IT raids on premises of cricketers
Bookies, officials too not spared
NEW DELHI, July 20 — In a significant development in the match-fixing case, the Income Tax sleuths today raided the premises of top Indian cricketers namely Kapil Dev, Mohammad Azharuddin, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Manoj Prabhakar, former ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya and 10 bookies across the country.

16 bank lockers sealed
BANGALORE, July 20 — “Incriminating” documents were seized and 16 bank lockers of “suspected persons” sealed during a countrywide simultaneous raid conducted by income tax officials at 84 premises of leading cricketers, including Kapil Dev and Mohammed Azharuddin, sport administrators and some bookies today in the wake of match-fixing and telecast rights allotment scam.

Kapil’s Chandigarh house searched CHANDIGARH, July 20 — Sleuths of the Income Tax Department, accompanied by a team of the CBI, conducted raids at the Sector 9 residence of former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev, and hotel and timber business owned by his family in Sector 35 and 26, respectively, on Thursday.

The law point

Thackeray’s arrest imminent
Maharashtra seeks more Central forces
NEW DELHI, July 20 — The arrest of Shiv Sena chief, Mr Bal Thackeray, appears imminent with the Maharashtra Government seeking 27 companies of para-military forces from the Centre.

• Edit: Resignation melodrama

Farooq’s no to fresh proposals
Briefs President on recommendations
NEW DELHI, July 20 — The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, today called on the President, Mr K.R. Narayanan, to apprise him about the recommendations of the State Autonomy Committee.

Army officer among 18 killed
SRINAGAR, July 20 — At least 18 persons, including 13 militants, were killed in separate incidents of violence in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

Construction ban in Shimla
SHIMLA, July 20 — In a landmark decision, the Cabinet today banned all construction above Cart Road in Shimla and restricted the height of new buildings in other areas to three storeys.

 

Prestigious quake centre faces closure Government apathy to be blamed AMRITSAR, July 20 — The prestigious Earthquake Research Centre (ERC) which successfully recorded the data of nuclear explosions in Pakistan and Pokhran in May, 1998, failed to record the recent tremors in the Hindukush region and Punjab.