Coal Scam: Rao helped Jindal firms twice to get coal block: CBI

NEW DELHI: Former union minister of state for coal Dasari Narayan Rao helped Congress MP Naveen Jindal’s two firms twice to bag Jharkhand’s Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block, CBI investigators said.

In July 2007, Rao wrote a note to the then coal secretary HC Gupta to ignore the appraisal of applicant companies done by the Central Electricity Authority that comes under the power ministry.

The power ministry had not recommended applications of Jindal’s two firms - Jindal Steel and Power Limited and Gagan Sponge Iron Limited – as they didn’t fulfill the criteria laid by the CEA. HT had written about Rao’s note on June 14.

Investigators say that was not the only instance when Rao came to the rescue of the Jindal firms. When another company Bhushan Steel gave a representation seeking 50% of the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block, Rao justified the decision of 35th screening committee that recommended the allocation of the coal block to two Jindal firms. Finally, the two firms were allocated the coal block in January 2008.

Rao was the minister of state for coal between May 23, 2004 and April 6, 2008.

The CBI has alleged in its FIR that after allocation of the coal block, Rao’s company Sowbhagya Media got investment of R2.25 crore from Jindal’s other firms. The CBI is yet to question Rao and Jindal in the case.
Courtesy:
21 Jun 2013, Hindustan Times (Mumbai), Rajesh Ahuja letters@hindustantimes.com
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

ED files laundering case against two Sahara firms

MUMBAI: In what may spell more trouble for the Sahara Group and its chief Subrata Roy, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday registered cases under PMLA against two firms. A Sahara Group spokesperson refused to comment, saying he wasn’t aware of the development.
In what may spell more trouble for the Sahara Group and its chief Subrata Roy, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Mumbai on Thursday registered cases under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against two firms.

The ED will soon issue summons to Roy and three directors of the group asking them to remain present before the central agency to record their statements.

The ED registered two separate cases following complaint filed by market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi).

Sebi had accused Sahara India Real Estate Corporation Ltd (SIRECL) and Sahara Housing Investment Corporation Ltd (SHICL) of committing various illegalities while raising Rs24,000 crore from investors. The companies had raised the amount by issuance of certain bonds.

In February, Sebi ordered freezing of properties of the two firms and their top executives.

The action came following a Supreme Court (SC) directive ordering the firms to refund money with certain interest. The SC had also instructed Sebi to give refunds to genuine investors from the money the group had deposited with the market regulator.

ED officials said now that cases had been registered formal investigation wil begin against the two companies.

Sources said the agency wil verify information that crores of rupees have been transferred outside the country in the name of investment. It also wants to verify allegations that a large number of investors were dummy and that many shell companies had invested in the group.

According to sources, the ED is also investigating if money was routed to Mauritius in 2011.

Officials said the bank details submitted by the group also raises many questions on the investments.

A Sahara Group spokesperson refused to comment saying he wasn't aware of the development.
Courtesy:
21 Jun 2013, Hindustan Times (Mumbai)
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

Potholes Scam In Mumbai: Paying for pothole repair based on depth impractical: corporator

HOODWINKING PUBLIC? 
Says system ensures no one can question hefty payments made to contractors

The disparity in rates offered to contractors for filling potholes of different depths is a reason for you, the taxpayer, to worry. That and the lack of adequate mechanism available with the civic body to gauge the depth of potholes make the system rife for financial irregularities.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation last year introduced the concept of paying contractors for filling potholes according to their depth — up to 20mm, 40mm, up to 100mm, and beyond. In G- North ward for instance, a contractor gets Rs276 for filing a pothole in the first category, and Rs2,700 for filling one deeper than 100mm, an amount almost 10 times more.

It is this variation that makes many suspect an official- contractor collusion. "Frankly, we don't have the resources to measure the depths of potholes. Most times, it is done by estimation, which leaves a lot of room for irregularity," said a senior civic official from the civic roads department.

Congress corporator Asif Zakaria said the measurement system is a farce, and an attempt to hoodwink the public. “Measuring the pothole's depth is neither practical nor possible," said Zakaria, a threetime corporator. "This system is a good to fool the public so that no one can question the payment made to the contractor," he said.

The BMC has spent Rs333 crore on pothole repair in the past five years.
Courtesy:
21 Jun 2013, Hindustan Times (Mumbai), Kunal Purohit kunal.purohit@hindustantimes.com
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

FIXERS TO BE FIXED: New Law Proposes 5-Year Jail Term For Game Cheats

Bangalore: Indians playing in any part of the globe will come under the anti-matchfixing watchdog’s scanner once the law against sports corruption comes into force. And the punishment is stringent: a jail-term of five years and monetary penalties up to five times the amount gained through fixing a match.

Though many of these suggestions figured in the original draft prepared by the law ministry last month after the match-fixing scandal rocked IPL, they have been refined further by the sports ministry.

With more than adequate help from various quarters — including the law books of Australia, South Africa, UK, Brazil and other countries, besides the rules and regulations of the International Cricket Council, International Olympic Committee and football bodies FIFA and UEFA — the law ministry's draft has been overhauled. That was the sports ministry’s intention, in any case, as officials weren't too happy with the effort.

Former chief justice Mukul Mudgal, solicitor-general Mohan Parasaran and sports ministry officials put the finishing touches to the draft on Wednesday. The recommendations will be submitted to the ministry by the end of this week before it is dispatched to the law ministry next month. In all probability, the bill may be introduced in the budget session of the Parliament in July.

To begin with, the sports ministry replaced the word ‘dishonesty in sports’ with ‘sports fraud’ to include all acts which lead to corruption and illegal betting in sports. Borrowing from the international sporting community’s definition of sports fraud, it has brought into its ambit manipulation of sport results, underperforming, revealing inside information and failing to provide information pertaining to betting and/or manipulation of a sporting event among others.

In another significant change, the ministry brought in all matches in all sports played at all levels – including those played by Indians abroad – under the purview of the law. The law ministry's draft had no mention of clublevel competitions such as IPL, I-League or Hockey India League and had covered only national and international games.

“Indian national teams across various sports and games playing abroad will be under scrutiny. The law applies to the national team as well as Indian nationals travelling abroad for a sporting event. Therefore, when clubs are going abroad, the law shall apply to the Indian nationals of the clubs. In effect, teams or players found guilty of match-fixing are liable to be punished both by the country where they play the match as well as in India,” sources told TOI.

While punishment to be meted out to offenders led to diverse opinions – with a section pointing towards the international practice where a 10-year jail term was pretty much the norm – others felt that a maximum of five years would be an effective deterrent.

“We wanted to ensure that the jail term was uniform for all. The law ministry's draft had prescribed imprisonment of five years for a player and three years for a bookie. That anomaly was corrected.

“At the same time, we realized we had to deal differently with those who do not report unfair practices. What if there are players who are in the know of such happenings but choose to keep quiet? We need to treat them more leniently,” the sources said.

However, financial penalties met with an overwhelming consensus with the experts agreeing that they will have to be three-to-five times the amount gained through match-fixing.

Another thought that pervaded the discussions was the formation of an authority to monitor sports fraud.

SPORTS MINISTRY’S SUGGESTIONS
Matches played at all levels in all sports in India will come under the purview of the antimatch-fixing law. Indian national teams playing abroad too will be under scrutiny. In the case of clubs travelling abroad, law will apply to the Indian nationals of the clubs. Originally, the law ministry had included only the national and international games in its draft. There was no mention of club-based competitions such as IPL.

The word 'dishonesty' has been replaced by sports fraud. Ambit redefined to include all acts which lead to corruption and illegal betting including manipulation of sport results, underperforming, revealing inside information etc.

A separate agency or authority to be entrusted with the job of monitoring sports fraud. The functions of this agency will be laid out in the rules.

Punishment: Opinions vary. A few feel maximum jail term should be five years. Others swear by the international norm of 10 years. Duration of jail term will be commensurate to one's involvement. Financial penalty for gains through match-fixing will be three-to-five times that of the amount gained.

Statutes of Australia, South Africa, UK, Brazil, Malta, Portugal & USA have contributed to the Indian version. Besides the rules and regulations of FIFA, UEFA, ICC and IOC have also been considered.

Experts re-drafting the Bill will submit their recommendations by this weekend. It is likely to be sent to the law ministry by next month after approval from the sports minister.
Courtesy:
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2013/06/21&PageLabel=24&EntityId=Ar02400&ViewMode=HTML

2G scam: CBI finds no ‘criminality’ in Radia tapes

New Delhi: In a big relief to former corporate lobbyist Niira Radia, CBI and income tax department will shortly tell the Supreme Court that they have found no element of “criminality” in the transcripts of her taped conversations. The two agencies have jointly transcribed the conversations, recorded in connection with the 2G spectrum scam, over a period of three months.

A top official told TOI, “We have completed the work of transcribing 5,800 tapes of tapped conversations of corporate lobbyist Niira Radia, as directed by the Supreme Court.”

The six-member team of CBI and I-T department began its work of examining the tapes of Radia with politicians, corporate honchos and others in April. The team, headed by a deputy inspector general-rank officer, had started the process of going through the tapes and its transcripts running into 49 volumes as per the directions of Supreme Court in February.

An apex court bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhaya, while directing formation of the team on February 22, had given four months for it to submit its report. The team’s job was to scrutinize the tapes to ascertain if there were any elements of ‘criminality’ in them. Sources said they limited themselves to those conversations, which pertained to criminal element and relating to interest of justice.

A few tapes, which found its way to media houses, triggered a political storm as some of the conversations showed the nature of corporate lobbying and its purported impact on politics. The income tax department had placed transcripts of 5,800 tapped telephone conversations in sealed envelopes in the court. They were recorded as part of surveillance of Radia’s phones on a complaint to the finance minister on November 16, 2007 alleging that within a span of nine years, she had built up a business empire worth over Rs 300 crore.

The I-T department had recorded 180 days of Radia’s conversations -- first from August 20, 2008 onwards for 60 days and then from October 19 for another 60 days. Later, on May 11, 2009, her phone was again put on surveillance for another 60 days following a fresh order given on May 8.
Courtesy:
Neeraj Chauhan TNN
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BLACK MONEY: Indian Swiss stash dips to record low

Zurich/New Delhi: Indians’ money in Swiss banks has fallen to a record low of about Rs 9,000 crore (1.42 billion Swiss francs), as a global clampdown against the famed secrecy wall of Switzerland’s banking system made it unattractive for their global clients.

The total funds held by Indian individuals and entities included 1.34 billion Swiss francs held directly by Indian individuals and entities, and another 77 million Swiss francs through ‘fiduciaries’ or wealth managers at the end of 2012, as per the latest figures released by the Swiss National Bank in Zurich.

Data further showed that Indians’ money there fell by 35% or Rs 4,900 crore in 2012. AGENCIES
Courtesy:
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PARKING SCAM: ‘Probe post-’08 parking deals’

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Thursday directed the state chief secretary to appoint a one-man committee to probe how the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation awarded contracts for pay-and-park facilities below flyovers in and around Mumbai despite a former chief minister banning them. Saying MSRDC officials took a “casual view of the security of Mumbai”, the high court has directed an inquiry to fix responsibility.

A division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice A R Joshi was hearing petitions by contractors whose parking deals in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai were terminated in April following the then CM’s order in August 2008, banning parking under flyovers owing to security threats. Incidentally, the MSRDC granted the contracts in 2009, even after being told about then CM’s order.

Appearing for a Mumbai contractor, senior counsel Anil Sakhare and advocate Joel Carlos said the MSRDC was aware of the ex-CM’s order before awarding the contract and so could not terminate it. Appearing for another set of contractors, advocates Avinash Fatangare and Mahendra Shingade said the termination was arbitrary as they were not given an opportunity to be heard.

Taking a serious note of the fact that the contracts were awarded despite the former CM’s order, a judge said, “MSRDC officers have committed a breach of the order”. The court also noted that the matter had been pending since April and the state had been a party to it, but taken no action.

On Wednesday, the judges asked assistant government pleader Ranjit Bhosale to take instructions on what action the state proposed to take. On Thursday, Bhosale said, “One day was too short to take instructions”. To this the bench observed, “This shows the seriousness of the security aspect on part of the government as well as the MSRDC.”

CM ‘relation’ allegation T he Bombay HC on Thursday directed activist Pravin Wategaonkar to file within four weeks an affidavit with documents to support his claims that a“close relation” of CM Prithviraj Chavan was “demanding money from builders” to approve proposals for public parking lots under a state policy.

Advocate-General Darius Khambata told a bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha that Wategaonkar had made no specific allegations or named anyone. “A person by name Rohan Jagdale, who is a close associate of the CM is involved,” Wategaonkar said. At this, the HC told him to support his allegations. TNN
Courtesy:
Rosy Sequeira TNN
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FSI SCAM: Tardeo bldg in dock over flats built in refuge areas

Mumbai: The BMC has reported a host of irregularities in Willingdon Heights,a34-storey tower at Tardeo’s Tulsiwadi, where apartments cost around Rs 5 crore.

Refuge floors meant for fire-fighting have been converted into flats, stilt parking used as habitable area and several flats amalgamated by demolishing walls, the Bombay high court has been told in an ongoing battle between the residents, the builder, civic authorities and BEST.

Last year, when the high court passed an interim order, directing these refuge areas to be cleared, the builder, Satellite Holdings, said it was not aware that the 16th, 24th and 31st floors were marked as refuge areas by the BMC. The developer said it would ask the BMC to regularize these areas if it was permitted to build six more floors with the balance floor space index (FSI) that it claims to possess.

If the BMC allows this construction, the builder said it would relocate people occupying flats on the refuge floors. “This is the proposal which the applicant has to regularize the entire irregularity,” said a notice of motion filed by Satellite. A senior civic official said no rules allow such irregularities to be condoned and the builder’s claim of additional FSI will have to be verified. The court will hear the matter later this month.

‘Tardeo building flouted norms’
Mumbai: The BMC has carried out an inspection of the posh 34-storey Willingdon Heights in Tardeo’s Tulsiwadi and reported a slew of violations, non-compliance and work carried out beyond approved plans by the builder.

The stilt parking area had been found covered with glazed partitions. On the first floor, the greater height stilt portion was covered with RCC slab while the meter room, telephone room and society room were converted into apartments.

The civic team said between the 2nd and 23rd floors, elevations and entrance passages had been merged into flats. The 8th floor, marked as a refuge area, was found converted into a flat. From the 24th to 34th floors, the team reported that flats were amalgamated by demolishing partition walls. The lobby area was merged into apartments while parts of the kitchen area, elevation features and canopy were included in rooms. Toilet ducts were also found covered with RCC slabs. The area near the lift was covered and converted into a small room.

“Thakker Tower is not constructed as per approved plans and, in fact, has not complied with the mandatory compliance stipulated by the concerned authorities,” said the BMC’s report.

The builder said that “in the interest of justice”, the court should stay its order to clear the refuge area “till the time our proposal is sanctioned”. “We will shift the occupant of the refuge area to the new flat on the additional construction which we are going to put up,’’ it added. The developer also asked the court to protect the flat owner on the 8th floor, which is a refuge area.

In the meantime, the court stopped the BMC from acting against a first-floor resident after it was found that the space was originally meant for second stilt parking. Senior advocate Joaquim Reis, who represented the resident, said the BMC had granted part occupation certificate (OC) till the 14th floor. Hence, his client could not be thrown out because of the builder. “We took possession of the flat only after the BMC’s OC,” he said.

Last year, Willingdon Heights (also known as Thakker Tower) dragged the BMC and Brihanmumbai Electric Supply Undertaking (BEST) to court for “illegally” threatening to disconnect its electricity connection and charging it a much higher rate for power.

The dispute was over installing an electric sub-station on the building premises.
Refuge areas must at every 7th habitable floor: Rules L ast year, the state government laid down stringent provisions for fire fighting and to curb misuse of refuge areas in skyscrapers. The new rules stipulate that a refuge area will have to be provided at every seventh habitable floor after the first 24m of a high-rise.

“The refuge area shall be provided within building line at floor level. In case of high-rises with more than 30m height, the first refuge area shall be provided at 24m or first habitable floor, whichever is higher. Thereafter, the refuge area shall be provided at every seventh habitable floor,” the norms state.

The guidelines mention that a refuge area will now be restricted to just 4% of the habitable floor area it serves, and will be free of floor space index (FSI)—the ratio of permissible built-up area vis-à-vis the plot size. Refuge areas will be designated exclusively for the use of occupants “as temporary shelter and for the use of the fire brigade or any other organization dealing with emergencies and also for drills if conducted by the fire department”. TNN
Courtesy:
Nauzer K Bharucha TNN
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Parking Lot Scam: Find out who allowed parking under flyovers: HC to chief secy

Officials of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), who ignored the chief minister’s direction and awarded contracts for pay-and-park facility under flyovers in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai, have come under the scanner.

The Bombay high court on Thursday directed the chief secretary to appoint a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer to conduct a probe into the matter and pinpoint the errant MSRDC officials.

A division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice AR Joshi directed the state to take appropriate action against the officials. It also directed the MSRDC to file a compliance report before the court in December.

The open space under all the flyovers should be vacated by June 29, the court said.
The directions were given during the hearing of a bunch of petitions filed by contractors who were allotted to beautify the open space below the flyovers and use the area for pay-and-park and advertisements.

Additional public prosecutor Moldeina Thakhur said: “The chief minister had in July 2008, months before the 26/11 terror attack, given directions in view of the security threat.” However, MSRDC officials in 2009 had advertised the offer to beautify the open space below the flyovers.

In 2013, the MSRDC decided to foreclose the contract after an earlier high court order stopped the pay-and-park facility.

The court, while refusing to the grant any relief to the contractors, told them to approach a civil court for any relief or compensation.

PIL: Let CBI probe parking lot allotment scamA public interest litigation placed before the Bombay high court has sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged corruption in allotment of public parking lots by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and urban development minister Bhaskar Jadhav.

The PIL alleges that the chief minister and the UDD minister have been charging exorbitant amounts for sanctioning proposals for allotment of public parking lots.

A division bench of justices Mohit Shah and MS Sanklecha, however, asked social activist Pravin Wategaonkar, who filed the PIL, to amend his petition, which will be considered by the high court in four weeks.

In the PIL, Wategaonkar has raised the issue of allotting the lots to certain developers when others who had submitted proposals earlier were kept waiting. Advocate general Darius Khambata informed the court that the proposals were thoroughly scrutinised and then allotted. “It is not done on a first-cum-first-serve basis. Queries were raised in 13 proposals and hence were sent back to BMC. Seven others are under consideration,” said Khambata.
Courtesy:
dna correspondent @dna
Published Date:  Jun 21, 2013
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Coalgate: Former secretary H C Gupta 'blames politicians for coal block scandal'

Former coal secretary H C Gupta is believed to have blamed the political executive for irregularities in the allotment of coal blocks and alleged that politicians interfered in the decisions of the screening committee.

Gupta, who was secretary in the ministry in 2006-08, was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday in connection with the scandal.

Central Bureau of Investigation sources said that Gupta, who was also chairman of the screening panel, was examined in connection with three cases of coal blocks allotment to Maharashtra Congress MP Vijay Darda and his relatives.

But the sources refused to share details of any names of political leaders Gupta may have mentioned.

Asked by investigators why he did not give a "dissent" note if he was under pressure to allot coal blocks, the former IAS officer is believed to have claimed that he tried to protest but was not successful.

Gupta's role is also under scrutiny as he is suspected to have overlooked the alleged misrepresentation made by three companies - AMR Iron and Steel Ltd, JAS Infrastructure and JLD Yavatmal - while allotting coal blocks. He was questioned for five hours and is likely to be called again.
Courtesy:
Rahul Tripathi : New Delhi, Fri Jun 21 2013, 08:43 hrs
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/coalgate-former-secretary-h-c-gupta-blames-politicians-for-coal-block-scandal/1131833/

BANK SCAMS: 3 private banks have to compensate customers

IT secretary Rajesh Aggarwal has pulled up three private banks in two different cases and ordered them to compensate customers who lost money due to fraudulent transactions.

Rs 48,640.81 was debited from the salary account of Rajendra Ade in HDFC Bank. He received a text message about the transaction on his cellphone at 1.57 am on October 18, 2012, followed by another message that his card had been blocked temporarily as the bank could not reach him to confirm the transaction.

Ade filed complaints with the bank and Sangvi police in Pune. The bank responded on October 29 that the transaction was identified as suspicious and an SMS alert sent to his cellphone. Since there was no feedback, Ade's card was blocked and a message sent to him at 2.23 am.

"The bank has nowhere on record placed facts that would demonstrate that they tried to proactively inform the customer by calling on his mobile number registered with the bank, especially when the time of the transaction is such the customer may not see SMS. HDFC systems raised an alert which was communicated by an SMS in the middle of night, but a more proactive approach would have been desirable," said Aggarwal, ordering the bank to pay Rs 40,000 to Ade within a month, failing which monthly compound interest of 12 per cent would be chargeable.

HDFC Bank could not be reached for comment.

In the second case, Rs 14,000 was withdrawn from the Yes Bank salary account of Kiran Yadav in December last year using an Axis Bank ATM in Vapi and a Union Bank of India ATM in Vadodara. After receiving a complaint, Yes Bank contacted Axis Bank and Union Bank of India for CCTV footage of the ATMs.

Axis Bank footage showed a person withdrawing money with his face covered. Union Bank of India said they did not have CCTV footage "as data was overwritten over a period of three months".

However, it came to light that Yes Bank got in touch with Union Bank of India immediately after receiving the complaint. Aggarwal observed it was Union Bank of India's responsibility to preserve the footage in question.

"During the hearing, it was found that officials of Axis Bank and Union Bank of India were very casual in their approach. Axis Bank was unable to provide explanation as to why it failed to check the CCTV footage in which the fraudster clearly managed to come inside the ATM with his face covered and withdraw money. Union Bank of India not only did not provide CCTV footage, their representative misrepresented to the court that the time by which they got the information, their CCTV footage was overwritten," states his order.

The banks have been ordered to equally share the compensation of Rs 20,000 payable to Yadav within a month.

While Axis Bank could not be reached for comment, an email to Union Bank of India received no reply.
Courtesy:
Gautam S Mengle : Mumbai, Fri Jun 21 2013, 01:54 hrs Small Large Print
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/3-private-banks-have-to-compensate-customers/1131816/0

The beedi businessman, his foreign cars and associated troubles

Beedi businessman Muhammed Nisham has at least six imported cars. And one or the other of them has been at the centre of every controversy that he has been involved in over the past few months.

The latest is a summons sent to him from customs in Thrissur, asking him to produce relevant documents next week about his Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Road Ranger, Ferrari and Jaguar. The Customs Department wants to verify whether the imports are in order, or if the cars were undervalued.

Nisham is managing director of Tirunelveli-based King Beedi Co. Apart from being a prominent tobacco supplier, he has hotel and jewellery businesses in the Middle East.

His vehicles, which include a Skoda and an Audi, have been at the centre of public attention since April after he allowed his nine-year-old son to drive one of them in a residential complex of Thrissur, leading to a police case. And last week, during a police check, he allegedly locked a woman sub-inspector inside another of his vehicles.

In April, Nisham's wife, Amal Nisha, lovingly shot a video of their son Ishan, 9, at the wheel of their Ferrari, his four-year-old brother by his side. These visuals of the elder boy driving through the residential area went up on YouTube, sparking outrage among viewers. The police were initially hesitant to act but eventually booked Nisham on two charges — under the Juvenile Justice Act for cruelty to a child, and under the Motor Vehicle Act for allowing a person without a licence to drive. Arrested under the latter charge, Nisham was later released on bail.

His next run-in with the police came in Thrissur on Thursday last week, followed by the customs notice from there. He was driving his brand-new Rolls Royce when police stopped him for a routine check. Police say Nisham was under the influence of alcohol, which he admits.

Police allege Nisham tried to manhandle a woman sub-inspector in their team. He allegedly told them that no police station in Kerala is fit for his Rolls-Royce to park at. To prevent him from driving away, the woman sub-inspector got into the car for the keys. Police say Nisham, who was outside, locked the doors with remote control, trapping the sub-inspector inside. More policemen arrived and had a heated argument with Nisham who, they say, "released" the sub-inspector only after that.

He was arrested and produced before a local court, which first remanded him in judicial custody and then granted him bail the following day.

Nisham denies having locked the woman in. "The woman SI told her colleagues to take me into custody, saying that here is the person who allowed his minor son to drive a Ferrari," he says. "I did not lock her inside; she could have come out if she wished. Everything has been recorded on camera. And what I told the police was that the Rolls-Royce was new, and it was not proper to take it to the police station the first day."
Courtesy:
Shaju Philip : Thiruvananthapuram, Fri Jun 21 2013, 08:21 hrs
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-beedi-businessman-his-foreign-cars-and-associated-troubles/1131721/0

IPL Spot Fixing Scam: To hell with this rubbish game - Vindu Dara Sing

Vindoo Dara Singh says he will never see a cricket match or interact with cricketers again!
Vindoo Dara Singh still can’t believe he spent 13 days in jail for his alleged involvement in the cricket match-fixing scam. “I thought I’d be out in hours. I had told my wife I’d be back by lunch time when they took me in. I came home after 13 days. My family came to see me after I was taken in. I told them I was not guilty. They kept me going.”

No veil for me
Recalling the horrific experience h says, “I still can’t believe what I went through. There are thousands of people who bet in cricket. I haven’t done anything wrong. Except that I loved cricket. Now I hate the game. I’ll never again look at cricket. My love for cricket has cost me so heavily I’d never again watch a game in my life. I’ll never speak to anyone related to the game of cricket.” Recalling the horrifying arrest Vindoo says, “I never expected I’d be held for so long. When these guys decided to arrest me there there were hundreds of mediapersons around. I don’t know who informed them. They asked me to cover my face. I refused. Why should I cover my face? I had done nothing wrong!”

Invisible friends
None of Vindoo’s buddies from the film industry spoke up for him. He defends their silence saying, “You have to understand they were not sure of my innocence. If everyday I read the things that were written about someone in the papers even I’d have kept quiet. I don’t blame anyone for not speaking up for me. If I had done wrong they’d be in trouble. So they had to be careful. If they read in the papers that cricketers stayed in my house and that `1.28 crore were found in my house, obviously they will doubt my innocence. The accusations were shocking. Even Mahesh Bhatt, who stands up for all the wronged people in the industry, couldn’t stand up for me because of what all was being said about me.”

My real support
The real support came from Vindoo’s family and non-filmy friends. “The friends who stood by me are the childhood friends. From the film fraternity there were people who’d quietly come home and ask about me. But it was risky for them to take a public stand in my favour. Now the honourable court has ruled that I had nothing to do with any of these things.” Vindoo was amused that people were speculating about his well-to-do lifestyle. “They are whispering how and where I got my house and these cars. They’ve to understand that my father has worked hard to give us a good life. I also make a decent income. I am not some struggler or upstart.”

Love from Dolly
Dolly Bhindra was the only one who stood up for Vindoo . “The reason for her support is, she was there when the cops took me away. She spoke to me for about three minutes and she was convinced I was innocent. But like I said I am done with cricket. My brothers would often ask me why I waste so much time watching cricket. I’d fight back. Today I realise I was wasting my time. To hell with this rubbish game. It has brought me so much pain.”

Legalise bettingVindoo is all for legalising betting in cricket. “If they’re going to pick up anyone on these charges, then they might as well either shut down the bookies completely or allow them legally. The world knows for 25 years where all the bookies of the world stay. If they can’t shut them down they might as well legalise them. Just like the tobacco industry which operates when gutka is banned.” At the moment Vindoo is trying to get to work in films. He says, “I am confident I’d be acquitted. Because I have done no wrong. But in India you never know when the good guy turns into the bad guy. I’ve been called every name in the past month... from fixer, to don’s man to pimp...kuch bacha nahin. But I’ve put it behind me now. The police was doing their job. They expected some major revelations to emerge from our interrogation. Yet I was denied bail every day because there was so much media pressure...”

On release the first person 
Vindoo wanted to see was his mother. “After seeing and reading what I was accused of she said, ‘If he has really done this I’d take poison.’ If my mother thought like this think about what others thought My family is now in Russia. I want to join them, but they have taken away my passport. I’ll have to take the honourable judge’s permission. I am confident he will let me fly to Russia to be with my family.”
Courtesy:
Subhash k Jha
Published Date:  Jun 21, 2013
http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=47301&boxid=30286&ed_date=2013-06-21&ed_code=820004&ed_page=1

IPL Spot Fixing Scam: Vindu got umpire Rauf gifts through bookies

These conversations tapped separately in April are the clearest evidence yet that Rauf, who fled India after his name cropped up in the IPL betting-fixing racket, was in cahoots with the bookies and solicited gifts.

The transcript of the conversation tapped through three mobiles of Vindu Dara Singh, arrested for his role in the spotfixing scandal, were shared with TOI by police sources. The source said in another conversation around the same time, Rauf is heard insisting that Pawan send the bill for the gold chain; else Rauf would have problems with the customs.

The bills for this package as well as two other parcels sent later with gifts for Rauf are with the Mumbai crime branch. In May, the crime branch seized the two parcels containing branded shoes, clothes and other personal effects sent by bookie Taneja to Rauf from Delhi airport’s cargo section. The umpire, sensing trouble, had fled barely a day before Vindu’s arrest on May 22 without collecting them.

Vindu is also accused of helping bookie-siblings Pawan and Sanjay Chabra alias Pawan and Sanjay Jaipur flee Mumbai as the heat mounted. The crime branch on Wednesday had prepared to strongly oppose the duo’s anticipatory bail applications, but the court adjourned the matter to July 3.

Asad Rauf (tainted Pakistani umpire who officiated in IPL-6): “Do you know my birthday is coming up?’’

Vindu Dara Singh (film and TV actor): “Asadbhai, you don’t worry, we will take care of it. I will convey the message to Pawanbhai.”

Pawan Jaipur (bookie) to Vindu: “I am sending a watch worth Rs 6 lakh and a gold chain for Asad through Prem Taneja (another bookie) in Delhi. Please ask Asad to collect it from Delhi.”

Lookout notice against bookie bros remains
Mumbai: Senior lawyer Adhik Shirodkar, who appeared for the Chabra aka Jaipur brothers—they own a big jewellery showroom in Jaipur, Motison Jewellers— at their anticiatory bail hearing, pleaded that the police be at least directed to withdraw the lookout notices issued against the duo so that they could return to the country. The court refused, saying there was no hurry and a decision would be taken after the court has gone through the evidence.

Opposing the bail, the crime branch said since Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf was not available for interrogation, they needed to grill the brothers, who have given the umpire expensive gifts, to uncover their role in the cricket scandal.

“These two bookies were in touch with Rauf and had even paid his shopping bills in the country. They also reportedly own a benami stake in the Sri Lanka Premier League,’’ said an officer.

Police said the Chabras fled to Dubai immediately after Vindu alerted them about Mumbai police raiding super bookie Ramesh Vyas’s betting den at Kalbadevi.

THE IPL BETTING-FIXING SCANDAL

• Delhi police arrest cricketers S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila on May 16 from Mumbai
• Police said they took money from bookies for spot fixing
• 11 bookies also held
• Mumbai crime branch arrest Vindu Dara Singh on May 22. They also arrest Gurunath Meiyappan, the principal of Chennai Super Kings, on May 25 for allegedly passing team info to bookies through Vindu
• Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf quietly flees India a day before Vindu’s arrest. His name cropped up in Vindu’s interrogation. ICC drops him from Champions Trophy
• Two key bookies from Jaipur, Pawan and Sanjay Chabra, flee India, apparently aided by Vindu
• The scandal forces N Sreenivasan, the father-in-law of Meiyappan, to step aside as BCCI chief on June 2
• Sreesanth and Chavan as well as Vindu and Meiyappan are out on bail. Ajit Chandila is still in custody

Courtesy:
S Ahmed Ali TNN
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?Daily=TOIM&showST=true&login=default&pub=TOI&Enter=true&Skin=TOINEW

Education Scams: 1-yr jail term for bogus edu institution owners

Mumbai: Alarmed by the mushrooming growth of unauthorised and illegal educational institutions, the state cabinet on Wednesday approved a draft ordinance to curb the menace.

According to the provisions of the proposed ordinance, the owners, management and proprietors of such institutions will face a maximum prison term of one year and could be fined between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh.

Issuing bogus advertisements will also attract, under the provisions of the proposed law, a fine ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

A few years ago, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) had brought to the notice of the state government that there were 80 bogus educational institutions in Maharashtra.

Mum univ not to conduct exams?
The Mumbai University plans to palm off its vital duty of conducting examinations for 87 certificate and postgraduate courses to colleges and departments that run the courses. The management council will take a final decision on this proposal on Thursday.

TO BE ENFORCED IMMEDIATELY Fake univ ordinance awaits governor nod
Mumbai: State higher and technical education minister Rajesh Tope briefed the cabinet on the proposed Maharashtra Prevention of Unauthorised and Illegal Educational Institutions Ordinance, 2013, which
approved proposal designed to curb bogus educational institutions in the state.

“All the educational institutions have been identified. Once the ordinance comes into force, we will take action against the institutions as per the provisions of the law,” a senior bureaucrat told TOI on Wednesday.

“The cabinet has approved the proposal. We are in the process of submitting the ordinance to the governor for approval. Once the proposal is approved, it will come into force on the same day,’’ he added.

The official said in the recent past, the issue of bogus educational institutions cheating hundreds of students was discussed in both the houses of the state legislature and that the Maharashtra government had assured that a comprehensive law will be enacted to curb the menace.

Now it has been proposed that educational institutions in the field of higher and technical education, agriculture, dairy development, medical education, veterinary science and all courses will be covered under the new law.
Courtesy:
Prafulla Marpakwar TNN
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2013/06/20&PageLabel=3&EntityId=Ar00303&ViewMode=HTML

Parking Lot Scam: 23K cr windfall in parking lots allotment: PIL

Mumbai: The urban development department, led by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, has given floor space worth nearly Rs 23,500 crore at commercial market value to private builders for just Rs 240 crore as allotments for public parking lots, a PIL filed in the Bombay high court alleged on Wednesday.

Litigant Pravin Wategaonkar said the developers or land owners, who are now entitled to 50% incentive FSI in lieu of construction of basement plus three levels of car parking, stand to benefit from 92 lakh square feet of buildable space. Wategaonkar alleged that the implementation of the state’s public parking policy since 2010 is mired in malpractice and arbitrariness. In his reply to the state’s recent affidavit, Wategaonkar requested for a probe by an agency like the CBI or an audit to see if there was any graft involved and to calculate “the loss to exchequer involved in the allotments”.

He said the allotments appeared to have gone largely to two developers whose group companies allegedly bagged four and two projects, respectively. Wategaonkar pointed out that the civic body was stonewalling his attempts to see the files of the last three approvals, which he alleged went to companies that belonged to one big builder.

Three proposals were approved last month. The state said 13 other proposals were pending at various stages. The PIL said the urban development minister was “withholding” approvals and indulged in corruption as alleged in the budget session of the legislature and reported in the media, and it needs to be inquired into.
Courtesy:
Swati Deshpande TNN
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2013/06/20&PageLabel=11&EntityId=Ar01101&ViewMode=HTML

RAIL CASH FOR JOBS SCAM: CBI to seek Speaker’s nod to initiate probe against Bansal

New Delhi: Former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal may be in serious trouble as the CBI is planning to approach the Lok Sabha Speaker for permission to initiate a probe against him in the railway bribery scandal, top sources told TOI.

The draft chargesheet in the bribery scandal, in which Bansal’s nephew Vijay Singla and railway board member (staff) Mahesh Kumar have been named along with others, was recently sent to the agency’s director of prosecution (DoP) for legal opinion and once the legal department gives its opinion, the investigating team is likely to approach the Lok Sabha Speaker. The DoP is likely to give its opinion by next week, sources said.

Bansal, an MP from Chandigarh, was recently questioned by the CBI on his role in appointment of Mahesh Kumar and bribe taken by his nephew. Being a Lok Sabha MP, the CBI has to take permission from the Speaker to officially charge him. “Since he is not a minister anymore, we don’t need to go to the President. We will have to go to the Speaker of Lok Sabha,” an officer said.

Sources said that they didn’t have evidence of money being taken on Bansal’s behalf by his nephew but had some proof which suggested connivance even as conversations between the accused had several references to him.

Bansal’s secretary Rahul Bhandari is also in trouble with the agency recently registering a preliminary enquiry against him to probe transfer/postings in the railways. Bansal had to resign after the case came to light.

During his interrogation recently, Bansal told the CBI that his nephew was acting independently and he had no role in the bribery scandal, sources said.

CBI had claimed that Bansal was interrogated in the capacity of a ‘suspect’ and was asked questions mainly on two aspects -- if he was aware of transactions between his nephew Vijay Singla and Mahesh Kumar and if norms were followed in the appointment of Mahesh Kumar.
Courtesy:
Neeraj Chauhan TNN
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COALGATE: CBI registers case against Delhi-based firm

New Delhi: The CBI on Wednesday registered a case against Rathi Steel and Power Limited, its CEO Udit Rathi and unknown members of the 36th screening committee which awarded the coal blocks.

Rathi Steel obtained Kesla North coal block in Chhattisgarh by allegedly misrepresenting facts of putting up a steel plant in Odisha’s Sambhalpur, while there were two other companies which had better parameters for getting the block.

The 23 coal blocks awarded by the 36th screening committee after meetings in December 2007 and February-July 2008 were earmarked for allocation to specified end uses other than power. The companies dealing in production of steel, iron and cement applied for these coal blocks. H C Gupta, who is being probed by the CBI now, was coal secretary at the time.

CBI sources told TOIthat some more big companies are under the scanner and a few fresh cases would be registered soon.
Courtesy:
Neeraj Chauhan TNN
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2013/06/20&PageLabel=15&EntityId=Ar01503&ViewMode=HTML

ANTI-TRUST RAP: Ranbaxy, 8 other cos fined 1,000 crore

EU Slaps Penalty On Drug Makers For Pacts To Delay Cheaper Antidepressant
Mumbai: EU antitrust regulators on Wednesday imposed fines totalling 146 million euros (Rs 1,150 crore) on nine global drugmakers, including Ranbaxy, for blocking the supply of cheaper versions of Danish company Lundbeck’s antidepressant drug citalopram. Ranbaxy, which needs to pay a penalty of 10.3 million euros (around Rs 80 crore), is expected to appeal against the EU decision.

Lundbeck has to pay damages of 94 million euros while the others fined include Alpharma (now part of Zoetis), Merck KGaA/Generics UK (Generics UK is now part of Mylan) and Arrow (now part of Actavis).

In 2002, Lundbeck had entered into agreements with each of these companies to delay the entry of cheaper generic versions of its blockbuster citalopram, the EC said. The punishments follow a 2009 report by the European Commission on the pharmaceutical sector, which said “pay-for-delay” deals lead to consumers paying as much as 20% more for their medicines.

“Agreements of this type directly harm patients and national health systems, which are already under tight budgetary constraints,” EU competition commissioner Joaquin Almunia said in a statement, adding, “The Commission will not tolerate such anticompetitive practices.”

The European Commission, which acts as competition regulator across the 27-member European Union, imposed a 21.4 million euro fine on Germany’s Merck KGaA, and another 7.77 million euros on it jointly with former subsidiary Generics UK.

Ranbaxy may appeal against the EU order. When contacted, a Ranbaxy spokesperson said “the company is disappointed with the decision by the European Commission to rule its patent settlement agreement with Lundbeck, covering the molecule Citalopram, anti-competitive, and intends to appeal the decision to the General Court of the European Union. These events took place over 10 years ago, and the company considers that the commission has misunderstood the facts, and misapplied the law. It believes it has strong grounds of appeal.”

In 2002, after Lundbeck’s basic patent for the citalopram molecule had expired, it only held a number of related process patents which provided a more limited protection. Producers of generic versions of citalopram therefore had the possibility to enter the market. But instead of competing, generic companies agreed with Lundbeck not to enter the market in return for substantial payments, and other inducements amounting to tens of millions of euros, the EC said.

The agreements gave Lundbeck the certainty that generics producers would stay out of the market for duration of the agreements, without giving the generic producers any guarantee of market entry thereafter.
Courtesy:
TIMES NEWS NETWORK With inputs from agencies
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2013/06/20&PageLabel=21&EntityId=Ar02101&ViewMode=HTML

DISTORTING MARKET: FCI’s anti-competitive practice under CCI lens

New Delhi: In an unprecedented move, Competition Commission of India (CCI), the fair play watchdog, is examining if the state-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) is violating competition law by misusing its dominant position in procuring foodgrain and distorting the market.

Senior CCI sources said they have taken note of the various recommendations and have started the process of examining of the food procurement policy, which has driven out private players from the market. Initially, the regulator held discussions with the food ministry, which put the blame on FCI.

The move comes at a time when the government is set to enact a food security law which will increase the pressure on FCI to set up procurement to meet the mandate of the proposed Act. FCI has been severely criticized for its procurement and storage policies. Experts say inefficient handling leads to massive losses of precious foodgrain while the monopoly enjoyed by FCI distorts the grain market.

Even the Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices, which sets prices of commodities for farmers on behalf of the government, had also recommended that the CCI should examine the anti-competitive market behaviour of FCI.

“The fundamental function of the market is price discovery. However, the disparate policies adopted at the Centre (trade policy) and some states (bonuses and taxes) have cumulatively led to market distortions. Government interventions have resulted in its becoming the single largest procurer and hoarder of foodgrain,” the CACP had said in a report last year.

“They have also led to inter-crop distortions with farmers opting for the crop which gets them a bonus over MSP. The resultant high costs of procurement owing to arbitrary imposition of taxes/ levies by state governments, have also led to crowding out of private players,” the CACP had said.

It had also pointed out those high costs of operations of state agencies, including leakages add to the distortions. And, as a result the FCI would only have to shell out large amounts under the burden of such arbitrary levies and high costs, all in the name of food subsidy for the poor.

Finance minister P Chidambaram too had also highlighted the need to debate the role of competition policy in improving procurement and had cited the example of government procurement of grains which crowds out private players and affects the discovery of market prices for cereals. “In case of agriculture the minimum support price (MSP) and open-ended procurement have served our farmers well. But can we procure in a better way? Currently, as a result of how the MSP and procurement policy are set, the government is the largest and in many ways the only bulk buyer of cereals,” Chidambaram had said in his annual day lecture at the CCI last month.

“But, in the process, it is crowding out private sector procurement. The discovery of market prices for cereals is affected by government policy. What role should competition policy play in bringing private players into procurement and in improving the benefits to both the farmer and the consumer?,” the finance minister had said.
Courtesy:
Sidhartha & Surojit Gupta TNN
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IPL Spot Fixing Scam: Took money from bookies, returned it after sting scare: Siddharth Trivedi

At a time when questions are being raised about its probe into the IPL spot-fixing scandal, the Delhi Police is counting on the statement of Rajasthan Royals cricketer Siddharth Trivedi recorded in the presence of a magistrate under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

It is learnt that Trivedi, in his statement, admitted he had taken Rs 3 lakh — in sums of Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh — from alleged bookies Deepak Sharma and Sunil Bhatia for session-fixing. But he claimed to have returned the money because he was scared when a sting operation trapped seven players last year. He said the sting was an "eye-opener" and he severed all contact with the duo.

The police have made Trivedi a prosecution witness. His statement was recorded before the magistrate to strengthen evidence in the case.

It is learnt that Trivedi said his first brush with spot-fixing was in 2010 when Amit Singh, another Rajasthan Royals cricketer, introduced him to bookies in Ahmedabad. Singh was also arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell last month.

In 2011, Trivedi met cricketer Ajit Chandila who introduced him to Deepak Sharma.

Trivedi told the magistrate that Sharma and Chandila took him to the DLF Promenade mall in Vasant Kunj, South Delhi, where Chandila bought him expensive clothes and perfumes.

In February 2012, Chandila asked him to play in a tournament in Ahmedabad where he was introduced to Sunil Bhatia. Trivedi claimed it was then that spot-fixing was discussed.

Trivedi also claimed that Chandila got into the Rajasthan Royals team because of him. When IPL 5 began in April 2012, the team was looking for a bowler. It was on his suggestion that Chandila was called for trials and later selected, he said.

He said he was contacted by Amit Singh and Deepak Sharma when the IPL season began in April this year. He claimed he refused to meet them but Bhatia asked him to come to a hotel. He claimed to have seen Sharma and Bhatia with "Ankeet Chavan and other cricketers" — Chavan, another Rajasthan Royals player, was also arrested by the Special Cell last month.
Courtesy:
Prawesh Lama : New Delhi, Thu Jun 20 2013, 08:34 hrs Small Large Print
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/took-money-from-bookies-returned-it-after-sting-scare-rrs-trivedi/1131482/

Coal Scam: RSS magazine quotes Rajnath accusing PM of coal graft, he says misquoted

In its zeal to step up the attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the alleged irregularities in the allotment of coal blocks, RSS mouthpiece Organiser appears to have misquoted BJP president Rajnath Singh as saying that the PM is "involved in the scam".

The BJP president's office told The Indian Express that Rajnath had not accused the PM of direct involvement when he spoke to Organiser for an interview.

"The intentional vetting of the CBI status report before submitting to Supreme Court was the sufficient ground to believe that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is involved in the scam (sic)," the latest issue of Organiser quotes Rajnath as saying.

"At least the people sitting on top must follow some morals. There must be some moral standards for the posts of President, Prime Minister and chief ministers. But it is an irony that such ethics and moral values have no place today in politics. It is definitely a big crisis," Rajnath is quoted as saying.

The BJP has so far questioned the role of the PMO and its officials and demanded the PM quit as the alleged scam took place when he held the coal portfolio. Rajnath's purported comments in the interview, however, directly question the personal integrity of the Prime Minister.

"He was only stressing the fact that the needle of suspicion is towards the Prime Minister's Office," Rajnath's office told The Indian Express Wednesday when reached for his comment.
Courtesy:
Express news service : New Delhi, Wed Jun 19 2013, 22:45 hrs Small Large Print
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rss-magazine-quotes-rajnath-accusing-pm-of-coal-graft-he-says-misquoted/1131213/

Agusta Westland Chopper SCAM: Chopper trial opens in Italy, defence for A K Antony as witness

A lawyer for Bruno Spagnolini, the former chief executive of AgustaWestland, asked an Italian court Wednesday that India's Defence Minister A K Antony be called in as witness, as trial began in the alleged corruption in the sale of 12 helicopters to the Indian government.

Spagnolini and Giuseppe Orsi, former head of the Italian defence group Finmeccanica of which AgustaWestland is a part, have been accused of paying bribes to intermediaries to secure the sale of the helicopters in a 560 million euro ($ 749 million) deal in 2010.

The arrest warrant for Orsi and Spagnolini said that the Indian tender was changed to deliberately favour the Italian firm. The scandal has raised the prospect that Finmeccanica could be blacklisted in India, the world's largest arms importer and an important growth market for the state-controlled company.

Spagnolini's lawyer, Massimo Bassi, also asked the court that former Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal (retd) S P Tyagi be called. The court, which decided to let India's Ministry of Defence and Italy's tax agency seek damages, said the next hearing will be held on July 11. A legal source told Reuters he expected a long trial.

Finmeccanica and Orsi, who left the company a few days after his arrest on February 12, deny any wrongdoing. Spagnolini, who also stepped down, also denies any responsibility in the matter.

During a break in the hearing on Wednesday Orsi's lawyer Ennio Amodio said: "We will demonstrate that the tender in India was regularly carried out and nothing illegal was done in that country." Neither Orsi nor Spagnolini were in court. India has frozen payments for the helicopters pending an inquiry by the CBI into AgustaWestland, and has said it is seeking to cancel the deal.
Courtesy:
Reuters : Busto Arsizio, Thu Jun 20 2013, 08:45 hrs Small Large Print
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/chopper-trial-opens-in-italy-defence-for-a-k-antony-as-witness/1131264/

Scam in Making: Out with old, Mantralaya to don corporate look

A space-frame glass atrium over the central courtyard, grand steps leading to the façade, 14 escalators for public use, advanced fire-fighting systems, central air-conditioning, dedicated lifts for VIPs and a roof-top garden are some of the aspects of phase one of the Mantralaya makeover project, which is due for completion in the next two months.

It's almost a year since top four floors of the building were gutted in a major blaze, labourers are working in double shifts. It will be a stark transformation of the once unplanned building to a state-of-the-art corporate style headquarters with advanced fire-fighting systems.

Phase one consists renovating the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh floors. Tenders for phase two to renovate ground-plus-three floors and construct an underground parking facility will be floated next month.

The Rs 138-crore project was started last November. There was a delay of three months as the lowest bid of Rs 168 crore by Unity Infrastructure was much higher than the state's planned expenditure. The firm later quoted Rs 138 crore and bagged the contract.

The Rs 1,800 crore makeover plan of 2007 bagged by IndiaBulls was scrapped in 2010 because of its extravagance.

Instead of cabins separated by wooden partitions earlier, the floors will now bear a corporate look with continuous seating in half cubicles.

Godrej is providing furniture worth Rs 15 crore while Philips is providing lighting worth Rs 5 crore. The west wing of each floor will have three standardised cabins for ministers measuring 1,800 sq ft, which will include a conference room, toilet, an antechamber and office space for staff.

The east wing will have five cabins measuring 600 sq ft each for secretaries. Earlier, the size of cabins was not uniform.

"We want to make this project the face of the Maharshtra government," chief secretary J K Banthia told Newsline. Banthia was taken through the makeover progress on Sunday by officials from public works department (PWD), Unity and architect firm Raja Aederi.

An additional area of 1 lakh sq ft has been created, said Shamalkumar Mukherjee, principal secretary, PWD.

"An additional three-metre wide corridor has been created in the central courtyard space on each floor for public to move around. The floors will be connected through escalators," he said, adding that the fourth and fifth floor will be completed by June-end while the rest will be completed by mid-August.

Six out of eight current elevators have been replaced with new ones from Germany.

The north and south part will have offices of other lower-rung secretaries, and administrative and clerical staff.
Courtesy:
Stuti Shukla : Mumbai, Thu Jun 20 2013, 01:58 hrs Small Large Print
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/out-with-old-mantralaya-to-don-corporate-look/1131350/0

Designers Dolce and Gabbana get jail term for evasion of tax

MILAN: Fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were handed a 20-month suspended prison sentence and a heavy fine on Wednesday for hiding hundreds of millions of euros from Italian tax authorities.

The designer duo, who are nearly as famous as the stars they dress, were not present in the court in Milan and will lodge an appeal against their conviction on charges that they have always denied. “We will read the reasons for the verdict, and we will appeal,” said Massimo d Noia, one of the pair’s defence lawyers after the hearing.

Public prosecutor Gaetano Ruta had asked for a two-and-ahalf-year jail term. However, the two designers will have to pay 5,00,000 euros as a first instalment of a fine that could reach 10 million euros ($13.4 million).

A spokesman for their Dolce and Gabbana company declined to make an immediate comment.
Courtesy:
20 Jun 2013, Hindustan Times (Mumbai), Reuters htmetro@hindustantimes.com
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

Ten more I-T officers under scanner for links with dealer

Around 10 income tax (I-T) officers are under the scanner after their names and numbers were found in a diary recovered during searches on bullion dealer Prithviraj Kothari. The searches began on June 11 and concluded on Sunday. I-T officials are now going through documents sezied during the raids, including account books.

Recovery of the names has aggravated embarrassment for the department, as a deputy commissioner of I-T has already been suspended for leaking information to Kothari 25 minutes before the searches began.

“We were startled to find names and numbers of so many officers who either hold important charges or held the same earlier,” said an I-T official, requesting anonymity.

He added that the department suspects the officials are close to Kothari and were offering him favours.

Sources in the department said that Kothari has been under the I-T radar for almost three years. But the department did not conduct searches because some officials in the investigation.

Prakash Kothari has been under the I-T radar for close to three years but no raids were conducted on him as top authorities feared that I-T officials close to him would leak information.

A deputy commissioner of I-T has been suspended for leaking information to Kothari 25 minutes before the searches began tion wing were close to him, and top authorities feared that information would be leaked.

They realised this when they conducted searches on Kothari. They found that information was leaked to him and he managed to evade the authorities for three days, sources said.

Officials said that the leaking of information affected the search operation, which could have been bigger than what it is now.

Sources said with the role of a deputy commissioner becoming clear, the others would be investigated properly and their backgrounds, including their wealth, would be checked. “If any are found possessing wealth more than their known sources.

On Wednesday, names and numbers of 10 I-T officers were found in a diary recovered during searches on Kothari.

In the raid so far, Rs10 crore in cash has been seized and 10 lockers are yet to be opened. “These lockers may contain valuables and some important documents,” an official said. of income, strict action will be taken,” the official said.

Meanwhile, officials are finding it difficult to connect details mentioned in books of account as these are highly complicated “There are so many entries showing dealings and these are not clear,” the official said.

Officials added that the account book is confusing as many entries are bogus. Officials earlier found a large portion of import and export shown by Kothari’s RiddiSiddhi Bullions Ltd is bogus. The company has shown a turnover of Rs25,000 crore.

“We need to establish bogus entries with the evidence to raise tax demands and levy a penalty on him,” the official said.

Courtesy:

Manish Pachouly, Hindustan Times, Mumbai, June 20, 2013, First Published: 10:43 IST(20/6/2013)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/Chunk-HT-UI-HomePage-CityNews-Mumbai/Ten-more-I-T-officers-under-scanner-for-links-with-dealer/Article1-1079402.aspx

Irrigation Scam of Maharashtra: Deliberate cost escalations of 8,616 cr in power projects

MUMBAI: After the coal supply controversy and repeated breakdowns at its power plants in Maharashtra, state-owned generation utility Mahagenco faces yet another serious allegation of corruption.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday alleged deliberate cost escalations of Rs8,616 crore in Mahagenco’s 10 generation projects over the past seven years so that political bosses and officials concerned could earn hefty bribes from private generators who sold power to the state company Mahavitaran. The alleged bribe is 14 paisa per unit which turns out to be hundreds of crore per year.

BJP’s state spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said that the information was based on documents procured under the RTI from Mahagenco. BJP has tried to establish that the cost escalations were because of delays of 12 to 35 months.

The original cost of these projects was Rs23,120 cr. The escalated costs are recovered through tariff from about 2 crore consumers.

“This scam is bigger than the irrigation corruption. And like irrigation, the leaders of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) benefited from this scam as well,” said Bhandari. NCP has

been heading the energy department since 1999 and controls all three power companies.

Bhandari alleged that senior officer SC Thotve, who did not have required qualifications and experience, was made director of projects in 2007. “Thotve is a pawn in the hands of his political masters. He got the job even though a selection panel of experts did not find him suitable,” said Bhandari. He also produced a letter by then union power secretary Uma Shankar asking the state chief secretary to expedite delayed projects.

Mahagenco faces controversy over other matters as well. Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiary Western Coalfield Limited (WCL) have vehemently denied Mahagenco’s allegations for supplying inferior quality coal. They asserted in the Bombay high court on Tuesday that 94% of the coal supplied during last three years was of very superior quality.

The petitioner Anil Wadpalliwar alleged that Mahagenco was happy to import high-priced coal, forcing the state to buy costly power produced by private players and further burden consumers.
Courtesy:
20 Jun 2013, Hindustan Times (Mumbai), HT Correspondent, htmetro@hindustantimes.com
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.

Scam in Making: Millions go hungry but India lost foodgrain worth cr in 5 years

NEW DELHI: The UPA government, which is pushing the food security bill as a potential vote weapon ahead of the 2014 general elections, lost grains worth R45 crore in the past five years, according to data accessed by HT through the Right to Information (RTI).

The grains, damaged mostly during handling and storage, could have fed at least 2,50,000 people per year for the last five years, according to HT’s calculations. By its own admission, the government lost wheat worth R5 crore and rice worth crore in the last five years. The revelation comes at a time when the UPA-led government is trying its best to push the food security bill through an ordnance on the grounds that it will give two-thirds Indians a legal right to cheap food. At least 12.5 lakh people could have been fed wheat and rice over the last five years in which crores of rupees worth of vital grain has just rotted away.

The RTI reply shows that although the government has been able to bring down losses over the years, a impoverished food storage infrastructure continues to result in high wastage of wheat and rice in a country which, by one count, has 200 million food-insecure people.

Despite conservative government estimates putting the death of children due to malnutrition at a minimum of 3,000 every single day, heaps of rotting food grains continue to lie across fields in sweltering heat and heavy rains
Courtesy:
20 Jun 2013, Hindustan Times (Mumbai), Harinder Baweja harinder.baweja@hindustantimes.com
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer

विंदू, मयप्पन के खिलाफ पर्याप्त सबूत नहीं : कोर्ट

मुंबई।। अभिनेता विंदू दारा सिंह और बीसीसीआई चीफ के दामाद गुरुनाथ मयप्पन समेत छह आरोपियों को आईपीएल सट्टेबाजी मामले में जमानत देते हुए स्थानीय अदालत ने कहा कि पुलिस के पास जालसाजी और धोखाधड़ी के कोई सबूत नहीं हैं।

पुलिस ने मामले में जो आरोप लगाये थे, उनमें केवल जालसाजी और धोखाखड़ी ही गैरजमानती थे। अतिरिक्त मजिस्ट्रेट एम एन सलीम ने 11 पेज के जमानत के आदेश में कहा, 'अभियोजन पक्ष को पूछताछ और सामग्री जुटाने के लिये पर्याप्त मौके मिले लेकिन वह यह साबित करने की स्थिति में नहीं है कि किसने जाली दस्तावेजों के आधार पर धोखाखड़ी की। यह जालसाजी का आधार नहीं लगता है।'

मयप्पन के मामले में अदालत ने कहा कि अभियोजन ने स्वीकार किया कि वह मैच फिक्सिंग या स्पॉट फिक्सिंग में शामिल नहीं था। वह और किसी को नहीं बल्कि विंदू को जानता था, जिसके जरिये उस पर सट्टेबाजी का आरोप है। अभियोजन ने कहीं भी यह दावा नही किया है कि उसके किसी क्रिकेटर या अन्य खिलाड़ी से संपर्क था।

पाकिस्तानी अंपायर असद रउफ के सटोरियों के साथ संपर्क के आरोप के बारे में अदालत ने कहा कि उन्होंने अंपायर को टी शर्ट और जूते जैसे उपहार भेजे थे और कुछ भी मूल्यवान वस्तु नहीं भेजी थी। लेकिन इस अंपायर की मदद से मैच फिक्सिंग को लेकर आगे की कड़ी पूरी तरह से नदारद है। मुंबई पुलिस ने इस मामले में अब तक 15 लोगों को गिरफ्तार किया है।
साभार:
भाषा | Jun 6, 2013, 01.38PM IST
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/other-news-mumbai/no-sufficient-evidence-against-vindu-gurunath-court/articleshow/20457651.cms

'फंसा' देगा 20 हजार से ज्यादा उधार

राजीव शर्मा को एक दिन अचानक 50 हजार रुपये की जरूरत पड़ी। उनके बैंक अकाउंट में महज 10 हजार रुपये थे और क्रेडिट कार्ड से पेमेंट हो नहीं सकता था। राजीव ने फौरन अपने दोस्त अमित गर्ग से 40 हजार रुपये कैश ले लिए और अपना काम निबटा दिया। कुछ दिनों में राजीव ने 40 हजार रुपये कैश अमित को लौटा दिए। दोस्त काम आया। आखिर वो दोस्त ही क्या जो ऐसे वक्त पर काम न आए, लेकिन क्या आपको पता है कि ऐसी दोस्ती इनकम टैक्स वालों की आंखों में खटकती है।

इनकम टैक्स वाले राजीव से पूछ सकते हैं कि 40 हजार रुपये उनके पास कहां से आए और अगर राजीव ने यह कहा कि उन्होंने पैसे अपने दोस्त से उधार लिए थे, तो उन पर पेनल्टी लगाई जा सकती है। मजे की बात यह है कि वक्त पर दोस्त की मदद करने वाले बेचारे अमित गर्ग पर भी पेनल्टी लगाई जा सकती है।

चेक से करें लेन-देन
इनकम टैक्स की धारा 269 एसएस के मुताबिक, कोई भी व्यक्ति अगर किसी दूसरे शख्स से 20 हजार रुपये से ज्यादा की रकम उधार लेता है तो उसका भुगतान अकाउंट पेयी चेक या ड्राफ्ट के जरिए ही होना चाहिए। यह रकम बैंक अकाउंट में भी ट्रांसफर की जा सकती है। कैश से उधार का लेन-देन बस 20 हजार रुपये तक की रकम का ही हो सकता है। अगर 20 हजार से ज्यादा रकम कैश में उधार ली गई तो उधार लेने वाले को भारी जुर्माना लग सकता है। इसी तरह इनकम टैक्स की धारा 269 टी में यह व्यवस्था है कि 20 हजार रुपये से ज्यादा लिए गए उधार की वापसी भी चेक, ड्राफ्ट या बैंक अकाउंट के जरिये ही की जा सकती है। अगर उधार देने वाले ने भी वापस अपना पैसा कैश में ले लिया तो उस पर भी पेनल्टी लग सकती है।

टैक्स चोरी पर लगाम
पहले इनकम टैक्स की यह धाराएं बस कमर्शल लोन के मामले में ही लागू होती थीं, लेकिन अब इसे सामान्य लेनदेन के मामले में भी लागू कर दिया गया है। वैसे, आमतौर पर ऐसे केसों की तादाद बहुत कम होती है, जब इनकम टैक्स विभाग आम लोगों पर इन धाराओं का इस्तेमाल करता है। इन धाराओं का असली मकसद कैश के सोर्स का पता लगाना और टैक्स चोरी करने वालों को पकड़ना है।

भारी पेनल्टी
दोनों ही धाराओं में पेनल्टी उधार ली गई या रीपेमेंट की जा रही रकम के बराबर हो सकती है।

इन मामलों में छूट
अगर वाजिब वजह बता दी जाए तो इन दोनों धाराओं से बचा सकता है यानी ऐसे मामलों में 20 हजार रुपये से ज्यादा कैश लेन-देन पर पेनल्टी नहीं लगती। वाजिब वजहों के बारे में बहुत साफ नियम नहीं हैं, लेकिन फिर भी कुछ वजहें ये हो सकती हैं।

- अगर दो लोगों को खेती से आमदनी है और दोनों ही लोग इनकम टैक्स के दायरे में नहीं आते तो वे कैश से लेन-देन कर सकते हैं। ऐसे लोगों पर यह धारा लागू नहीं होती।

- अगर कोई पार्टनर फर्म में 20 हजार रुपये से ज्यादा का कैश लगाता है या फर्म से लेता है तो उस पर ये धाराएं लागू नहीं होतीं, क्योंकि फर्म से कैश लेना या देना उधार नहीं माना जाता।

- अगर ऐसा उधार संडे को दिया जा रहा हो।

- उधार देने वाले का बैंक अकाउंट ही न हो।

- संडे को अगर कोई अपने किसी संबंधी को इसलिए कैश देता है कि वह पैसा सुरक्षित रहे।
साभार:
प्रभात गौड़, नवभारत टाइम्स | Mar 31, 2013, 08.35AM IST
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/business/personal-finance/savings-investments/loan-more-than-20k-to-friends-will-makes-trouble/articleshow/19297671.cms

स्पॉट फिक्सिंगः असद रऊफ को मिले थे बुकियों से कीमती गिफ्ट

नई दिल्ली।। असद रऊफः (आईपीएल-6 में अंपयारिंग कर रहे पाकिस्तानी अंपायर) 'तुम्हें पता है ना कि मेरा जनम्दिन आ रहा है?'

विंदू दारा सिंह (फिल्म और टीवी ऐक्टर): 'असद भाई चिंता मत कीजिए। हम आपका पूरा ख्याल रखेंगे। मैं यह मेसेज पवनभाई तक पहुंचा दूंगा।'

पवन जयपुर (बुकी) विंदू दारा सिंह सेः 'मैं असद के लिए एक छह लाख रुपए की घड़ी और एक सोने की चेन प्रेम तनेजा के हाथों दिल्ली भिजवा रहा हूं। प्लीज असद को बोलिए कि वह ये सामान दिल्ली से ले लें।'

अप्रैल में किए गए इन फोन की टैपिंग इस बात से इस बात के स्पष्ट प्रमाण मिलते हैं कि आईपीएल स्पॉट फिक्सिंग में नाम आने के बाद तुरंत ही भारत से भाग खड़े होने वाले पाकिस्तानी अंपायर रऊफ बुकियों के संपर्क में थे।

पुलिस सूत्रों के हवाले से हमारे सहयोगी अखबार द टाइम्स ऑफ इंडिया से साझा किए गए विंदू दारा सिंह के तीन मोबाइल फोनों की टैपिंग की बातचीत के डिटेल से यह बात सामने आई है। सूत्रों के अनुसार एक और बातचीत के दौरान रऊफ को यह कहते हुए सुना गया कि पवन गिफ्ट के साथ-साथ उनके बिल भी भेजे नहीं तो वह (रऊफ) कस्टम की परेशानियों में पड़ सकते हैं।

बाद में रऊफ के लिए भेजे गए दो गिफ्ट और उसके बिल के पार्सल अब मुंबई क्राइम ब्रांच के कब्जे में हैं। मई में क्राइम ब्रांच ने प्रेम तनेजा द्वारा रऊफ को भेजे गए कीमती जूतों और कपड़ों के दो पार्सल दिल्ली एयरपोर्ट के कार्गो सेक्शन से सीज कर दिए थे। स्पॉट फिक्सिंग मामले में खुद को फंसता देख विंदू दारा सिंह की गिरफ्तारी के एक दिन पहले ही 22 मई को रऊफ बिना इन सामानों को लिए ही भारत छोड़कर भाग गए।

विंदू पर इस बात का भी आरोप है कि उसने फिक्सिंग में नाम आने के बाद इन दोनों बुकी भाइयों पवन और संजय छाबड़ा उर्फ पवन और संजय जयपुर को देश छोड़कर भागने में मदद की।

बुधवार को क्राइम ब्रांच ने इन दोनों भाइयों द्वारा दायर अग्रिम जमानत की अर्जी का विरोध किया। हालांकि बाद में कोर्ट ने मामले की सुनवाई 3 जुलाई तक स्थागित कर दी। इन दोनों भाईयों की ओर से उपस्थित हुए उनके वकील अधिक शिरोढकर ने अदालत से अपील की कि कम से कम पुलिस उन दोनों के खिलाफ जारी लुक आउट नोटिस वापस ले ले ताकि वे देश वापस आ सकें।

लेकिन अदालत ने कहा कि जमानत पर सुनवाई के लिए उसे जल्दी नहीं है और सभी सबूतों की जांच-परख के बाद ही अदालत अपना फैसला सुनाएगी। इन भाइयों की जमानत अर्जी का विरोध करते हुए क्राइम ब्रांच ने कहा कि रऊफ पूछताछ के लिए मौजूद नहीं है, इसलिए रऊफ को महंगे गिफ्ट देने वाले इन भाइयों की भूमिका की जांच के लिए पुलिस का उन पर शिकंजा कसना जरूरी है।

एक पुलिस ऑफिसर ने कहा,' ये दोनें बुकी पाकिस्तानी अंपायर असद रऊफ के संपर्क में थे और रऊफ के शॉपिंग बिल की पेमेंट भी की। साथ ही ये दोनों श्रीलंका प्रीमियर लीग में भी बेनामी स्टेक होल्डर हैं।'

पुलिस के अनुसार विंदू दारा सिंह द्वारा सुपर बुकी रमेश व्यास के ठिकानों पर छापेमारी के बारे में अलर्ट कर दिए जाने के बाद ये दोनों दुबई भाग गए थे।
साभार:
टाइम्स न्यूज नेटवर्क | Jun 20, 2013, 05.15AM IST एस.अहमद अली।।
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/india/national-india/asad-rauf-got-pricey-gifts-from-bookie-via-vindu-dara-singh/articleshow/20672991.cms

शारदा मामले में फिलहाल सीबीआई जांच नहीं: हाई कोर्ट

कोलकाता।। कोलकाता हाई कोर्ट ने पश्चिम बंगाल में हुए चिटफंड घोटाला मामले में फौरी तौर पर सीबीआई जांच का आदेश दिए जाने से बुधवार को इनकार कर दिया।

जांच की मांग वाली याचिका पर सुनवाई के दौरान कोर्ट ने कहा कि फिलहाल इस स्टेज पर जांच के आदेश नहीं दिए जा सकते। हालांकि, बेंच ने मामला अपने पास पेंडिंग रखा है।

कोर्ट की ओर से इस मामले में तैनात अमीकस क्यूरी ने कहा था कि इस स्तर पर सीबीआई जांच की जरूरत नहीं और राज्य की एजेंसी को अपनी जांच जारी रखने रहने दिया जाए। अमीकस क्यूरी के मुताबिक, पिटिशन इसलिए खारिज न की जाए ताकि जांच के किसी भी स्तर पर अगर कोई प्रभावित होता है तो वह कोर्ट की शरण में आ सके।
साभार:
पीटीआई | Jun 19, 2013, 08.31PM IST
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/20667845.cms

यूरोपियन कमिशन ने रैनबैक्सी पर 10.3 मिलियन यूरो का जुर्माना लगाया

नई दिल्ली।। यूरोपीय यूनियन ऐंटि ट्रस्ट कमिशन ने रैनबैक्सी लैब्स पर 10.3 मिलियन यूरो (80 करोड़ से ज्यादा) का जुर्माना लगाया है। यह जुर्माना ऐंटि डिप्रेशन दवा के जेनेरिक वर्जन को लॉन्च किए जाने में देरी करने पर लगाया गया है। रैनबैक्सी का कहना है कि वह इसके खिलाफ अदालत में अपील दायर करेगी। कमिशन ने यूरोपीय मार्केट में ऐंटि डिप्रेशन दवा साइट्लोप्रैम के जेनेरिक वर्जन का लॉन्च टालने के मामले में रैनबैक्सी लैब्स और डेनमार्क की कंपनी लुंडबेक सहित कई जेनेरिक कंपनियों पर जुर्माना लगाया है।

कंपनी के प्रवक्ता ने बताया, 'रैनबैक्सी यूरोपीय कमिशन के फैसले से निराश है। वह इसके खिलाफ यूरोपीय यूनियन के जनरल कोर्ट में अपील दायर करेगी। ये घटनाएं 10 साल पहले हुई थीं। कंपनी का मानना है कि कमिशन ने तथ्यों को गलत तरीके से समझा और कानून का गलत इस्तेमाल किया।'

यूरोपीय यूनियन कॉम्पिटिशन संस्था ने डेनमार्क की फार्मास्युटिकल कंपनी पर 93. 8 मिलियन यूरो और रैनबैक्सी सहित सभी जेनेरिक फर्मों पर 52.2 मिलियन यूरो की पेनल्टी लगाई है। बाकी जेनेरिक फर्मों में अलफार्मा (अब जोएटिस), मर्ककेजीएए/जेनेरिक्स यूके (जेनेरिक्स यूके अब मायलान का हिस्सा है) और ऐरो (अब यह एक्टाविस का हिस्सा है) शामिल हैं। डेनमार्क की फार्मा कंपनी ने 2002 में जेनेरिक फर्मों के साथ ये समझौते किए थे। यूरोपीय यूनिट ऐंटि ट्रस्ट कमिशन के मुताबिक, इन समझौते से यूरोपीय यूनियन के ऐंटि ट्रस्ट नियमों का उल्लंघन हुआ है।

कमिशन के वाइस प्रेजिडेंट और कॉम्पिटिशन पॉलिसी के इंचार्ज जे अलम्यूनिया ने बताया, 'यह बात स्वीकार नहीं की जा सकती कि कोई कंपनी अपने कॉम्पिटिटर्स को बाजार में घुसने से रोकने के लिए पैसे देकर सस्ती दवाओं की एंट्री में देरी करे। इस तरह के समझौतों से सीधा मरीजों और नैशनल हेल्थ सिस्टम को नुकसान पहुंचता है। कमिशन इस तरह की ऐंटि-कॉम्पिटिटिव हरकतों को बर्दाश्त नहीं करेगा।

कमिशन ने जुलाई 2012 में शुरुआती जांच में कहा था कि लुंडबेक और रैनबैक्सी सहित बाकी जेनेरिक फर्मों के साथ सेटलमेंट अग्रीमेंट का मकसद सस्ती जेनेरिक दवाओं की बाजार में एंट्री को रोकना था, जो यूरोपीय यूनिट ऐंटि ट्रस्ट नियमों का उल्लंघन है। यूरोपीय यूनियन कॉम्पिटिशन वॉचडॉग ने जुलाई की जांच में पाया था कि डेनमार्क की कंपनी की दवा साइट्लोप्रैम की पेटेंट एक्सपायरी के बाद इस कंपनी ने चार जेनेरिक फर्मों को इस दवा के सस्ते वर्जन का लॉन्च टालने के लिए पैसे दिए।

कमिशन के बयान में कहा गया है, 'अनुभव बताते हैं कि जेनेरिक कॉम्पिटिशन से दवाओं की कीमत में भारी गिरावट होती है। इससे ब्रैंडेड कंपनी के प्रॉफिट में जबरदस्त कमी आती है, जबकि मरीजों को फायदा होता है।'
साभार:
ईटी ब्यूरो, इकनॉमिक टाइम्स | Jun 20, 2013, 09.00AM IST
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/business/business-news/european-commission-slaps-rs-80-cr-fine-on-ranbaxy/businessarticleshow/20670367.cms

नए अग्रीमेंट से रेग्युलेटर्स को गच्चा दे रही जेट एयरवेज?

मुंबई।। जेट एयरवेज ने एत्तिहाद के साथ शेयरहोल्डर्स अग्रीमेंट को बदला है। मार्केट रेग्युलेटर सेबी और फॉरेन इन्वेस्टमेंट प्रमोशन बोर्ड (एफआईपीबी) जैसी अथॉरिटी की फिक्र दूर करने के लिए यह किया गया है। नए अग्रीमेंट से एक शर्त हटाई गई है। इससे किसी इश्यू पर प्रमोटर (जेट एयरवेज) और इन्वेस्टर एत्तिहाद को एक साथ वोट करने का अधिकार मिल जाता।

नए शेयरहोल्डर्स अग्रीमेंट में कहा गया है कि अबू धाबी की एयरलाइन कंपनी एत्तिहाद को हर हाल में जेट एयरवेज में कम से कम 15 फीसदी हिस्सेदारी बनाए रखनी होगी। यह बदलाव इसलिए किया गया है, ताकि एत्तिहाद को जेट के बोर्ड में तीन डायरेक्टर को अपॉइंट करने का अधिकार बना रह सके। ओरिजिनल अग्रीमेंट में एत्तिहाद के लिए मिनिमम शेयरहोल्डिंग की शर्त नहीं रखी गई थी।

अबू धाबी की एत्तिहाद के एग्जेक्युटिव वाइस प्रेजिडेंट जेम्स कैलाहन और जेट एयरवेज के ऐक्टिंग सीईओ हामीद अली ने मंगलवार को डील के सिलसिले में मार्केट रेग्युलेटर सेबी के ऑफिशल्स से मुलाकात की थी। सेबी से उनकी बातचीत की जानकारी रखने वाले एक सूत्र ने बताया कि रेग्युलेटर्स की चिंता दूर करने के लिए अग्रीमेंट में और बदलाव किए जा सकते हैं।

इस हाई-प्रोफाइल डील पर 24 अप्रैल 2013 को दस्तखत हुए थे। उसके बाद इसमें बदलाव किया गया और 27 मई को नया शेयरहोल्डर्स अग्रीमेंट तैयार किया गया। इकनॉमिक टाइम्स ने इस अग्रीमेंट को रिव्यू किया है। इस पर पांच लोगों के दस्तखत हैं। इनमें प्रमोटर्स नरेश गोयल और अनीता गोयल, टेल विंड्स लिमिटेड, एत्तिहाद एयरवेज और जेट एयरवेज के साइन हैं।

इसका एक पहलू नॉमिनेशन कमिटी से जुड़ा है, जिस पर सेबी विचार कर सकता है। रेग्युलेटर के साथ कंपनियों की बातचीत की जानकारी रखने वाले सूत्रों ने बताया कि कुल मिलाकर इस कमिटी में पांच मेंबर होंगे। इनमें जेट और एत्तिहाद को एक-एक मेंबर अपॉइंट करने की इजाजत होगी। कमिटी के तीन मेंबर बोर्ड की ओर से तय तीन इंडिपेंडेंट डायरेक्टर होंगे।

शेयरहोल्डर्स अग्रीमेंट के मुताबिक, इस कमिटी के पास सीईओ अपॉइंट करने का अधिकार होगा। मार्केट रेग्युलेटर सेबी नॉमिनेशन कमिटी के पावर की पड़ताल कर सकता है। वह देखेगा कि कहीं इससे जेट एयरवेज के बोर्ड की ताकत पर कोई आंच तो नहीं आएगी। शेयरहोल्डर्स अग्रीमेंट के बारे में किए गए सवालों का नरेश गोयल की कंपनी ने जवाब नहीं दिया।

एक और मामले में शेयरहोल्डर अग्रीमेंट एत्तिहाद के पक्ष में झुका हुआ लगता है। ओरिजिनल अग्रीमेंट में कहा गया था कि कंपनी के चेयरमैन नरेश गोयल के पास वोट डालने का अधिकार नहीं होगा। वहीं, नए अग्रीमेंट में कहा गया है कि गोयल वोट तो नहीं ही डाल पाएंगे, उनके पास स्पेशल राइट्स भी नहीं होंगे।
साभार:
एम पद्माक्षण, इकनॉमिक टाइम्स | Jun 20, 2013, 09.05AM IST
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/business/business-news/jet-etihad-deal-many-clauses-changed-in-pact/businessarticleshow/20670363.cms

विप्रो से 816 करोड़ रुपए के टैक्स की डिमांड

नई दिल्ली।। टैक्स डिपार्टमेंट ने देश की तीसरी सबसे बड़ी सॉफ्टवेयर कंपनी विप्रो से लगभग 816 करोड़ रुपए का टैक्स मांगा है।

टैक्स डिपार्टमेंट इसके पहले इन्फोसिस, डब्ल्यूएनएस और आईगेट को नोटिस भेज चुका है। कंपनी ने कहा है कि उसको टैक्स अधिकारियों से 2008-09 के लिए ड्राफ्ट एसेसमेंट ऑर्डर मिला है। दरअसल, कंपनी को इनकम टैक्स एक्ट 1961 के सेक्शन 10 ए के तहत डिडक्शन की इजाजत नहीं दी गई थी।

कंपनी ने यह डिडक्शन बेंगलुरु के सॉफ्टवेयर टेक्नॉलजी पार्क (एसटीपी) में अपनी अंडरटेकिंग से होने वाले प्रॉफिट पर मांगा था।
साभार:
इकनॉमिक टाइम्स | Jun 14, 2013, 02.26PM IST
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/business/tax/tax-news/wipro-slips-2-on-rs-816-cr-tax-demand/businessarticleshow/20585579.cms

एचपी इंडिया को राहत, 38.6 करोड़ डॉलर जुर्माने पर स्टे

नई दिल्ली।। अमेरिकी कंपनी ह्यूलेट पैकर्ड (एचपी) की भारतीय इकाई को कस्टम ड्यूटी के उस फैसले के खिलाफ स्टे ऑर्डर मिल गया है, जिसमें कंपनी को टैक्स चोरी के लिए 38.6 करोड़ डॉलर का भुगतान करने के लिए कहा गया था।

एचपी ने कहा कि कस्टम ड्यूटी, सीमाशुल्क, एक्साइड ड्यूटी और सर्विस टैक्स अपीलीय पंचाट (सेस्टैट) ने एचपी इंडिया सेल्स प्राइवेट लिमिटेड (एचपीआई) के खिलाफ बेंगलुरु के कस्टम कमिश्नर के फैसले पर स्टे ऑर्डर जारी कर दिया है।

यह मामला 2008 के डीआरआई की जांच से जुड़ा है, जिसमें एजेंसी ने आरोप लगाया था कि एचपीआई ने भारत में प्रॉडक्ट्स और स्पेयर पार्ट्स आयात करने के लिए कम ड्यूटी का भुगतान किया।
साभार:
भाषा | Jun 12, 2013, 02.32PM IST
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/business/tax/tax-news/customs-tribunal-stays-386-million-order-against-hp-india/businessarticleshow/20554047.cms

ब्लैक से वाइट मनी बनाने के खेल से I-T डिपार्टमेंट हुआ घनचक्कर

मुंबई।। मुंबई में इनकम टैक्स इन्वेस्टिगेशन विंग को ऐसे कुछ बैंक अकाउंट्स मिले, जिनमें एंट्री की संख्या काफी ज्यादा थी। पहले उन्हें मनी लाउंडरिंग से जुड़ी डील का शक हुआ। लेकिन, गहराई से जांच करने पर उन्हें इसके पीछे जबरदस्त नेटवर्क और इसमें शामिल लोगों का पता चला। इसमें डायमंड हाउसेज, कंस्ट्रक्शन फर्में, लोकल ट्रेडर्स और कुछ ऐसे लोग शामिल हैं, जो सिर्फ थोड़े पैसे के लिए अपने नाम का इस्तेमाल होने देते हैं। ब्लैक मनी को वाइट मनी बनाने का यह खेल काफी समय से चल रहा है।

इनकम टैक्स डिपार्टमेंट के एक सीनियर अफसर ने कहा, 'पूरी तस्वीर समझने में हमें थोड़ा वक्त लगा। कुछ लोगों पर हमारी नजर है। जांच चल रही है।' कुछ डायमंड फर्में 3 से 6 महीने के क्रेडिट पर रफ डायमंड इंपोर्ट करती हैं। पेपर पर इंपोर्ट पांच कंसाइनमेंट में इंडिया पहुंचता है। इसमें से सिर्फ एक कंसाइनमेंट डायमंड हाउस से जुड़ा होता है। बाकी 4 डायमंड फर्म के 4 असिस्टेंट रिसीव करते हैं। ये असिस्टेंट डायमंड फर्म के लिए मुखौटे का काम करते हैं।

कस्टम फॉर्मैलिटीज पूरी होने के बाद डायमंड की डिलिवरी लेकर असिस्टेंट्स उसे डायमंड हाउस को दे देते हैं। इसके बदले में उन्हें थोड़ी फीस मिलती है। चार असिस्टेंट्स के पजेशन में फिजिकल डायमंड नहीं होता, लेकिन उनकी एंटिटीज के बुक्स में यह डायमंड होता है। उनकी एंटिटीज ने डायमंड हाउस की ओर से इंपोर्टर का काम किया है। इस तरह से डायमंड हाउस अपना टर्नओवर कम रखने और फ्यूचर में टैक्स की चोरी करने में कामयाब हो जाते हैं।

ट्रांजैक्शन के दूसरे फेज से लोकल ट्रेडर्स और जूलर्स जुड़े होते हैं, जो आम तौर पर डायमंड खरीदने के लिए कैश का इस्तेमाल करते हैं। इन्हें बाद में होने वाली सेल को औपचारिक रूप देने और बुक्स को रेग्युलराइज करने के लिए परचेज बिल्स की जरूरत होती है। असिस्टेंट्स उनका यह काम आसान कर देते हैं। डायमंड कंपनी को डायमंड देने से पहले उसकी डिलिवरी लेने वाले असिस्टेंट्स लोकल ट्रेडर्स को बिल्स प्रवाइड करते हैं, क्योंकि वे ऑफिशल इंपोर्टर हैं। लोकल ट्रेडर्स असिस्टेंट्स के नाम से चेक देते हैं और उनसे परचेज बिल ले लेते हैं। लेकिन, यह असली ट्रेड नहीं होता और सही चेक के बदले में असिस्टेंट्स द्वारा कोई डायमंड नहीं बेचा जाता है।

अंतिम फेज में रीयल एस्टेट कंपनियां, कंस्ट्रक्शन फर्में और बड़े प्रॉजेक्ट्स वाली कुछ इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर कंपनियां शामिल हो जाती हैं, जिनके पास काफी ज्यादा अन-अकाउंटेड कैश होता है। वे ऐसे मौके की तलाश में रहती हैं, जिससे उन्हें ऑफिशल बुक्स में कैश रूट करने का मौका मिले। कैश बुक्स से बाहर होने पर वे अपनी कंपनियों का कैपिटल नहीं बढ़ा पाती हैं। इस मल्टि-लेयर्ड ट्रांजैक्शन में असिस्टेंट्स (डायमंड फर्मों के), लोकल ट्रेडर्स और कंस्ट्रक्शन/इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर कंपनियां शामिल होती हैं।

कंस्ट्रक्शन कंपनी असिस्टेंट को कैश देती हैं, जो इसे लोकल ट्रेडर्स को देते हैं। लोकल ट्रेडर्स को वह पैसा मिल जाता है, जिसके लिए उसने असिस्टेंट को चेक में पेमेंट किया था। लोकल ट्रेडर्स को काफी संख्या में चेक लेने में दिक्कत नहीं होती, क्योंकि उन्हें कैश में डील करने की आदत होती है। यहां से जटिल फेज शुरू होता है। असिस्टेंट्स कंस्ट्रक्शन कंपनी द्वारा इश्यू किए गए शेयर को सब्सक्राइब करने के लिए चेक से पेमेंट करता है। चूंकि, लोकल ट्रेडर्स से चेक से मिला पैसा उनके अकाउंट में होता है, जिससे उन्हें शेयर ऐप्लिकेशन मनी चुकाने में दिक्कत नहीं होती। कुछ महीने के बाद कंस्ट्रक्शन कंपनी का प्रमोटर असिस्टेंट्स से मामूली कीमत पर शेयर बायबैक कर लेता है। इस तरह से ये कंपनियां असिस्टेंट्स से चेक लेकर अपना कैपिटल बढ़ाती हैं। वे असिस्टेंट्स को मामूली पेमेंट कर देती हैं।
साभार:
सुगाता घोष/एम पद्माक्षण, इकनॉमिक टाइम्स | Apr 12, 2013, 11.18AM IST
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/business/tax/tax-news/game-of-black-money-converted-to-white-money/articleshow/19499799.cms

क्रिकेट बुकी ने मॉडल्स के आभूषण गिरवी रखे

आईपीएल में मुंबई और दिल्ली पुलिस की कार्रवाई के बाद सट्टे की मंडी में अब बुकीज ने अपने काम करने की मोडस ऑपरेंडी ही बदल दी है। अब मुंबई के तमाम बुकीज ने पंटरों से अडवांस रकम व आभूषण गिरवी रखने शुरू कर दिए हैं।

मुंबई क्राइम ब्रांच के एक अधिकारी ने बुधवार को एनबीटी को बताया कि बहुत से मॉडल्स पहले दारा सिंह के बेटे विंदू के जरिए सट्टा खेलते थे। विंदू ने गिरफ्तारी के बाद पुलिस से वायदा किया कि अब वह क्रिकेट को देखेंगे तक नहीं। जमानत मिलने के बाद अपनी यह बात उन्होंने मीडिया के जरिए सार्वजनिक भी की। इसी के बाद कई मॉडल्स ने एक महिला के जरिए दहिसर के कंदारपाडा इलाके में रहनेवाले एक बुकी से एक महिला के माध्यम से संपर्क किया। यह महिला भी मॉडलिंग के बिजनेस में है।

क्राइम ब्रांच को पता चला है कि दहिसर के बुकी ने उन मॉडल्स से कहा कि वह चैंपियनशिप ट्रॉफी में तभी बेट लेगा, जब ये मॉडल्स अपने गहने डिपॉजिट करवाएं। कई मॉडल्स ने ये आभूषण उसके पास गिरवी भी रखवा दिए हैं। क्राइम ब्रांच इस बुकी की तलाश कर रही है।

पहले अमूमन पूरे टूर्नामेंट के बाद हिसाब- किताब होता था, पर क्राइम ब्रांच सूत्रों के अनुसार, चैंपियंस ट्राफी में बुकीज और पंटर अब रोज मैच खत्म होते ही हिसाब- किताब कर रहे हैं।

26 तक कस्टडीमुंबई क्राइम ब्रांच ने जिस रितेश नरेश बंसल नामक बुकी को दिल्ली से मंगलवार को गिरफ्तार किया था, उसे बुधवार को किला कोर्ट में पेश किया गया। कोर्ट ने उसे 26 जून तक पुलिस कस्टडी में भेज दिया है।

मुंबई क्राइम ब्रांच के केस में जो पवन और संजय जयपुर वॉन्टेड हैं, उनकी अग्रिम जमानत याचिका पर अब 3 जुलाई को सुनवाई होगी।
साभार
नवभारत टाइम्स | Jun 20, 2013, 05.30AM IST सुनील मेहरोत्रा ॥ मुंबई।।
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/mumbai-crime/Cricket-Bucci39s-Jewelry-pledged-models/articleshow/20670385.cms

Scam In Making: MANTRALAYA MAKEOVER TO MISS FIRST ANNIVERSARY DEADLINE

Government departments in the building have to wait longer to shift back into the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the state headquarters, which were destroyed in a tragic fire that gutted the structure on June 21 last year

DESPITE every attempt, state government officials are unlikely to reoccupy the three floors of Mantralaya gutted by fire last year, anytime before the first anniversary of the tragedy on June 21.

The government officials had been keen on shifting back to the renovated floors before the passage of a year.

The deadline had been set soon after renovation for a makeover started on the three floors. However, a deferral now seems inevitable.

At present, work is only nearing completion on the fifth floor. The sixth floor, which will house spacious chambers for the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister along with conference rooms and a visitors’ hall, will not be ready before next month.

“ We hope to occupy the fifth floor in the first week of July,” said PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who inspected the work along with senior officials of the department on Tuesday.

The state has already spent Rs 113 crore on the makeover of the fourth, fifth and sixth floors that were reduced to ashes in the fire last year, in addition to renovations on the seventh floor, which housed offices of the home, public health, cooperation and planning departments.

The seventh floor will now host the cabinet meeting hall, which was earlier located on the sixth floor, in addition to some conference rooms, an executive dining hall and a terrace garden.

It will also have a glass roof, to help with the central air- conditioning system for the entire structure.

For the first time in the building’s history, a separate entrance and a dedicated elevator are being made for VVIPs, on the western side of the state headquarters.

Provisions are also being made for ministers’ chambers on the west side of the building and chambers of secretaries on the east side.

Fireproof
The structure will boast of a state- of- the- art fire- fighting system with smoke detectors and sprinklers.

A water tank with the capacity of nine lakh litres is being constructed eight metres under the existing garden in order to help fire- fighting.

Pressursied staircases are being constructed to prevent smoke from spreading through floors.

Toughened glass in the corridors on each floor will provide sunlight to the atrium.

An underground parking lot will be constructed for 542 vehicles during phase II work of the makeover.

Department offices currently located on the ground floor have been asked to vacate the premises, so that the second phase of work can begin. The state government is in the process of acquiring five floors in the Air India building to shift these offices.
Courtesy:
RAVIKIRAN DESHMUKH
http://epaper2.mid-day.com/showtext.aspx?boxid=13943556&parentid=201701&issuedate=19062013&edd123=mumbai