In a victory for the state government and the anti-tobacco activists, the Bombay High Court on Saturday upheld the ban on gutka and pan masala – both flavoured tobacco products -- in Maharashtra.

Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to impose a ban order on gutka as well as pan-masala within 14-days time. The court further said that it would issue another order if the state government fails to do so.

Maharashtra government was contemplating a ban on gutka and pan masala products, Deputy Chief Minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar said here on Sunday.

Citing increasing incidence of diseases like oral cancer, the Congress-led UDF Government in Kerala on Friday announced a ban on the manufacture and sale of gutka and pan masala containing tobacco in the state with immediate effect.

In a move to trace the blackmoney pumped in the real estate sector, the government may seize property being registered on fake Permanent Account Numbers (PAN).

The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday banned production, possession, distribution and sale of tobacco products such as pan masala and gutkha in the state.

The Punjab government on Monday banned the sale, storage, manufacture and distribution of Gutkha and Pan masala or other items with tobacco and nicotine content in the state. Disclosing this here, an official spokesperson said that the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had cleared the file approving the proposal of the state Health and Family Welfare department for banning the Gutkha and Pan masala in the larger interest of public health.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a contempt notice to Managing Director Dharampal Satyapal Group - makers of chewing tobacco Rajnigandha and Tulsi – for allegedly violating its order banning use of plastic sachets for sale of their products.

The Unique Identification (UID) Aadhaar number will soon be a "valid" proof of identity and address to obtain a PAN card.

Sajid Khan’s much-hyped entertainer ‘HIMMATWALA’ starring Ajay Devgan and Tamanna is the remake of 80s’ Bollywood cult hit of the same name, but it fails to break any new ground. The film is a collection of 80’s Bollywood melodrama of a typical retro-styled – action, comedy and colourful songs in a new wrapping.