IPL row: NCP defers 11th anniversary celebrations

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The ongoing controversy involving its president and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and his MP-daughter, Supriya Sule, over their role in the failed bid for an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise has forced the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to defer the celebrations of its 11th anniversary, which falls on June 10. Instead, the party will mark the occasion during its national executive, to be held on June 18 and 19 in Bihar.

Instead, the party will mark the occasion during its national executive, to be held on June 18 and 19 in Bihar.

To keep the celebrations a low-key affair, the party has asked its state units to hold various programmes including workshop on key issues like food security and climate change. State units are also slated to organise competition for children and youths. An NCP leader, who is in the national executive, told Business Standard on a condition of anonymity: “The decision in this regard was taken at the highest level. The image of our president as a visionary leader and the Union agriculture minister, who strives for increase in the agricultural growth, has been affected following media reports on City Corporation bidding for the Pune IPL team. Even though Pawar and Supriya have denied any connection to the IPL bid, a celebration of the anniversary would have given it another possibility to attract criticism.”

The NCP leader said the decision to defer the celebration was also taken in view of the election to the various state councils slated for June 10. Besides, the party is involved in organising necessary votes for the election to the Rajya Sabha, scheduled for June 17.

I-T sleuths probe NRI funds
According to a PTI report, the Income Tax Department has requested the finance ministry to approach the authorities in Switzerland and other tax havens for details of overseas accounts of "non-residents" who invested in the IPL. The investigating unit in Mumbai has written to the Foreign Tax Division in the Central Board of Direct Taxes to obtain information about "foreign entities in IPL teams" after its probe into the cash-rich tournament found investments by "non-residents" especially in teams like Kings XI Punjab, Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The ministry has also written to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) seeking information on the foreign investments brought by all the IPL franchises and have asked the Enforcement Directorate to check violations under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).