NEWS

Upholding the Gujarat tax department’s levy of Rs 480 crore purchase tax on ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (erstwhile Essar Steel), the Supreme Court on Friday held that the company was not entitled to any exemption from payment of the tax as it violated the 1992 incentive policy.

A Bench set aside the Gujarat High Court’s May 2016 judgment that had upheld the Gujarat Value Added Tax Tribunal’s order that held Essar Steel (ESL) was entitled to the exemption from payment of purchase tax.

A 216-foot tall statue of 11th century social reformer and saint, Ramanujacharya, is all set to be dedicated to the world on February 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil the statue, billed as the world`s second largest statue in a sitting position, at the 45-acre complex on the outskirts of the city, as per a statement issued by Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji`s ashram.

The Rs 1,000-crore project was funded by donations from devotees globally. The inner sanctorum deity of Sri Ramanujacharya is made of 120 kilos of gold to commemorate the 120 years the saint spent on earth.

President Ram Nath Kovind will unveil the inner chamber`s golden statue of Ramanuja, weighing 120 kg, on February 13.

Union Minister Bishweswar Tudu was on Friday accused of beating up two government officials in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district. District Planning Board Deputy Director Aswini Mallick and Assistant Director Debasish Mohapatra were reportedly called for a review meeting at the BJP office and were allegedly beaten up with chairs by Tudu, it was reported.

While Mohapatra’s right hand has got a fracture, Mallick has sustained severe injuries following the alleged attack by the minister who is also the Mayurbhanj MP. Currently, both of them are undergoing treatment at the Baripada Hospital.

The Association of the Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) on Thursday opposed before the Delhi High Court the release of real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal in the Uphaar cinema evidence tampering case in which they have been convicted and sentenced to a seven-year jail term.

Senior counsel for AVUT, Vikas Pahwa, told Justice Subramonium Prasad that he was ready for expeditious hearings on the appeals by the Ansal brothers against their conviction in the case and urged the judge to not suspend the sentence during its pendency before the sessions court.

The senior lawyer claimed that the Ansals were "incorrigible" and that the incident pertained to the "majesty of the law" and "obstruction of justice".