GLOVES ARE OFF’ SAYS OPPOSITION BJP TERMS IT ‘BHRASHT BAKWAAS CORP’

First India Bureau

New Delhi/Mumbai:

Soon after Income Tax officials reached the BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai for a “survey”, weeks after a huge controversy over the UK national broadcaster’s documentary series on PM Narendra Modi and allegations linked to the 2002 Gujarat riots, Opposition took potshots at the Centre, and called the action ‘predictable’, ‘a sign of panic’, and a hint that ‘their end is near’.

However, the BJP came down heavily on the British broadcaster, calling it “the most corrupt organisation in the world”. The ruling party also attacked Congress, saying it supports ‘anti-India’ narratives.

“If any company or organisation is working in India, they have to comply with the Indian law. Why are you scared if you are adhering to the law? The IT department should be allowed to do their work. BBC is the most corrupt organisation in the world. BBC propaganda matches with Congress agenda,” BJP’s national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said at a presser.

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SC COMES TO AID OF RAJ’S JAILED COUPLE WANTING TO CONCEIVE

Security guards outside a building housing BBC office during an Income Tax raid in Mumbai on Tuesday. —PHOTO BY BHUSHAN KOYANDE

FULLY COOPERATING, SAYS BBC ON TAX ‘SURVEY’ AT OFFICES

London: The BBC said on Tuesday that it is “fully cooperating” with the Income Tax authorities who are at its offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and hoped that the situation will be resolved “as soon as possible”. The UK-headquartered public broadcaster, did not give further details of what has been described as “surveys” by the I-T department.

Mumbai: Union I&B Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday said no one was above the law and the Income Tax department would share details about the survey it had carried out at the offices of BBC in New Delhi and Mumbai. “No one can be above the law of the country,” Thakur told reporters in Kalyan when asked about the Income Tax surveys on the BBC offices.

WE CONDEMN ‘INTIMIDATION TACTICS’, SHOWS GOVT SCARED OF CRITICISM: CONG

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday termed as “intimidation tactics” the Income Tax survey operation at the BBC offices and alleged that the action shows that the Modi govt is scared of criticism. The Income Tax Department on Tuesday conducted a survey operation at the BBC’s offices in Delhi and Mumbai as part of an investigation into alleged tax evasion, officials said.

EGI, PCI EXPRESS CONCERN OVER I-T SURVEYS AT BBC

New Delhi: The Editors Guild of India (EGI) and Press Club of India (PCI) on Tuesday expressed concern over the Income Tax (I-T) surveys at BBC India offices. “This comes soon after the release of two documentaries by the BBC, on the 2002 violence in Gujarat and the current status of the minorities in India,” the Editors Guild of India said in a statement.

“Module involved in Pulwama busted”

Pulwama Anniversary

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has asked the authorities in Rajasthan to “sympathetically” consider the request for parole by a couple, serving life sentence in an open jail in the State, for undergoing medical treatment to conceive a child.

3 DEAD IN MICHIGAN VARSITY SHOOTING, SUSPECT KILLS SELF

Lansing: A gunman opened fire on Monday night at Michigan State University’s main campus, killing three people and injuring five, some severely, before he was found dead hours later, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot, the police said.

WOMAN’S BODY FOUND IN DELHI DHABA FREEZER, OWNER HELD

New Delhi (Agencies): The body of a 25-year-old woman was found inside a freezer at a dhaba in southwest Delhi’s Najafgarh today, the police said. The police said the woman was killed two-three days ago and her body was kept inside the dhaba’s freezer.

Srinagar: The entire module involved in 2019 Pulwama attack has been busted, said MS Bhatia, IG Kashmir Ops on Tuesday. A wreathlaying ceremony by CRPF was organised at the Martyrs Memorial at Lethpora in Pulwama district in honour of the bravehearts who laid down their lives on February 14, 2019. P6

CBI court’s warrant against MLA Poonia

Shiv Prakash Purohit

GAUTAM ADANI’S FLAGSHIP FIRM SWINGS TO PROFIT

New Delhi: Gautam Adani’s flagship firm swung to a profit and pledged to lower leverage as the Indian billionaire tries to win back investor confidence after a bruising report from a short seller wiped out more than $120 billion of his empire’s market value.

TRIPURA POLLS

The over a month long hectic poll campaign for the February 16 Tripura Assembly elections came to an end on Tuesday afternoon. Voting would be held in all the 60 assembly constituencies in 8 districts under a heavy security cover on February 16. Election Officials said that the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and state police personnel have taken up positions in all the constituencies. Around 31,000 polling personnel have either reached or were on the way to their designated 3,327 polling stations in 2504 locations. Tripura

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinkarrao said a total of 259 candidates, including 31 women, are contesting the February 16 Assembly elections.

PM Modi to inaugurate Jal Jan campaign

First India Bureau

Sirohi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually launch Jal Jan Abhiyan at Brahmakumari Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya in Sirohi’s Abu road on February 16. Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, film actor Nana Patekar, member of erstwhile Udaipur royal family Lakshyaraj Singh will be present in the function.