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Curd, lassi, cheque books, ink among things to turn costlier

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Come July 18, 18 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be applicable on bank cheque book/loose leaf cheques and 12 per cent on maps, atlas, and globes.

Similarly, unbranded but pre-packed curd, lassi, butter milk, food items, grains etc will be brought under the GST net from the exemption list.

Writing, printing, or drawing ink will also become costlier.

The rate rationalisation decision was taken at the two-day 47th GST Council Meeting, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, that started in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

On the other hand, the GST rates on medical items like ostomy and orthopaedic appliances – splints and other fracture appliances, artificial parts of the body, other appliances which are worn or carried, or implanted in the body, to compensate for a defect or disability, and intraocular lens- has come down to five per cent from 12 per cent.

The GST for transport of good and passengers by ropeway is down to five per cent from 18 per cent and the renting of truck/goods carriage where cost of fuel is included brought down by six per cent to 12 per cent.

The other items for which GST rates has been increased are printing, writing or drawing ink (12 per cent to 18 per cent), knives with cutting blades, paper knives, pencil sharpeners and blades therefor, spoons, forks, ladles, skimmers, cake-servers etc (12 per cent to 18 per cent), power driven pumps primarily designed for handling water such as centrifugal pumps, deep tube-well turbine pumps, submersible pumps; bicycle pumps (12 per cent to 18 per cent).

The rate on machines for cleaning, sorting or grading seed, and grain pulses, machinery used in milling industry or for the working of cereals etc, ‘pawan chakki’, or air-based atta chakki, wet grinder goes up from five per cent to 18 per cent.

Machines for cleaning, sorting or grading eggs, fruit or other agricultural produce and its parts, milking machines and dairy machinery will have rates going up from 12 per cent to 18 per cent.

LED lamps, lights and fixture, their metal printed circuits board, drawing and marking instruments move up from 12 per cent to 18 per cent and solar water heater and systems, prepared/finished leather/chamois leather/composition leathers from five per cent to 12 per cent.

In respect of the services, the rates have been revised upwards in the case of services supplied by a foreman in a chit fund, job work in relation to processing of hides, skins and leather, leather goods and footwear, manufacture of clay bricks, and works contract for roads, bridges, railways, metro, effluent treatment plant, crematorium and others.

The concessional rates for electronic waste, petroleum, and coal bed methane has also been increased.

Exemption on transport of passengers by air to and from North East states and Bagdogra is being restricted to economy class.

Hotel accommodation, priced upto Rs 1,000 per day, shall be taxed at 12 per cent and room rent (excluding ICU) exceeding Rs 5,000 per day per patient charged by a hospital shall be taxed to the extent of amount charged for the room at five per cent without input tax credit.

Tax exemption on training or coaching in recreational activities relating to arts or culture, or sports is being restricted to such services when supplied by an individual.

Exemption on following services is being withdrawn – transportation by rail or a vessel of railway equipment and material, storage or warehousing of commodities which attract tax (nuts, spices, copra, jaggery, cotton etc.), fumigation in a warehouse of agricultural produce, services by the RBI, the IRDA, the SEBI, and the FSSAI, GSTN, renting of residential dwelling to business entities (registered persons), and services provided by the cord blood banks by way of preservation of stem cells.

Business

SEBI confirms ban on LS Industries and key individuals amid fraud probe

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Mumbai, May 31: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has confirmed the suspension of LS Industries, its promoter Profound Finance, and four other individuals from participating in the securities markets.

The action comes as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of fraudulent activities and manipulation of the company’s share price.

The individuals barred include Jahangir Panikkaveettil Perumbarambathu, the promoter of Profound Finance, as well as Suresh Goyal, Alka Sahni, and Shashi Kant Sahni HUF, a Dubai-based NRI shareholder of LS Industries.

SEBI has extended the deadline for completing the investigation until November 15 and has directed all involved parties to cooperate fully with the inquiry.

Back in February 2025, SEBI had issued an interim order banning LS Industries and its associates from trading in the stock market due to suspicious activities.

The regulator also ordered Perumbarambathu to return illegal gains of Rs 1.14 crore that he allegedly earned through the sale of shares under the suspected scheme.

SEBI ‘s probe centres on LS Industries and its associates being involved in a scheme to artificially boost the company’s share price.

Despite having reported almost no revenue for three consecutive financial years (FY22 to FY24) and the first three quarters of FY25, the company’s stock surged dramatically.

Between July 23 and September 27, 2024, the share price skyrocketed from Rs 22.50 to Rs 267.50 — raising the company’s market valuation to an eye-popping Rs 22,700 crore.

This sharp rise in share price occurred without any improvement in the company’s financial performance, raising red flags.

SEBI’s interim findings noted dubious transfers of shares to Perumbarambathu and unusual trading patterns by some individuals.

The regulator stated that these factors strongly suggested a deliberate plan to mislead investors and manipulate the stock.

SEBI emphasised that it appeared, on the surface, that LS Industries and the other parties were involved in a coordinated effort to deceive the market.

“The investigation is ongoing, and the parties will remain barred from market activities until its conclusion,” the market regulator stated.

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Crime

Woman drug supplier arrested in Delhi’s Mangolpuri; ganja seized

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New Delhi, May 31: A woman drug supplier was arrested from Delhi’s Mangolpuri area and 427 grams of ganja was recovered from her possession, police said on Saturday.

The accused was identified as ‘M’. The arrest comes amid the Delhi Police’s ongoing crackdown on narcotics under its ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy and the broader objectives of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA).

Acting on a tip-off received by Constable Bajrang of Police Station Mangolpuri that a female was allegedly in possession of ganja, a raid was conducted at the specified location.

Constable Bajrang and a female staff member observed a suspicious female carrying a white polythene bag.

“On noticing the presence of police personnel, the suspect attempted to hide. However, the alert police team, with the assistance of a female staff namely W/HC Pooja, swiftly apprehended her,” said Sachin Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Outer District, New Delhi.

A polythene bag containing 427 grams of ‘ganja’ and Rs 1,470 in cash was recovered from the possession of the accused.

The accused was booked under Section 20(A) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 at Police Station Mangolpuri.

Further investigation is underway to identify and apprehend other associates involved in the illegal drug trade, the police said.

In another case on May 29, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of the Delhi Police Crime Branch arrested Jameel Ahmad, the alleged mastermind of a major drug trafficking syndicate. Ahmed has been absconding for six years.

The case dates back to June 2019, when the then Narcotics Cell (now ANTF) of the Crime Branch seized 500 kg of ganja from a truck at Metcalfe Bus Stand, Kashmere Gate.

Three persons — Aslam Khan and Mausam Khan, both from Nuh district in Haryana, and Jakam Khan from Alwar, Rajasthan — were arrested in connection with the consignment, who revealed that they had committed the crime at the behest of Ahmed.

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National

Delhi records wettest May; IMD issues ‘Orange Alert’ for today

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New Delhi, May 31: Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 34.8 degrees Celsius on Saturday morning, marking one of the warmer days of the season. However, despite the high morning temperature, this May has been unusual in many ways, including below-normal daytime temperatures, unprecedented frequent rains, and the absence of any heatwave conditions.

In terms of rainfall, May 2025 has been historic for Delhi, with the capital receiving 188.9 mm of rainfall, the highest-ever rainfall recorded in the month of May. This is over 202 per cent more than the normal monthly average of 62.6 mm. In contrast, May 2024 saw just 0.4 mm of rain, which was 99 per cent below average, with not a single rainy day recorded.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this is only the third time in the last five years that Delhi has seen the mercury stay below 40 degrees Celsius throughout May. Not a single day this month recorded conditions severe enough to be classified as an intense heatwave, making it a rare exception in the typically scorching summer month.

The current spell of unusual weather is being attributed to the early arrival of the monsoon in Mumbai, which has had a ripple effect on weather systems in northern India, including Delhi. However, meteorologists have clarified that the monsoon has not yet arrived in the national Capital, even though conditions have turned significantly cooler and wetter.

The IMD has issued an ‘Orange Alert’ for Delhi-NCR tonight, warning residents to stay alert as thunderstorms and heavy rain are likely. An ‘Orange Alert’ signals potentially disruptive weather, and people are advised to prepare for sudden changes in conditions.

The forecast suggests rain accompanied by thunder and strong winds will continue across Delhi and surrounding areas till June 4. A ‘Yellow Alert’ is also in place for Saturday, with the possibility of rain showers at any time during the day.

Meanwhile, the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 167, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The AQI scale defines values between 101–200 as ‘moderate,’ while 201–300 is ‘poor,’ and 301–400 is considered ‘very poor’.

With unpredictable weather continuing, Delhi people are advised to remain cautious and plan accordingly as the city experiences one of its most unusual Mays in recent history.

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