0815 HRS
10th March, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Income Tax Department achieves major breakthrough in its crack down on Hawala transactions in Mumbai and Pune.
• Political consensus achieved to broad-base the process of appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and the High Courts, says the Law Minister.
• External Affair Minister says, no issue concerning Indo-Pak relations was discussed with Pakistan Prime Minister's Ajmer visit yesterday.
• Syrian rebels release 21 UN peacekeepers after holding them hostage for four days.
• AND IN SPORTS:Saina Nehwal loses to Intanon Ratchanok of Thailand in the semifinals of the women’s singles in All England Badminton Championship.  

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In a major breakthrough in its crackdown on beneficiaries of more than 2000 hawala transactions, the income-Tax Department found 7,222 crore rupees worth of fake bills had been presented by 189 assessees in Mumbai and Pune in their returns -to artificially deflate taxable income. These 189 assessees are hawala beneficiaries from the construction, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and steel sectors.
The IT Department’s investigations into 150 cases in Mumbai unearthed 6,500 crore rupees bogus bills, while 722 crore rupees fake ones came to light through 39 cases in Pune. In a statement the IT Department said a large number of taxpayers obtained bogus (non-genuine) bills for purchases and expenses from hawala dealers and used those to suppress taxable income. The crackdown is set to be extended to other business centres of the country, with the tax officials closely examining the possibility of tax evasion in a planned and concerted manner through forged bills.

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Union Minister for Law & Justice Ashwini Kumar has said that his Ministry has prepared a draft bill for setting up the National Judicial Appointments Commission that will have legislative representation apart from the judiciary. Addressing a press conference in Mumbai yesterday, Mr. Kumar said political consensus has been achieved over the need to broad-base the process of appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and the high courts. The Law Minister said that issues like marital rape and reducing the age of consensual sex from 18 to 16 have been kept open for divergent discussion and would be solved with the help of political consensus.  

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 External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid says that no issue concerning Indo-Pak relations was raised with Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf's visit to the shrine of sufi saint, Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chisti at Ajmer yesterday. Talking to reporters, Salman Khurshid said, since it was a private visit and pilgrimage for Ashraf it was not the occasion to hold any discussion with him.

 This was not an occasion nor had I the authority to talk on issues. Since it was a personal visit, it was not an appropriate time to talk formally on issues which we normally do at appropriate times.
The Minister said, India has been raising such issues with Pakistan earlier and will continue to do so in future. Pakistan Prime Minister was extended all diplomatic courtesies during his visit. He returned to Pakistan in the evening with his wife and 20 others. Reacting to the visit, the Congress Spokesperson Rashid Alvi said that extending courtesies is a part of India's culture.

The conduct of Pakistan has always been objectionable. There are no two views on this. That is why Prime Minister has stated in Parliament, but hosting a guest is a part of our culture.

BJP Leader Yashwant Sinha said it is proper to extend only the diplomatic courtesies to the Pakistan Prime Minister.

The dialogue will not serve any purpose. I feel that it's better to maintain the etiquettes and not to talk about issues.

A report from our correspondent:

Pakistan Prime Minister's visit came at a time when there is a lot of anger in India over the beheading of an Indian soldier on the Line of Control in January. But by extending all diplomatic courtesies to the visiting Prime Minister, New Delhi has demonstrated enough maturity in conducting its relations with its neighbouring countries. Even though the visit was entirely private, what came out  in bold relief was that while India is concerned about  issues on which Pakistan needs to act firmly, it will continue to work for normalisation of relations with Pakistan. Ashok Handoo, AIR News, New Delhi

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The Finance Minister P Chidambaram has said that the government wants to introduce the Direct Tax Code, DTC bill in the Budget session of Parliament. He also said, if all state governments come on board, the Goods and Service Tax, GST would become a reality within 2013.  In a television interview in New Delhi yesterday, the Finance Minister said the DTC would replace the Income Tax Act of 1961. 

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In another twist to the 130 crore rupees drug haul in Punjab, a startling revelation has been made by another boxer Ram Singh that the Olympian Vijender Singh, used to take Heroin drug. Ram Singh has revealed this to the Fatehgarh Sahib Police which is probing the case.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Fatehgarh Sahib, Hardyal Singh Mann has confirmed to AIR Jalandhar Correspondent that Vijender could be summoned for investigation. 

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The CBI team probing the murder of Kunda Dy. SP Zia-ul Haq and related violence visited the crime scene in Pratapgarh of Uttar Pradesh late last evening along with a suspended police officer.
Controversial Uttar Pradesh politician Raja Bhaiya, was on Thursday booked by CBI on the charge of murder in connection with the killing of Zia. He also faced the charge of criminal conspiracy.    

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Syrian rebels freed 21 UN peacekeepers after holding them hostage for four days. Damascus based representative of the UN-Arab League peace envoy to Syria, Mokhtar Lamani said that the Filipino peacekeepers crossed from Syria to safety in Jordan yesterday. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed their release, and called on all parties in Syria to respect the peacekeepers’ freedom of movement. 

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US controlled Bagram prison will fully be transferred to Afghan government next week. A press release issued by the Afghan President’s office in Kabul said that an agreement to this effect was reached between President Hamid Karzai and the ISAF Commander General Joseph Dunford in Kabul yesterday. 

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Venezuelans will vote on the 14th of April  to choose a successor to Hugo Chavez, the election commission announced yesterday. Acting President Nicolas Maduro tries to benefit from an emotional outpouring for his late mentor, Hugo Chavez, and win his own term in office. He will face Henrique Capriles, the centrist governor of Miranda state, opposition parties said. 

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Sri Lanka says it ‘vehemently rejects’ the US draft resolution tabled at UN Human Rights Council Session in Geneva. Sri Lanka’s permanent representative to the UN, Ravinath Ariyasinghe termed the resolution as unfair, biased, unjust and contrary to the principles of cooperation at a meeting called by the United States yesterday. Our correspondent has filed this report:

The draft US resolution tabled on Friday had said Sri Lanka’s National Action Plan to implement the recommendations made in its own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission Report did not adequately address serious violations of international humanitarian law. It also called upon Sri Lanka to address the question of political reconciliation with the Tamil minority in the country. India has urged Sri Lanka to work along with the US on the final wordings of the resolution. ABHISHEK DAYAL, AIR NEWS, COLOMBO.

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In Uttar Pradesh Mahashivaratri, the day for worshiping Lord Shiva is being celebrated today across the state. More from our correspondent:

With the bathing opf Mahashivratri more than 50 days long Maha Kumbh Mela will be completed officially. Mela Administration has said that estimated 55 lakhs pilgrims will be visiting the Mela to take holy dip on this occasion. Eleven bathing ghats have been developed for last bathing festival. Adequate security arrangements have been made and security personnel have been deployed at all festival points. At several places including Allahabad, Varanasi, Chitrakut, Ayodhya, Mathur and Naimisharanya temples and places of worships have been decorated nicely. Sunil Shukla, AIR news, Allahabad.
In Tamil Nadu, the Siva temples are decked up for the Mahasivaratri festival. Dance festivals are also organised in many temples. Here is a report:

Natyanjali festival will begin today at Chidambaram Natarajar temple as part of Mahasivaratri. Thousands of artists from India and countries like Singapore, Malaysia will perform Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Manipuri and other form of classical dance in the temple premises. The five day festival is organised by tourism departments and Natyanjali trust. Brihan Natyanjali festival will be conducted in Big Temple Thanjavur. K Devi Padmanabhan, air news, Tiruchirapalli
In Nepal, Mahashivaratri is being celebrated by Hindus all over the country with large number of devotees thronging the temples of Shiva. 

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Star Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal has suffered a straight-game defeat to Intanon Ratchanok of Thailand in the semifinals of the women’s singles in the All England Championships. At the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham yesterday,  the world number three Indian went down 15-21 19-21 against the World Number Eight Thai player in 40 minutes. 

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NEWSPAPER HEADLINES
Many papers have picture of the Pakistan Prime Minister, Raja Parvez Ashraf at the dargah in Ajmer. "Khurshid hosts Pak PM as Ajmer protests soldier's beheading" writes The Pioneer. "Chill in Indo-Pak ties persists, no substantive talks with Ashraf' is The Tribune headline.
The arrest of former Odisha DGP's rapist son is the lead story in The Hindustan Times and Times of India. 'Bitti Mohanty held in Kerala after 6 years on the run' is The Times of India headline. The Hindustan Times calls it 'the curious case of Bitti Mohanty' and gives details of how he changed his identity and was working in a bank in Kannur.
'Vijender may be in trouble, says The Statesman, of the Olympic medal winner, who is at the centre of a drug controversy. 'Ram Singh claims both boxers took drugs' adds the paper. 'Ugly twist in drug haul - prime accused attempts suicide' writes The Pioneer.
A shower that beats jet lag? A U.S airline unveiled the 'Phonton Shower' recently, which claims to wash away the effects of air travel, writes The Business line of The Hindu.
The same paper reports that Amish Tripathi, author of the Shiv trilogy has joined Chetan Bhagat in the million plus league. 'Shiva showers this author with sales, cash' in the headline.
Are you a pet lover? It'll be difficult to match Pratima Devi's love of dogs. The lady who lives in a shanty has 60 dogs, says that even if she has to go hungry, she feeds 5kg rice and meat to her pets, writes The Indian Express.

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A state of emergency has been declared in Egypt's Sinai peninsula. Egyptian officials said the decision was taken after intelligence reports said a jihadist group was planning to attack government buildings. The region which borders Israel has long suffered for a lack of security.

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In Assam, the Dima Halam Daogah, DHD- Nunisa faction has been disbanded yesterday at Haflong in Dima Hasao district. On this occasion, Home Coming Ceremony for the leaders and cadres of the erstwhile insurgent group was held in the presence of state ministers and senior Central and state government officials