1400 HRS 

10.03.2013

THE HEADLINES

• Income Tax department decides to crack the whip on big companies that do not remit TDS money even after deduction from their workers' salaries.

• CBI sets up camp office and a helpline number in Pratapgarh; appeals to villagers to come forward as witnesses in its probe into the murder of police officer Zia-ul-Haque.

• Maha Shivratri is being celebrated across the country; two persons killed in a stampede in a Shiva temple in Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh.

• In Egypt, violence erupts over a court verdict on last year's football riots.

• AND Boxer Ram Singh expelled from NIS Patiala for allegedly taking drugs

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The Income Tax department has decided to crack the whip on big companies and organisations that do not remit TDS money even after deducting it from their workers' salaries. The Central Board of Direct Taxes, the controlling and administrative authority of the department, has asked all I-T ranges to identify such cases where revenue implication is large and initiate prosecution in competent courts. The action will be taken under the I-T Act which deals with failure to pay tax to the credit of the central government (I-T department). A senior department official said, the punishment under the said provision carries a rigorous imprisonment varying from three months to seven years of jail along with a fine.

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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 assesses in Mumbai and Pune in their returns - to artificially deflate taxable income. These 189 assesses 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.

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Chief of the Army Staff, Gen Bikram Singh has said that violations of the ceasefire on the Line of Control would not be tolerated. He was speaking to media persons on the sidelines of a function in Chandigarh. Gen Bikram Singh said, the Army had already conveyed its concerns and emotions to the government on the issue of ceasefire violations, the beheading of an Indian soldier and the killing of another soldier by Pakistani troops in January. He said, the Army is ready to give a befitting reply to any ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops and this is being taken care of at the tactical level by battalion commanders. On the issue of China strengthening its road and rail network in Tibet near the border, the Army chief said India is aware of the developments and is undertaking infrastructure development in forward areas.

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The 10-member Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team in Kunda, Uttar Pradesh has appealed to villagers to come forward as witnesses in its probe into the murder of senior police officer Zia-ul-Haque, who was shot dead on March 2. In a press release, the CBI, which has set up a camp office and a helpline number in Pratapgarh, has assured the villagers against any kind of harassment. The helpline number is 05341-230006.

The CBI team is investigating the murders of a village headman, his brother, and Kunda's Deputy Superintendent of Police Zia-ul-Haque, who was killed allegedly on the orders of Raja Bhaiya, the state legislator from Kunda. Raja Bhaiya, whose real name is Raghuraj Pratap Singh, was a senior minister in the Uttar Pradesh government. He resigned three days after the murders.

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In Assam, a massive search operation is on in Barak valley to nab the culprits involved in smuggling of drugs and other banned items. Quoting official sources, our Guwahati Correspondent reports that Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and BSF seized one thousand 700 kilogram of banned items worth several crores at Bhanga area in Karimganj district on Friday from a vehicle. After preliminary investigation, it is revealed that the contraband was coming from Delhi.

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President Pranab Mukherjee will be the chief guest at Mauritius' National Day celebrations on Tuesday. He will leave for Mauritius tomorrow. Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Sudhir Vyas said in New Delhi, India and Mauritius will also sign several bilateral pacts in social sectors, including health and tourism, during Mr. Mukherjee's three-day visit to the Indian Ocean island nation. Both the countries enjoy close historical and ancestral relations and India has termed the ties as unique, special and extraordinary.

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The Central Industrial Security Force, CISF, is celebrating its 44th Raising Day today. The main event featuring a ceremonial parade was held at the 5th Reserve Battalion in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad. A report-

Raised in 1969, the CISF guards vital government, private, aerospace and nuclear energy installations of the country. The about 1 lakh 70 thousand strong force is the designated force to protect civilian airports and also deployed for a variety of other internal security duties in the country including Naxal-affected areas. Among the important responsibilities recently entrusted to the CISF are the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, VIP security, disaster management and establishment of a Formed Police Unit of the United Nations in Haiti. With Shiela, Zakir,AIR News.

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In Uttar Pradesh Mahashivaratri, the day for worshiping Lord Shiva is being celebrated today across the state. All arrangements for the sixth and last bathing festival of Kumbh Mela at Allahabad on Mahashivaratri are in place. At several places including Allahabad, Varanasi, Chitrakoot, Ayodhya, Mathura and Naimisharanya temples and places of worship have been decorated nicely. Procession of ‘Shiv Baraat’ will be taken out at several places this evening including Kashi and Ayodhya.

Our Allahabad correspondent reports that with the bathing of Mahashivaratri the more than 50 day long Maha Kumbh Mela will be completed officially.

The Mela administration has said that an estimated 55 lakh pilgrims will be visiting the Mela to take a holy dip at Sangam, the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati on this occasion.

In Himachal Pradesh, the festival of Maha Shivratri is being celebrated with full religious tradition and fervor. People are thronging the Shiva temples in Mandi town also known as Chhoti Kaashi , Baijnath and Mahakal in Kangra districts since early morning and are performing puja.

In Tamil Nadu, Mahasivaratri is also an auspicious day for dancers and artists. The world famous Natyanjali festival will be held at Chidambaram Natarajar temple. Thousands of artists from India and countries like Singapore and Malaysia will perform Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Manipuri and other form of classical dance in the temple premises.

In Assam, Maha Shivratri is being celebrated across the state with religious fervour. Men and women are queuing up in front of Shiva mandir since morning. In Guwahati, devotees are offering puja at Ganeshguri, Bashishta, Sukleshwar and Umanand, the smallest river Island of the world.

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In the Kashmir valley, Kashmiri Pandits, celebrate it as Herat and Muslims are greeting their Pandit brethren on this occasion. Last night, special pooja called Watuk Puja was held in all Kashmiri households. The devotees are also visiting various temples including the famous Shankaracharaya temple in Srinagar on this occasion.

Our Jammu Correspondent reports that a large number of devotees are visiting various Shiva temples in Jammu to offer prayer.

In Jammu region a large number of devotees are reaching Shivkhori cave shrine where a three days long mela has been organised on this occasion. In Jammu, the city of temples, devotees in large numbers are seen at Peerkho and Aabshamboo and other temples in the city. A large number of devotees have also thronged the purmandal and Uttarvahny on the banks of Gupt ganga on river Devika in Samba. YOGESH SHARMA, AIR NEWS, JAMMU

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In Nepal, thousands of devotees from India and other South Asian countries are among the ten lakh devotees expected to visit the world heritage Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu today. A report:-

Pashpatinath Temple has been drawing thousands of devotees on the auspicious occasion which according to the temple authorities draws one of the largest crowds during the year. The temple on the banks of the river Bagmati had been spruced and cleaned and grandly light last night for festival and temple doors opened from the early hours to allow the worshippers have a darshan of and offer pujas with three separate entry points at different places of the temple . While tight security is in place and hundreds of volunteers active in helping to manage the crowd with the temple authorities expecting at least ten lakh visitors with large number from India . NAMCHU/AIR NEWS/KATHMANDU

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In Uttar Pradesh, at least two devotees were killed and 10 injured when a stampede broke out in a Shiva temple in Barabanki today. The incident occurred when 'kanwarias', devotees of Lord Shiva, broke through the queue of devotees to offer water at Lodeshwar Mahadev Temple.

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In Egypt, two persons were killed while two building and restaurants were torched in the capital Cairo in violent clashes between the police and protesters over a court verdict on the football riots in which 74 people were killed in Port Saeed last year. The Interior Ministry has warned that decisive and strict measures will be taken against the rioters as it appealed to the political forces to help stop the violence immediately. More from our West Asia Correspondent:-

Angry supporters of Cairo’s Al Ahly Club took to streets against the ruling by a Port Saeed court over the acquittal of 28 persons including seven policemen in the last year’s football riots in which 74 people were killed. The court confirmed death sentences for 21 defendants and life term to five people; but 19 others got lesser jail terms while 28 persons were acquitted. Security in Port Seed has been handed over to military as striking policemen withdrew from the headquarters. Atul K Tiwary,AIR News,Dubai

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Myanmar's opposition National League for Democracy has re-elected Aung San Suu Kyi as its leader, at the end of its first ever congress. She had earlier appealed for unity while addressing party delegates in Yangon.

After the party won elections in 1990, its activities were severely restricted by Myanmar's military rulers. But it won seats in parliament last year following reforms by the new civilian government and is looking towards elections in 2015.

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Boxer Ram Singh has been expelled from National Institute of Sports, Patiala in the wake of allegations against him and Olympic medallist Vijender Singh in the 130 crore rupee drug haul case. Ram Singh earlier in the day admitted that Vijender and he took drugs but by mistake.

Meanwhile, citing World Anti-Doping Agency rules, the boxing federation said that no action can be taken against Vijender. It said, it is bound by the WADA rules. Unless it is proved medically or in a WADA test that Vijender Singh took drugs no action can be initiated against him.

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All India Radio has launched its frequency modulation (FM) relay station near Peddapadu in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. Union Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Dr. Killi Kruparani inaugurated the FM Station.

The one kilowatt transmitter would cover listeners in 18-20-km radius from 6 in the morning to 12-noon on 102.7 mega hertz with programmes aired from AIR Hyderabad FM Station.

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Railway Minister, Pawan Kumar Bansal has said that increased railway fares and service charges would help generate revenue which would be utilised for fulfilling pending projects of expansion in the next 10 years. Interacting with media persons during his visit to Jadla village in Shaheed Bhagt Singh Nagar district of Punjab he said that strong political will and determination are needed to put the policy into practice.