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[00:00:08] Hello, this is your Daily Dose of News from Onmanorama. I'm your host Deepa Soman and these are the major news stories of Thursday, Feb 13, 2025. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman introduced the Income Tax Bill 2025 in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Opposition members initially opposed the bill, but the House passed a motion by voice vote for its introduction.
[00:00:33] While moving the bill for introduction, Sitaraman urged Birla to refer the draft law to a select committee of the House, which will submit its report by the first day of the next session. She urged the Speaker to take a call on the proposed panel's composition and rules. The much-anticipated bill will replace terminologies such as assessment year and previous year with the easier-to-understand tax year as part of a move to simplify language while removing provisos and explanations.
[00:01:03] Kerala police have launched a probe into the ragging case registered against five students of Gornman Nursing College in Kottem. Addressing the media on Thursday, District Police Chief Shahul Hamid, IPS, revealed that lapses from the part of the college authorities and warden of the men's hostel in preventing the crime will be probed. Involvement of more senior students in dragging is also under investigation.
[00:01:25] He added that provisions in UGC Act and KN Rakhavan Committee report on dragging will be studied in detail as part of the probe. The Kerala government has granted extensive parole to several convicts in the T.P. Chandrasekharan murder case, allowing them to spend a substantial period outside prison in the past 12 years. Data presented in the State Assembly reveals that while three convicts were granted parole for over 1,000 days, six others received more than 500 days.
[00:01:54] According to the data, K.C. Ramachandran, one of the key convicts, was granted 1,081 days of parole. This included leave for family visits, funerals, marriage functions and a special COVID-19 parole. Similarly, T.K. Rajesh received 940 days, Trausa Manoj was granted 1,068 days, Anand Sajjic received 1,078 days and Muhammad Shafi was granted 656 days of parole.
[00:02:21] Kodi Sunni, one of the most notorious figures in the case, was granted 60 days of parole. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with billionaire businessman Elon Musk at the White House today. Modi's meeting with the Tesla owner will happen before the Prime Minister holds bilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. Modi is also expected to meet another major business name from the Republican Party, the Indian-origin American biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
[00:02:50] Shibsena leader Aditya Thakere hit out at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, calling him anti-Maharashtra and saying those who betray the state are anti-national. His remarks came after NCP Chief Sharad Pawar felicitated Shinde, triggering tensions within the opposition Mahavikas Akhadi. Thakere met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi during the political turmoil on Wednesday. The two leaders also discussed allegations against Election Commission over the conduct of elections.