chemistry, has sought an unconditional apology and a permanent injunction against Raut, restraining him from publishing, circulating or printing material defamatory to her, in the future.

Her plea before the court states on April 12, she came across an article in Sena’s mouthpiece, newspaper ‘Saamna’ accusing the Somaiyas of a “toilet scam” in the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation. She said that the allegations in the article and other media after the publishing of the story in ‘Saamna’ are without proof and with an intention to malign her reputation.

“The applicant is a doctorate and carries a high reputation in society and in her profession. The said defamatory material has hurt her by lowering her standard in society and in the eyes of the general public, well-wishers, etc,” the suit states. She has further said that she is entitled to recover damages to the tune of Rs 100 crore to be deposited in the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund

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Ramesh Latke was a two-time Shiv Sena legislator from Andheri East Assembly constituency in Mumbai.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena MLA from Mumbai, Ramesh Latke, died of a cardiac arrest in Dubai. He was 52.

“Ramesh Latke died late night on Wednesday in Dubai, where he had gone with his family on a vacation,”  Ramesh Latke was a two-time Sena legislator from Andheri East assembly constituency in Mumbai. Prior to his becoming an MLA, Latke was also a corporator in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or BMC.

His body will likely to be brought back to Mumbai today

“We have informed Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and other senior party leaders about initiating the procedure to bring back his body. We hope that the body would be brought back on Thursday,” the Sena functionary informed.

Expressing grief over Latke’s death, party spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi remembered him for his work during the pandemic and his connect with the people from his constituency.

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MUMBAI: With the state government doing away with all Covid restrictions, the railways on Sunday said it has deleted the vaccination-linked option from its ticketing app with immediate effect. Until recently, only fully vaccinated citizens were allowed to travel on local trains. Commuter bodies have welcomed the decision saying the condition caused inconvenience to scores of people.

“Yes. As per the directives from the state government on the lifting of restrictions, the railways has lifted all curbs and opened ticketing for all at counters and on the app for both railways in Mumbai. This means that commuters won’t now need to link their vaccine certificates to the ticketing app. All such instructions have now been withdrawn,” a railway spokesperson said.

The official said that all the authorised entry-exit gates, lifts, escalators, foot overbridges closed during the pandemic, all commercial ticket counters and ATVM machines for booking will now be opened. This is in addition to the removal of restrictions on the UTS mobile app for fresh ticketing.

Mumbai local train tickets and passes were available only for doubly vaccinated and had to be linked to the vaccination certificates and universal pass generated by a state government portal. Opposing this, a group of citizens had also approached the high court, which last month blasted the state and asked it to clarify its stand. The government recently decided to do away with all the restrictions from April 1 citing a drop in Covid cases in Maharashtra.

As per the latest statistics, daily passenger numbers on Mumbai suburban trains have touched nearly 65 lakh—about 35 lakh on the Central Railway and over 29 lakh on the Western Railway. The figures are 15 lakh less than that of pre-pandemic levels.

Senior citizen passenger committee member 62-year-old Mansoor Um

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MUMBAI: Services on a metro line in Mumbai, which was inaugurated on Saturday, were affected on Monday morning due to a “technical error”.

Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited (MMMOCL) said that a metro train was withdrawn from service at Magathane (station) due to a snag.

“Due to technical error, train at Magathane towards Aarey has been withdrawn from service. Commuters have been accommodated in the next train. Regret the inconvenience,” the MMMOCL tweeted.

Magathane and Aarey stations fall under the Metro 7 line which was inaugurated on Saturday along with the 2A line by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Metro 7 line runs between Aarey and Dahisar stations and line 2A between Dhanukarwadi and Dahisar.

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MUMBAI:

After more than two years, all pandemic-related restrictions including the mandatory wearing of masks would be lifted in Maharashtra from April 2, the state government announced on Thursday.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Health Minister Rajesh Tope told reporters.

“From Gudhi Padwa (Marathi New Year which falls on April 2 this time), all COVID-19 related restrictions under the Epidemic Diseases Act and Disaster Management Act will be withdrawn,” Tope said.

Wearing of face mask will be voluntary from April 2, he said.

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MUMBAI:

Mumbai’s air quality, on Tuesday, fell under the “moderate” category with an AQI of 187, according to aqi.in.

It is advisable to avoid outdoor exercises. Try to stay indoors with purifiers on as far as practicable and do not forget to wear N95 masks if stepping out.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is an air pollutant that is a concern for people’s health when levels in air are high. PM2.5 is tiny particles in the air that reduce visibility and cause the air to appear hazy when levels are elevated. Outdoor PM2.5 levels are most likely to be elevated on days with little or no wind or air mixing.

Air Quality Index (AQI) is a yardstick to measure the quality of air in a given area. It is measured from 0 to 500. A higher value of AQI denotes a greater level of pollutants in the air and hence a more severe impact on health.

The AQI index is divided into six categories, each corresponding to a different level of health concern.

Satisfactory (51–100) – May cause minor breathing difficulties in sensitive people.

Moderately polluted (101–200) – May cause breathing difficulties in people with lung disease like asthma, and discomfort to people with heart disease, children and older adults.

Poor (201–300) – May cause breathing difficulties in people on prolonged exposure, and discomfort to people with heart disease

Very Poor (301–400) – May cause respiratory illness in people on prolonged exposure. Effect may be more pronounced in people with lung and heart diseases.

Severe (401-500) – May cause respiratory issues in healthy people, and serious health issues in people with lung/heart disease. Difficulties may be experienced even during light physical activity

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MUMBAI:  Even as experts have expressed fears about the new variant Deltacron, and many places in China and Europe are facing a surge of the Omicron BA2 variant, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation says Mumbaikars need not be scared. Officials said BA2 has been in Mumbai for a long time and won’t cause any major chaos.

The BMC did a sero survey of 299 COVID-19 patients in the first week of March and 90 per cent samples had the Omicron BA2 variant. “As per our experience, the BA2 variant has existed in Mumbai for a long time. Therefore, the possibility of another wave is little,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani, in an interview to Mumbai Mid-Day newspaper.

“Of the 299 patients’ samples tested on March 2, 271 were found to have the BA2 variant, 14 patients had the BA1 variant and 13 patients had the BA1.1 variant. One patient was detected with the B1.1 variant,” said Kakani. As per the BMC Covid-19 dashboard, there are 268 active patients, of which 5 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit. Of active patients, 233 are asymptomatic and 35 are symptomatic. A total of 23 patients are in hospitals.

A total of 2,04,86,710 COVID vaccine doses, including the first and the second, have been administered so far in Mumbai. At least 99 per cent of the adult population has been fully vaccinated as per the BMC. Twenty three of the 24 patients who died were not vaccinated. While Kakani said there is little possibility of another wave, the BMC is prepared for one.

“The BMC is prepared for the possibility of the COVID-19 fourth wave. We have reviewed the setup of COVID centres and hospitals and identified quarantine centres if required. If the patients’ number increases, we will be ready to handle them in a short time. Officials have been regularly taking a review of medical oxygen and medicines,” Mr. Kakani told the newspaper.

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Thackeray’s remarks came days after the ED attached
properties of nearly Rs 6.45 crore during raids at his
brother-in-law Shridhar Patankar’s premises.

MUMBAI: Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday targeted the BJP-led government over the role of probe agencies in the state including the Enforcement Directorate’s action in a case linked to his relatives and dared it to put him behind the bars.

“The way you have attacked my family and (want to) put me in jail…What is the use of exposing all these things? Court sees proof and decides…Put me in jail, I am not Krishna but can you say that you are not Kans?” he said in the state assembly.

His remarks came days after the ED attached properties of nearly Rs 6.45 crore during raids at his brother-in-law Shridhar Patankar’s premises.

Talking of state Minister Nawab Malik, who has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case, the Chief Minister said if the NCP leader was in the wrong, what were the agencies doing for so long.

“If Nawab Malik had a connection with Dawood Ibrahim for years, what were central agencies doing for so many years?” Thackeray asked.

“Where is Dawood? Does anyone know where is he? You fought last elections in the name of Ram Mandir. Now, are you going to ask for votes in the name of Dawood? Did Obama ask for votes in the name of Laden? If you have guts then kill Dawood, will you?”

He also targeted the BJP for demanding Malik’s resignation.

“You ask for the resignation of Nawab Malik. Tell me first, why did you support Mehbooba Mufti who had sympathy for Afzal Guru and Burhan Wani?” he asked.

Slamming Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis, Thackeray said, “The matter is in court. I think Fadnavis must be recruited by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as he gave all the documents to them, just like he said somewhere.”

A Special PMLA court on Monday extended the judicial custody of Malik till April 4.

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The police said the 28-year-old actor, who used to work in Bhojpuri movies and stayed on rent at Jogeshwari (West), died by suicide at her residence on December 23 as she was threatened by the accused. Following the woman’s death, her friend narrated her ordeal to the police.

The Amboli police took suo motu action and registered an FIR into the matter. The police learnt that the woman had recently attended a party with three friends at a hotel, where two men – posing as NCB officers – went up to them and said that they are to be arrested for consuming drugs.

“The deceased and her friends got scared and requested them to settle the issue. The accused demanded Rs 40 lakh and finally settled at Rs 20 lakh,” said an officer.

The friend told the police that the actor slipped into depression and was very tensed over arranging such a huge amount, the report said.

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