Three Kannada books released
Three Kannada books published by Karnataka Media Academy were released in Bangalore on Thursday. The books are Reporting by Padmaraj Dandavati, Patrika Kanoonu by N Arjun Deva and Television Varadigarike written by Khadri Achuthan.

Secretary to Kannada and Culture and Information department I M Vittal Murthy released the books. Senior journalist Garudanagiri Nagaraj and cartoonist P Mohammed were felicitated o the occasion.

 Books are available at Media Academy,  Visvesvaraya Towers on Ambedkar Road.

Prakrit award for Germans 
Two German octogenarian professors will be awarded the prestigious Prakrit Jnanabharati International award for 2005 and 2006. The award was instituted in 2004 by the National Institute of Prakrit Studies and Research based in Shravanabelagola.

The institute convenor Prof Hampa Nagarajaiah told reporters here on Thursday that Dr Willem Bollee, retired Indology professor from University of Wuerzburg is the recipient of the award for 2005 while Klaus Bruhn, retired Indology professor from Berlin University is the 2006 recipient.”

The award, which carries a cash prize of Rs one lakh, is intended to honour individuals who have carried out extensive research in Prakrit languages.   The awards will be presented to the recipients in their respective universities on May 26.

Excise duty evasion scam
In a major crackdown, the Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence Bangalore zonal unit, detected a large-scale evasion of Central Excise duty by two trailer manufacturers in the City.

“They are reportedly part of a nation-wide scam of Central Excise duty evasion because 17 such manufacturers were booked in simultaneous raids conducted across the country by the DGCEI sleuths. The total duty evasion is estimated around Rs 50 crore,” said Mr Somesh Arora, Additional Director General, Central Excise Intelligence, Bangalore zonal unit.

Giving details of the modus operandi of the trailer manufacturers, he said that they evaded the Central Excise duty by showing them as specially designed vehicles like ambulance, cash vans etc, on which the Central Excise duty is less. “Around 6,000 such trailers have been thus manufactured and cleared by various manufacturers when there’s an estimated demand for 2,000 trailers every year,” said Mr Arora.

Civil Judge suspended
 Aland Civil Judge (Junior Division) Ashok T Poojary has been suspended by the high court following an inquiry report by a committee which went into certain allegations made against him by the public. S B Hosakale has been given additional charge.

IAS officers transferred
 The following IAS officers have been transferred and posted to the places mentioned against their names:
Darpan Jain - CEO, ZP, Dharwad: Anbu Kumar - CEO, ZP, Shimoga,  N V Prasad -CEO, ZP, Raichur; C Shikha, MD, NWKSRTC, Dharwad and Thulasi Maddineni - Assistant Commissioner, Madhugiri Sub-Division.

Deputy Commissioner of Mysore Manivannan has been relieved of the election-related duty. He has also been relieved of the additional charge of Commissioner, Mysore City Muncipal Corporation.