Unidentified assailants fired multiple gunshots outside Bollywood filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in the Juhu area of Mumbai in the early hours of Sunday, February 1, 2026, police said. Initial reports indicate about four rounds were discharged at the building, but no injuries have been reported so far. Mumbai Police, along with the Crime Branch and forensic teams, responded quickly, cordoning off the area and stepping up security as investigations continue. Authorities are examining CCTV footage and probing the motive and identity of the shooters. Shetty and his family have not issued a public statement yet. 

Sunetra Pawar, 62, was sworn in as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, becoming the first woman to hold the post on January 31, 2026, just three days after the tragic death of her husband, Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash. The oath was administered by Governor Acharya Devvrat at Lok Bhavan in Mumbai, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde present. Supporters chanted “Ajit Dada Amar Rahe” in tribute to her late husband. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished her success, noting her new responsibilities. Sunetra Pawar succeeds Ajit Pawar and takes on key portfolios including State Excise and Sports. 

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Union Budget will break a 75-year tradition by emphasising Part B of the Budget speech as the main platform for outlining India’s economic vision and reform agenda instead of the usual Part A focus. Part B, traditionally limited to tax and technical details, will highlight both short-term priorities and long-term goals, showcasing India’s strengths in manufacturing, trade, and exports. Officials describe the approach as a “Reform Express”, with expected cross-sector reforms, customs duty rationalisation, and plans for Unified Export and Manufacturing Zones to boost competitiveness. (PC: India Today)

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on January 31 dismissed references in newly released Jeffrey Epstein files that mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his 2017 Israel visit as “trashy ruminations of a convicted criminal,” saying they deserve to be “dismissed with the utmost contempt.” The MEA clarified that Modi’s July 2017 Israel trip was an official diplomatic visit, rejecting any insinuations of impropriety or connection to Epstein’s criminal activities. The remark came after a fresh batch of Epstein-related documents was made public by the U.S. Justice Department. (PC: ANI)

Sunetra Pawar, widow of late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, was sworn in today as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister at a ceremony in Mumbai, becoming the first woman to hold the post. The oath was administered by Governor Acharya Devvrat at Lok Bhavan, in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. Pawar’s elevation follows the tragic death of her husband in a plane crash days earlier. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislature elected her as leader prior to the ceremony amid emotional tributes and chants of “Ajit Dada Amar Rahe.” (PC: The Hindu)

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the death of Confident Group chairman CJ Roy, found with bullet injuries in Bengaluru during ongoing Income Tax Department searches linked to his company. Initial inquiries suggest he died by suicide while questioned by officials. Roy, 57, allegedly shot himself at his office as income-tax raids continued. His brother claims the only issue he faced was related to tax scrutiny and denied any financial stress or threats. The SIT will be supervised by senior Bengaluru police officials to conduct a thorough and meticulous probe into the incident. (PC: HT)

Jailed activist and scientist Sonam Wangchuk was taken to AIIMS Jodhpur early Saturday after complaining of stomach pain, officials said. Wangchuk, lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail since September 2025, spent about ninety minutes in the gastroenterology department before returning to prison. Hospital sources said he has been facing stomach-related issues and had visited the facility a day earlier for tests. The Supreme Court of India, hearing a petition filed by his wife, has sought his medical report by February 2. The court earlier directed jail authorities to ensure examination by a “specialist doctor” at a government hospital.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died Wednesday in a Learjet 45 crash near Baramati, killing all five aboard including pilot Sumit Kapoor and PSO Vidhit Jadhav. The state CID has launched a probe alongside the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. New CCTV footage shows the aircraft's left wing dropping suddenly before a fiery impact. Experts propose three theories: aerodynamic stall, engine failure causing asymmetric thrust, or excessive banking too close to ground. The black box has been recovered for analysis. According to DGCA officials, the crew's last recorded words were "oh s***," with no pre-impact flames observed. The crash triggers political upheaval as NCP searches for Pawar's replacement. 

The Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID) has begun probing the Baramati plane crash that killed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, after an accidental death case was registered by local police and transferred to CID investigators. The crash of a Learjet 45 occurred near the tabletop Baramati airstrip shortly after Pawar’s flight from Mumbai on January 28, killing him, the pilot, co-pilot, personal security officer and a flight attendant. The CID team will collect evidence and visit the site as part of the inquiry, which aims to rule out sabotage. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) under the Civil Aviation Ministry is also investigating technical causes of the crash. (PC: ANI)

After Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s sudden death in a plane crash, political activity has intensified around the future of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Senior NCP leaders met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to stake claim over Pawar’s portfolios and ensure the party retains key ministries in the state government. Close aides say Ajit Pawar had been quietly working on a plan to merge the two rival NCP factions—his and the one led by Sharad Pawar—after upcoming local elections, calling reunion his last wish. This talk of unification has gained momentum following meetings with Pawar’s family and party leaders, even as there’s active push to position his wife, Sunetra Pawar, in leadership roles amid the ongoing transition.