Anything To Declare, Mr Verma?
The arrest of the Central Board of Excise & Customs chairman has revealed the rot that has set in the premier revenue- collection authority. An inside story of his assets, and rise to position of power. Plus: The sex and smuggling controversy arising from his dubious links with Uzbek nationals.

The Silk Route
The Customs played an active role in a smuggling racket by Uzbek couriers that could have compromised the nation's security.

Rites Of Passage Despite stringent internal controls, the CBEC is one of the most sullied departments in the country.

The Earth Citizen
The former United States president returns to India to share the sorrows of quake-hit Gujarat.

In Quest Of Numbers
There's a scramble for winning combinations, from caste-based alliances in Tamil Nadu to political pragmatism in Bengal and Assam.

Green And Bear It
The Delhi Government's complacency leads to a bumpy ride for commuters.

Free At Last
Removal of quantitative restrictions on all imports will transform the Indian market like never before.

METROSCAPE

Rock Solid

Here's the big truth for those who doubted the band's durability: Deep Purple is still together ... and after 33 years of full-detonation rocking. (Also ask The Stones, The Who and The Kinks the secret of endurance; but say hello to weaklings Spice Girls and Oasis ... and then goodbye). There has been some alterations in the line-up-vocal cord supremo Ian Gillian was instated, fired and then reinstated. Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore morosely quit in 1994, and their music has shifted from progressive rock to full-speed heavy metal, but their popularity has rarely dipped. Ask fans in Bangalore ... the only Indian stopover in the band's Asia-Pacific tour.

Appropriately, at the city's Palace Grounds last Sunday, fireworks blasted the skies when the quintet, once mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records as the earth's loudest band, screeched their classic Smoke on the water from their 1972 album Machine Head. (When the band performed in Delhi about four years back they almost committed what would be concert suicide-they forgot to belt out this number.) Their newest assemble still contains the two constant elements in the Purple's signature sound-original keyboard player Jon Lord, and drummer Ian Paice apart from interpolations guitarist Steve Morse (a more than competent replacement for Blackmore, voted the best guitar player five years in a row by Guitar Player magazine), vocal stylist Gillian and bassist Roger Glover. "We are just a bunch of five guys with feet of clay who just love to play music," is how Glover describes Purple.

The 20,000 crowd, who paid a nominal Rs 250 per head for the in-aid-of-Gujarat concert also got to hear favourites Black night, Highway star and Fireball. Pity it only lasted two hours.

-Stephen David

AD LIBBING: Since size obviously matters, the Annual ABBY Awards just got bigger. In a departure from tradition, this year's awards were a three-day advertising festival, "India Advertising Festival-Synergy 2001". The Advertising Club, Mumbai, joined hands with its counterparts in Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai, and played host together with Sony Entertainment. Among the new categories were the "Clutterbusting Awards", initiated by the Indian Newspaper Society, for which entries innovating and converting the electronic Thums-Up or Akai Flat Screen TV ads into print version were invited. The winners: Duo Renzel D'Souza and Anil Chitnis with their "Waltz in E-Flat" won a holiday in Cannes. Aishwarya Rai in all black leather added the glam element by giving away the awards, one of which was sponsored by India Today.

-Natasha Israni

MetroScape

Rock Solid
Here's the big truth for those who doubted the band's durability: Deep Purple is still together--and after 33 years of full-detonation rocking.
more...

Looking Glass

Delhi Exhibition:
Ghislaine Aarsse Prins

Delhi Restaurant:
Art Diva Cafe

Mumbai Bar:
Starboard Bar