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Politics Business Expressions General Sports Leisure States 26 February 1998   Tatas sell Merind to Wockhardt After months of speculation, the Tatas have finally sold off its pharma firm, Rs 200-crore Merind Ltd and its subsidiary Tata Pharma to Rs 400-crore Wockhardt Ltd.   Two UK insurance giants to merge Two of Britain's major insurance groups, General Accident Plc and Commercial Union Plc, announced a merger on Wednesday which would create a group with combined net premiums of more than 15 billion pounds ($ 24.8 billion). Crucial Indal board meet on Thursday The board of Indal would be meeting on Thursday to take stock of the situation arising out of the Sterlite Industries' open offer to take over the aluminium major. IPPs demand extension for financial closure Independent power producers (IPPs) have asked for a 90-day extension for achieving financial closure for their liquid-fuel-based power plants as against the March 31 deadline set by the government.   Chinese, HK banks buy NatWest Securities China's largest state-owned commercial bank and Hong Kong's Bank of East Asia Ltd (BEA) have jointly acquired a major share of the Asian securities business of Britain's National Westminster Bank plc, a report said Wednesday. HCC shelves housing project Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), the premier construction house in the country which had a mega slum development project at Vikhroli, has almost abandoned the project as the sharp fall in real estate prices has upset the company's initial calculations.     HC orders SEBI probe into plantation firm   Insider trading in Merind scrip?   Bizbits   FI nominee not needed   Bizbits   Whirlpool plans rights issue   Nifty forges ahead gaining 22 points   HAL in ti-up talks with companies for aircraft production   Life Tech to acquire GIBCO BRL   Government not for phased indigenisation in electronic goods   EC follows row on basmati patent keenly