MAM
Saurabh Dwivedi exits Lallantop, Kuldeep Mishra to lead
MUMBAI: After twelve eventful years of building stories, shaping voices and redefining Hindi digital journalism, Saurabh Dwivedi is set to move on from the India Today Group to explore new creative opportunities, according to sources within the team.
Dwivedi, editor of Lallantop and India Today Hindi, leaves behind one of the most distinctive success stories in India’s digital media space. An in-house talent who grew up in the MediaPlex ecosystem, he joined the group as features editor at aajtak.in and went on to co-create Lallantop, a platform that struck a rare balance between credibility, clarity and popular appeal.
Under his leadership, Lallantop became a go-to destination for young audiences across India’s heartland. Today, the platform counts nearly 35 million YouTube subscribers and clocked more than 250 million views last month alone. Just as important as the numbers was the newsroom culture he helped build, a team of young journalists producing alternative news with confidence and consistency.
Taking over full editorial responsibility for Team Lallantop is Kuldeep Mishra, while Rajat Sain will lead the production team. Both are founding members who have witnessed and shaped Lallantop’s evolution from its earliest days. Mishra is already a familiar face through the LT Show and Netanagari, while Sain has steered the platform through multiple production transformations.
The transition has been welcomed internally as a homegrown change of guard, one that keeps the spirit of Lallantop firmly intact.
As for Dwivedi, the newsroom may miss his presence, but the anticipation around his next act has already begun. Sometimes, the best stories are the ones yet to be told.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
