S P O T L I G H T

Service tax on 9 new sectors
New Delhi, August 1
Although service tax on life insurers has been rolled back, the government has not exempted life insurance agents, actuaries and surveyors who will be required to pay it. The nine other sectors that have come under the 5 per cent service tax net from this fiscal include cargo handling, storage and warehousing, event management, rail travel agents, health and fitness centres, beauty treatment, fashion designing, cable operators and dry cleaning services. “Service tax levy on these services will come into effect from August 16, 2002,” an official release said. PTI

Manu Sharma
New Delhi, August 1
Siddharth Vashist, alias Manu Sharma, the prime accused in the Jessica Lal murder case, was remanded in judicial custody after he surrendered before the trial court on the expiry of his interim bail today. UNI

Sanjay 'innocent'
New Delhi, August 1
Congress MP Sunil Dutt today defended his son Sanjay Dutt as being “innocent”, two days after taped conversations between the actor and underworld don Chhota Shakeel were made public. Sunil Dutt, however, said he had “great admiration” and “full faith” in the judiciary and would accept “with dignity” whatever it decided. PTI