Parkash Badal to meet President today with clemency appeal for Balwant Singh Rajoana

New Delhi:  The pressure to stop the hanging of Babbar Khalsa terrorist Balwant Singh Rajoana is building up on the Punjab government. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is expected to meet President Pratibha Patil in Delhi late in the evening today and is likely to appeal for clemency. This is after a Chandigarh court ruled on Tuesday that Rajoana, sentenced to death in the 1995 assassination of then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, is to be hanged as scheduled on March 31.

A case seeking deferment of Rajoana's hanging would be taken up in the Punjab and Haryana High Court today.

Mr Badal's government along with Sikh body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) have been leading a campaign for clemency to Rajoana.

"The main point here is that there is a law of the land. There are cases going on in the Supreme Court. If the appeal for the co-accused of any case is still going on, there can be no action until the decision has been taken. In this case itself, there are going on against two people. It's not like if the person appeals themselves, that their appeal is accepted," Mr Badal said on Tuesday.

The matter of two other terrorists, Jagtar Singh Hawara and Lakhwinder Singh, convicted in the same case, is pending before the Supreme Court. The CBI has approached the Supreme Court in Hawara's case as his death sentence, awarded by the CBI special court in 2007, was commuted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2010 to life imprisonment. The appeal of Lakhwinder Singh against his conviction is also pending.

However, the High Court had upheld Rajoana's death sentence in the case as he had refused to defend himself.

Meanwhile, authorities in Punjab have beefed up security arrangements across the state in view of the latest orders of the court directing that Rajoana be hanged. Nearly 60,000 Punjab police personnel and 15 companies of para-military forces have been put on alert. The security forces have taken out flag marches in some cities and towns since Monday. Security has also been tightened around the jail to handle any untoward incident. Prohibitory orders are in place across Chandigarh to stop assembly of groups. However, several protest marches and rallies have been planned throughout Punjab by various Sikh groups for today and tomorrow.

As per the court's orders, Rajoana has to be hanged Saturday (March 31) at 9 a.m. in the Patiala jail premises. The court returned the warrant of death of Rajoana to the Patiala jail authorities. The court also issued a showcause notice for contempt of court to Patiala prison jail superintendent L.S. Jakhar for returning the warrant of death earlier.

The Patiala superintendent on Monday had moved a petition in the court of additional district and sessions judge Shalini Singh Nagpal in Chandigarh seeking deferment of Rajoana's hanging.

In the petition, the jail superintendent had said that the matter relating to two other terrorists, Jagtar Singh Hawara and Lakhwinder Singh, who were also convicted in the Beant Singh assassination case, was pending before the Supreme Court and Rajoana could not be hanged while this was pending.

Sources said that the Patiala jail superintendent, despite the contempt showcause notice from the court, has refused to accept the warrant of death citing legal issues.

A former Punjab Police constable, Rajoana has refused to defend himself in the Beant Singh assassination case saying that he was involved.

While the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal, the Punjab government and  SGPC have come out openly to support the campaign to save him from the gallows, Rajoana has, through a letter, asked the Akali Dal to refrain from doing so.

Beant Singh, Punjab chief minister between 1992 and 1995 and largely credited with wiping out terrorism from the state, was assassinated by a human bomb, Dilawar Singh, at the high security Punjab civil secretariat in Chandigarh on August 31, 1995.

While Hawara was the mastermind of the assassination, Rajoana was the second human bomb to be used in case the first assassin failed. Rajoana, during the entire 11-year trial, had admitted that he alone was responsible for the killing of Beant Singh.

The family members of Beant Singh have also stated that they had forgiven Rajoana and that his death sentence be converted to life imprisonment.

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Centre stays hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana after Badal meets President

New Delhi/Chandigarh:  The Centre has stayed the hanging of Babbar Khalsa terrorist Balwant Singh Rajoana, who was sentenced to death for the assassination of then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh in 1995. The decision follows a mercy petition filed by Sikh body, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), that has been actively backed by the Punjab government and other political parties in the state.

A court in Chandigarh had ruled on Tuesday that Rajoana should be hanged as scheduled on March 31. The court was hearing a plea from the Patiala Jail Superintendent.

"Taking into consideration our appeal, the President had referred the matter to the Home Ministry, which has stayed the execution of Balwant Singh till the matter is clear in the Supreme Court or mercy plea is considered by the President," Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said after meeting with President Pratibha Patil today. Mr Badal, alongwith his son and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, also handed over a mercy petition on behalf of the state government seeking clemency for Rajoana. The President's office later forwarded his petition to the Union Home Ministry, which will decide on the matter in due course of time. As per law, the petition would then be sent to the Law Minsitry and the Punjab government for comments after which, it would be forwarded to the President with recommendations of the Home Ministry. The President's office already has 18 mercy petitions pending with it.

Mr Badal has been under immense pressure in the last few days with radical Sikh groups demanding clemency for Rajoana. Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also the President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), had said today, "We are not politicising the issue. We want clemency for Rajoana. We are meeting the President. We have also sought time from the Prime Minister." Mr Badal stressed that not just the Akalis but the Congress, and other political parties in Punjab, were also supporting the SGPC's demand.

The matter of two other terrorists, Jagtar Singh Hawara and Lakhwinder Singh, convicted in the same case, is pending before the Supreme Court. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has approached the Supreme Court in Hawara's case as his death sentence, awarded by the CBI special court in 2007, was commuted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2010 to life imprisonment. The appeal of Lakhwinder Singh against his conviction is also pending.

However, the High Court had upheld Rajoana's death sentence in the case as he had refused to defend himself. Kamaljeet Kaur, Mr Rajoana's sister, who met him in jail earlier today reiterated that he is not interested in asking for mercy.

Meanwhile, a bandh in the state today, called by radical Sikh groups to protest against the scheduled hanging, threw normal life out of gear - forcing schools and shops to shut down. Saffron-coloured flags could be seen flying on buildings, houses and shops. In Patiala, Shiv Sainiks clashed with protesters, and National Highway 1 was blocked. Trains between Ferozepur and Jalandhar were also blocked with protesters sitting on the rail track near Ferozepur station.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, S.K. Sharma told IANS there were no major incidents of violence during the shutdown.

Authorities in Punjab had beefed up security arrangements across the state in view of the latest orders of the court directing that Rajoana be hanged. Nearly 60,000 Punjab police personnel and 15 companies of para-military forces had been put on alert. The security forces had taken out flag marches in some cities and towns since Monday. Security has also been tightened around the jail to handle any untoward incident. Prohibitory orders are in place across Chandigarh to stop assembly of groups.

A former Punjab Police constable, Mr Rajoana has refused to defend himself in the Beant Singh assassination case saying that he was involved. Beant Singh, Punjab chief minister between 1992 and 1995 and largely credited with wiping out terrorism from the state, was assassinated by a human bomb, Dilawar Singh, at the high security Punjab civil secretariat in Chandigarh on August 31, 1995.

While Hawara was the mastermind of the assassination, Rajoana was the second human bomb to be used in case the first assassin failed. Rajoana, during the entire 11-year trial, had admitted that he alone was responsible for the killing of Beant Singh. The family members of Beant Singh have also stated that they had forgiven Rajoana and that his death sentence be converted to life imprisonment.

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What Manmohan Singh, Obama will eat in Seoul

Seoul:  Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, US President Barack Obama and 51 other world leaders can expect to enjoy a sumptuous spread of Western and Korean delicacies at official banquets during the two-day nuclear summit.

The international leaders can taste 'bibimbap' which is rice with assorted vegetables, reported The Chosun Ilbo. Then there is tilefish from Jeju Island.

They can also partake fair persimmon from North Gyeongsang Province and honeyed mountain ginseng - all of which can washed down with locally made sparkling wine pressed from omija, a special type of red Korean berry.

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Barack Obama greets Manmohan Singh with hug at Seoul meet

Seoul:  US President Barack Obama gave Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a big hug and greeted him with 'Nice to meet you prime minister', during a brief dinner meeting between the two at the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, an official said on Monday.

While there was no anticipated "pull aside" meeting between the two leaders, Obama and Dr Singh did have a "pull-in" meeting at a dinner for the 58 leaders attending the March 26-27 Nuclear Security Summit, the official said.

"There was no pull-aside; there was a pull-in. Obama gave the prime minister a big hug and said 'Nice to meet you prime minister'," the official said.

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Full text: PM Manmohan Singh writes to Lankan President Rajapaksa

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Pak activists want Bhagat Singh chowk in Lahore

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Manmohan Singh arrives in Seoul for Nuclear Security Summit

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Not joining the UPA Govt, says Mulayam Singh

Lucknow:  Mulayam Singh Yadav has said his support from the outside to the UPA government will continue, but says the Samajwadi Party is not joining the government. "We have not asked anyone and no one has asked us to," the Samajwadi Party chief said emphatically in Lucknow today.

Mr Yadav said his support continued to be based on keeping communal forces away from the Centre.
There has been much speculation that the 72-year-old, who has just installed his 38-year-old son Akhilesh Yadav as Chief Minister of UP after a spectacular electoral performance, might join the Union Cabinet as the Congress looks for new political alignments to bolster its very fragile coalition at the Centre.
The SP gives outside support to the UPA government and has bailed it many times during Parliament votes. It voted in support of the UPA today too in the Lok Sabha on the issue of the National Counter Terrorism Centre. The government won those votes.
The Congress is reportedly keen that the SP join the coalition formally  - Mulayam Singh Yadav has 22 MPs in the Lok Sabha, which would more than offset the 19 MPs that the troublesome Trinamool Congress threatens to withdraw regularly. 

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Paan Singh makes capital news!

By Hindustan Times

Mumbai, March 13 -- It opened to rave reviews, has been packing in the crowds thanks to strong word-of-mouth publicity, d now lead actor Irrfan, director Tigmashu Dhulia and producer Ronnie Screwvala of UTV are on their way to Delhi with a print of their film, Paan Singh Tomar.

A special screening is being organised at the Mahadev Auditorium at 5 pm tomorrow, for Ambika Soni and the Information & Broadcasting Ministry. After the 'aam janta' (common man), it's the top-ranking government officials who are keen to watch the biopic on the seven-time National steeplechase champion turned Chambal outlaw, for the interest it has generated in the plight of sportspersons, many of whom are living in penury after doing the country proud.

"I'm really happy. This screening is sure to generate a lot of media attention that I hope will eventually translate into some kind of a trust we're hoping to set up for these forgotten heroes. Once Irrfan is through with Qissi, the international co-production he's shooting in Chandigarh, we will sit and brainstorm on how we can take the idea forward. It should happen by the month end," says Tigmashu.

The director has been watching the film with audiences in Mumbai and Delhi and is encouraged by the response. "Even without glamour, big names and item numbers, this rebel runner seems to have brought out the goodness in people. Their response is not just positive but so pure," he marvels.

Bring up the subject of the Summer Olympics in London and India's chances, and he admits he doesn't see too many of our athletes holding up against stronger competitors from the US and countries that offer better training facilities. Even Paan Singh, Milkha Singh and Dhyan Chand, who won us our medals, he points out, were from the army and owe their discipline and success to the services. "But I'm pretty hopeful for Indian hockey," he adds. "After years, we are playing as a team and I see a silver there."

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Seems like mid-term polls are around the corner: Sukhbir Singh Badal

Chandigarh:  Ahead of its swearing-in ceremony in Punjab, Akali Dal's leader Sukhbir Singh Badal added to the mid-term polls clamour by saying that they are around the corner because the UPA government has failed to make policy decisions.

"It seems like it (mid-term polls are around the corner). If you look through the country, the Congress party is being wiped out because their performance has been so bad. I have been talking to a lot of industrialists and they want an immediate change. The country and the government of India has come to a standstill," Mr Badal told NDTV.

"The growth rate has gone down, and inflation has gone up; there is financial chaos in this country," he added.

He also said that he has invited West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to the swearing-in ceremony on March 15, but Mr Badal is not sure if she will attend. (Read: Mamata keeps Congress on the edge)

"We are all Indians, we are a part of a family. Personal relations are above party lines.  It's a wrong projection by the media. It doesn't mean that somebody in Congress is our enemy. But I am not sure if she (Ms Banerjee) is attending" Mr Badal said.

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Wherever Rahul Gandhi goes, Congress loses: Sukhbir Singh Badal

Chandigarh:  For the first time in the last forty years, Punjab gave a second consecutive term to a party in power. Shiromani Akali Dal's (SAD) Parkash Singh Badal will take oath as the Chief Minister of Punjab for a fifth time on March 14. Today, his son Sukhbir Singh Badal taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi said he will encourage the Congress General Secretary to campaign more.
"Wherever Rahul Gandhi goes, Congress loses...we will encourage him to campaign more," said the SAD president.
The Congress, in Uttar Pradesh, where Rahul had turned the revival of his party into his personal mission, could only add six seats to its earlier total of 22. The added insult comes from Rae Bareli and Amethi - the constituencies of Mr Gandhi and his mother - where the Congress took just two of the 10 assembly seats at stake. Priyanka Gandhi had campaigned extensively in this area and had promised her mother publicly that she would deliver all 10 seats.
Not just UP, Punjab was a disaster for the Congress too. The Congress, which had hoped that the anti-incumbency habit in the state would push it into government, was, however, left with just 46 out of 117 seats. The Congress candidate for chief minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, had predicted his party would defeat the Akalis. He won his seat, but his son, Raninder Singh, lost his constituency.
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'Paan Singh Tomar' team to care for former athletes

Mumbai: Who says actors and films do not make a difference to the quality of our life? A biopic on the life of athlete-turned-outlaw Paan Singh Tomar has made its makers aware of their social responsibility. They are set to establish a charitable trust to look after retired, out-of-favour athletes and sportpersons.
The film's director Tigmanshu Dhulia, lead actor Irrfan Khan and producers UTV Motion Pictures are spearheading the trust, which is being called SOS - Save Our Sportspersons.
Dhulia laments the state of former athletes in the country.
"Not everyone is as fortunate as Milkha Singh. We met so many athletes and sportspersons who either died due to poverty or are living wretched lives.
"Four-time Olympics hockey gold medalist Shankar Laxman died due to lack of medical attention. K.D. Yadav, the 1952 Olympics bronze medalist, died penniless. Sarwan Singh, the 1954 Asian Games gold medalist, had to sell his medal for money.
"Asian Games gold medal winner Parduman Singh died penniless. We want to do something to help such people before it's too late," he added.
Dhulia says the move to initiate a trust for needy athletes arose from megastar Amitabh Bachchan's concern for them, after he watched 'Paan Singh Tomar'.
"He saw the film and grew very concerned about how we treat our sportspersons. We've of course been thinking about these unfortunate sportspersons all through the making of our own.
"Our initiative towards helping athletes who have fallen on hard times comes from him," he said.
Armed with the determination to get this project on the way, Dhulia and his team are set to get the SOS project going. Hopefully, Big B would be the face of the project.
Dhulia hopes to discuss the matter with the 69-year-old veteran, who is currently recuperating after two surgeries that he underwent last month.
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Parkash Singh Badal invites Mamata Banerjee to his swearing-in ceremony

Chandigarh:  Shiromani Akali Dal's (SAD) Parkash Singh Badal, who will take oath as the Chief Minister of Punjab for a fifth time on March 14, has invited West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to attend the swearing in ceremony.
"Badal telephoned Banerjee today and invited her to attend his swearing-in as chief minister at Chandigarh," state secretariat sources in Kolkata said.
Mr Badal, who is 84, will continue as chief minister. For the first time in the last forty years, Punjab has given a second consecutive term to a party in power. The alliance of the SAD and the BJP will return to office with 68 of the 117 seats. The Congress, which had hoped that the anti-incumbency habit in the state would push it into government, was left with 46 seats.
After winning the elections on Tuesday, Mr Badala said he owed the win to his 50-year-old son, Sukhbir, who was made party president in 2008 and deputy chief minister in 2009. That appointment left the Badals wide open to allegations of nepotism. It wasn't just outsiders who took aim. The chief minister's nephew, Manpreet, who was Finance Minister, gathered his supporters and quit the Akali Dal. He set up the People's Party of Punjab (PPP); the party failed to win a single seat, and Manpreet lost both the constituencies he contested, one of which he has won four times in the past. "Manpreet has committed a Himalayan blunder and political suicide," his estranged uncle said after results were declared. Manpreet's father, Gurudas, lost his deposit in his election.
The Akalis' victory is being attributed to the party's focus on development. The BJP has done worse in these elections than last time - it has got 12 seats. But the Akalis say this does not make their partner a liability. "Last time, they won 19 of the 23 seats they were assigned," said Naresh Gujral, Rajya Sabha MP. "They could not have repeated that performance." 
The Badals' appeal was also undented by the influential religious sect Dera Sacha Sauda lending its support to the Congress.
The Congress candidate for chief minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, had predicted his party would defeat the Akalis. He won his seat, but his son, Raninder Singh, lost his constituency.

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Lieutenant General Bikram Singh to be the next Army chief: Govt

New Delhi:  Ending the suspense, Government today announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Bikram Singh as the next Army Chief from May 31 to succeed General V K Singh.

59-year-old Lieutenant General Singh, the Eastern Army Commander, will head the 13-lakh strong force and have a tenure of just over two years till August 2014.

"Lieutenant General Singh has been designated as the next Chief of Army Staff, in the rank of General, with effect from the afternoon of 31 May 2012," Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said here.

"He will succeed the present COAS General V K Singh, who retires from the service on May 31," he added.

As per the normal practice, the appointment of Chiefs of Defence Services is announced 60 days in advance but in this case, the government made the announcement 90 days in advance.

"I am honoured and grateful to the government for having reposed confidence in me and having appointed me as the next Chief of Army Staff," said Lieutenant General Singh in a statement this evening.

Lieutenant General Bikram Singh was the senior most among the present Army Commanders but his appointment as the Chief of Army Staff had got caught in a suspense as General V K Singh was fighting out his date of birth battle that would have given him tenure till April next year.

There had been questions over Lieutenant General Bikram Singh in connection with an alleged fake encounter in Kashmir but the government went ahead to appoint him as the Army Chief.

General V K Singh, who had two dates of birth in his official records, had dragged the government to the Supreme Court, contending that he was born on May 10, 1951 and not a year earlier.

However, the top court refused to accept his contention, holding that he had taken promotions on the basis of May 10,1950 as his date of birth and could not "resile" on his commitment accepting that date.

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Anupama Chopra's review: Paan Singh Tomar

By Hindustan Times

Movie: Paan Singh Tomar
Direction: Tigmanshu Dhulia
Actors: Irrfan, Mahie Gill
Rating: ***

There is an understated elegance about Irrfan (he dropped the last name Khan some time ago) in Paan Singh Tomar. He plays a national level athlete who becomes a dreaded dacoit in the Chambal Valley. Tomar sprints over hurdles with breathtaking ease and eventually displays the same stubborn determination while murdering men who have robbed him of his ancestral land. Irrfan imbues Tomar with grace and a quiet dignity. So even when he meets the inevitable fate of a bandit and his body riddled with bullets, collapses into the dusty ground, there is something heroic about him.

Paan Singh Tomar is fiction inspired by true events. The story is remarkable –Tomar is an army subedaar who gets into athletics only because sportsmen get more to eat. After a race, the first thing he does is grab and devour a bunch of bananas. Tomar keeps his faith in the system and doesn’t resort to violence until a lethargic, blatantly corrupt cop refuses to register his complaint and instead asks Tomar, who has travelled abroad for sporting competitions, why foreigners wear such few clothes. Hurt and angry, Tomar wonders: Desh keliye faltu bhagey kya?

The moment has genuine pathos. As does Tomar’s wounded declaration to a journalist that despite being a seven-time National Games winner, he remained anonymous, while murder and kidnapping brought him fame. But despite the rich raw material and quality performances, Paan Singh Tomar doesn’t soar. Stretches of the screenplay are sluggish and strangely inert. More critically, I never got a sense of what Tomar’s conversion from an army man to a murderer did to his psyche. Yes, he resorts to violence only because he is provoked but subsequently, he seems oddly at ease with his criminality. Director Tigmanshu Dhulia establishes a loving relationship between Tomar and his wife, Indra, played by Mahie Gill. But Indra and his two children largely disappear from his life when he becomes an outlaw and we never really see him ache for them.

Dhulia was a casting director on Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen. In interviews, he has said that he first heard about Paan Singh Tomar while working on that film and decided that some day he would make a film on him. Tomar was a confrère of Phoolan Devi. Naturally then, we see some of the same motifs – the spidery curves of the ravines that seem to swallow up the dacoits, their habit of announcing their presence on loudspeakers, a massacre that leads to a police clampdown. But Paan Singh Tomar doesn’t sock you in the gut like Bandit Queen did, partly because none of the supporting characters have enough flesh on them. The villains are especially non-descript, nasty but not menacing.

Paan Singh Tomar has good intentions but not enough emotional heft. I wanted to feel more. But what Dhulia and Irrfan do give us is a fascinating character who was at once, complex and childlike. He makes it worth watching.

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Chitrangada Singh attacks Poonam Pandey on Twitter!

By Hindustan Times

Poonam Pandey's bikini pics on Twitter might be increasing her fan following, but drawing her a lot of flak of late. After Taslima Nasreen, it's Chitrangada Singh who has criticised the Kingfisher model on Twitter.

Chitrangada recently tweeted, "How do you compete with Poonam Pandey, when she is ready strip for kabbadi matches?" (sic)

"Though I have never met Poonam and no prsnl agenda, but guess she does her bathroom rituals evrydy and in sometimes that involves striping," she added. (sic)

Poonam Pandey however took the criticism with a pinch of salt. The lady tweeted, "it really feels gr8 when people use ur name to garner Publicity! it reminds me a dialouge from the film Guru - Jab Log tumhare khilaf bolne lage Samajh lo Taraki kar rahe ho."

Before Chitrangada, Lajja author Taslima Nasreen had reacted strongly to her 'attitude is like underwear' tweet. “Poonam Pandey got naked but not satisfied. She wanna do dirtiest things none did before. Wants to get f****d in public!(sic)”

Taslima further wrote “My protest agnst d objectification is 4 women`s dignity,not 4 publicity. My criticism ws agnst d video u endorsed.(sic).”

"Fuck what people say... Do YOU. Some people will hate you for it, but it's the ones that love you for it that are more important," Poonam had reacted to Taslima's tweet.

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Full text: Lieutenant General Bikram Singh to be the next Army chief, says govt

New Delhi:  The government has announced that Lt General Bikram Singh, the Eastern Army Commander, will be the next Army chief.

Here's a press release by the government of India:
 
The Eastern Army Commander, Lt Gen Bikram Singh, PVSM,UYSM,AVSM,SM,VSM,ADC has been designated as the next Chief of Army Staff, in the rank of General, with effect from the afternoon of 31 May 2012. He will succeed the present COAS, General VK Singh, PVSM,AVSM,YSM,ADC, who retires from the service on 31 May 2012.

Lt Gen Bikram Singh was commissioned into the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment on 31 March 1972.

During his long and distinguished career, spanning nearly 40 years, he has served in a variety of Command and Staff appointments. He has commanded a Corps in the Northern Command. The General had served as Deputy Force Commander of a multi-nation UN Peace Keeping Mission in Congo. He had also served as UN Observer in Nicaragua and El Salvador during the early 90s.

Lt Gen Bikram Singh has studied with distinction at the Defence Services Staff College, the Army War College and the US Army War College, Pennsylvania. He has also done M.Phil in Defence Management from the Indore University.

He is a recipient of PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM and VSM Awards. He is also one of the Honorary ADCs of the President of India.

He is married to Mrs Surjeet Kaur, housewife and the couple have two sons.

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UP health scam: CBI arrests former Family Welfare minister Babu Singh Kushwaha

Lucknow:  The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Babu Singh Kushwaha, former Family Welfare Minister of Uttar Pradesh, in connection with the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam. Mr Kushwaha is a prime accused in the scam and had been named in one of the FIRs filed by the CBI.

Mr Kushwaha, the most high-profile arrest in the case so far, was arrested immediately after the final phase of polling ended in Uttar Pradesh. Mr Kushwaha, a former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) minister, had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) just before the UP polls. Along with Mr Kushwaha, his close aide RP Jaiswal, a BSP MLA from Deoria, was also arrested, taking the number of people arrested in the case to eight.

Sources say Mr Kushwaha and Mr Jaiswal were produced before a Special CBI court in Ghaziabad this evening which sent them to CBI remand for 10 days.

In 2005, the UPA government launched the National Rural Health Mission Scheme. Huge amounts of money were to be sent to states to provide accessible and affordable health care to the poorest families in remote regions. The government's auditor has said that more than half of 8500 crores sent by the Centre to UP (from 2005 to 2011) have been embezzled.

The large scale bungling in the centrally funded programme involved not only heavy over-invoicing, but even fake supply of medicines and hospital equipment by fictitious firms as well as huge kickbacks in construction activity undertaken with a view to improving the available health services in government-run primary health centres in rural areas.

The scam saw corrupt bureaucrats and politicians siphoning away crores meant to improve health facilities. It was birthed in the Family Welfare department in Mayawati's government, which handled the huge funds sent by the Centre for the NRHM Scheme. Mr Kushwaha was sacked by Mayawati in April last year after the murders of three chief medical officers forced the government to acknowledge the deep-rooted graft in his department.

Two senior doctors affiliated to the department were murdered; another was found dead in a Lucknow jail in mysterious circumstances. In January, an officer with the UP Jal Nigam committed suicide allegedly because he was being investigated for his role in the scam.    
The Allahabad High Court has ordered the CBI to investigate the trio of deaths and the swindle entrenched in the department.  Chief Minister Mayawati has, however, described the investigation into the swindle, and its findings, as a political conspiracy against her.

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Paan Singh... gets thumbs up from critics!

By Hindustan Times

Tigmanshu Dhulia's Paan Singh Tomar is yet another masterstroke from a consummate raconteur. Irrfan, an actor of standing, essays the character with aplomb. However, the second half of the film is slow, feel critics.

"Paan Singh Tomar, a film helmed by Tigmanshu Dhulia, has taken a really lonooooong time to hit the screens, but despite the holdup, the film remains as pertinent and relevant in today's times as it was when Dhulia envisioned it," writes Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama.

"As a cinematic experience, Tigmanshu takes us into the world of Paan Singh Tomar and enlightens us the reasons that impelled a sportsman to take law in his hands. That itself is its USP, for this is no typical vendetta fare. It is a factual account of a sportsman who brought honor to the country, but felt betrayed when he needed the country the most. In fact, Tigmanshu calls this cinematic endeavor a tribute to the sportsmen who won medals for the nation, but never got their due during the sunset of their lives. An incredible film, no doubt, but falls short of being memorable as the plot becomes another vendetta fare at some stage in the concluding reels," Adarsh adds.

"There are many such remarkable scenes in Dhulia's film -- a compelling biopic about a natural sportsman and an Indian steeplechase champion from a village in Madhya Pradesh, who upon retiring became a notorious dacoit (or a rebel as Tomar reminds us towards the beginning of the film. 'Dacoits are found in the parliament,' he says with a nearly straight face)," writes Aseem Chhabra, Rediff.

"Dhulia, who worked with Shekhar Kapur in the seminal Bandit Queen, enters the crevices of the badlands of Chambal river and makes you understand how bandits are born. But he also brings out the camaraderie of the jawans and the gentle humour of a unit are rather well brought out. The beauty of the movie is that it blends the personal with the larger social truths. Tomar may have been running in Tokyo but back home in his village, his family must suffer the same oppression and humiliation as others," writes Avijit Ghosh, TOI.

Direction
"Tigmanshu Dhulia’s direction is very good. He has created the atmosphere of the village beautifully and has extracted very good work from his cast. However, the basic problem of the second half of the drama is something even his narration is not able to surmount. There’s not much scope for music (Abhishek Ray) but the songs in the background go well with the mood of the drama. Sandeep Chowta Projects’ background music is effective. Aseem Mishra’s cinematography is superb. Action scenes, composed by Kaushal-Moses, are appropriate. Sets (by Dhananjay Mondal) are nice. Aarti Bajaj’s editing is crisp," writes Komal Nahta, koimoi.com.

"An intelligent filmmaker, Tigmanshu Dhulia yet again shows his perfection at the art. He has surely created a niche for himself as a filmmaker, who adds certain elements to the film that make it believable. For instance, since the flick is set in 50s, the director puts a scene where the radio station makes a mention of a cancer-stricken Nargis Dutt. What adds to the glee is- though dragged at certain portions, the movie never loses momentum, thanks to the extremely captivating dialogues and performances," reports dailybhaskar.com.

"The division of fact and fiction becomes another vital scripting dilemma in such films. Too much reality and you sweep out the drama and the thrill. So director Dhulia sprinkles just the right amount of winning moments and even the slower sequences have something to bite on. Some of the memorable ones include Paan’s cue for love-making: luring his kids out of the house with some lemon juice to allow him enough privacy to get intimate with his wife (Mahie Gill). Then, Paan’s irrepressible gluttony that manifests itself intermittently makes for charming scenes like the one where he completes a race and instantly walks off track to attack a bunch of bananas," writes Kunal Guha for Yahoo.

Weak second half
"The lone aspect that weighs the film downward is the fact that the narrative totters in the middle of the second hour, when the story doesn't really move frontward. Of course, one also comprehends that when you attempt a biopic, you have to stay true to the incidents that transpired in that person's life, but a cinematic adaptation can exclude a few episodes that aren't too imperative. Tigmanshu could've done that. Having said that, I'd like to add that PAAN SINGH TOMAR is yet another masterstroke from a consummate raconteur. The film seizes your attention for most parts and as you exit the screening, it's with a heavy heart, with a tinge of melancholy, which only indicates that the storyteller has succeeded in engaging your interest to something he wished to emphasize on," feels Adarsh.

"Dhulia gets it right all the time. But the transformation is too quick to be believable, my only problem with Paan Singh Tomar. Forgivable when pitted against the film as a whole. The length could have been worked upon too. Dialogue, as is true for most Dhulia films, is the strongest point of this one too," says Blessy Chettiar, DNA.

Cinematography
"The cinematography [Aseem Mishra] is truly attention-grabbing, while the editing [Aarti Bajaj] is razor-sharp. The background score [Sandeep Chowta] is most appropriate. It augments the impact of numerous sequences," says Adarsh.

Performances
"Irrfan, an actor of standing, essays the character with aplomb. Very evidently, the actor has trained rigorously with steeplechase coaches, since the role requires him to partake in this sport. At the same time, the role must have been physically and psychologically demanding and I yearn to affirm that Irrfan appears remarkably forceful in this complex part," writes Adarsh.

"Mahie Gill is an incredible talent and it comes to the fore yet again in this film. Two more actors who leave a solid impression are Vipin Sharma and Rajendra Gupta. Both excel in their respective characters. Nawazuddin Siddiqui sparkles in a brief role. Imran Hasnee is first-rate. The actor enacting the role of Paan Singh Tomar's son is effective. Brijendra Kala is fantastic as the news-reporter," adds Adarsh.

"Irrfan Khan lives the role of Paan Singh Tomar. He does a swell job, first as the athlete and then as the dacoit. Mahie Gill is extremely natural as Paan Singh’s wife. Zakir Hussain is good in a role (Inspector Rathore) that gives him limited scope. Vipin Sharma is natural as Major Masand. As the sports coach, Rajendra Gupta is endearing. Khan Jahangir Khan acts ably as Bhanwar Singh. Brijendra Kala is first-rate as the journalist. Imran Hasnee (as Matadeen, brother of Paan Singh), Swapnil Kotriwal (as Hanumantha Singh, son of Paan Singh) and Nawazuddin Siddiqui (as Gopi) lend excellent support as do Sitaram Panchal (as Ramcharan), Ravi Sah (as Balram, nephew of Paan Singh Tomar), Bano (as Paan Singh’s mother) and Rajeev Gupta (as the corrupt police officer). The rest of the cast also puts up a good show," writes Nahta.

"The movie works because Irffan makes Paan Singh Tomar come alive as an athlete, as a husband and as a dacoit. This is a flawless performance from a consummate actor. As his wife, Gill comes up with a rare restrained performance. There is humour as well a delicate intensity in the romantic scenes between the two. Dhulia gets great work from the remainder of the cast. The camerawork, especially of the ravines and the river, is excellent," writes Ghosh.

Conclusion
"On the whole, Paan Singh Tomar shatters the standard rules of this genre. Besides, the film makes you cognizant that serious cinema can be uniformly delightful, like any other enthralling entertainer. If this variety of cinema allures you then chances are that you will take pleasure in watching Paan Singh Tomar. Recommended!" Concludes Taran Adarsh.

"Gritty and power packed Paan Singh Tomar is a tribute to the unsung heroes of sports in India. Dhulia’s direction and Irrfan’s integrity will make Paan Singh Tomar among the best movies of recent time," says Chettiar.

"On the whole, Paan Singh Tomar does not have the commercial ingredients to score at the box-office. Had the second half been more weighty, it could have worked reasonably well but with the post interval portion looking like a routine dacoit drama, that won’t be possible," sums up Nahta.

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Hockey superstar Sandeep Singh now in Punjabi film

New Delhi: After an impressive outing in the Hockey Olympic qualifier, ace drag-flicker Sandeep Singh is all set to showcase his acting skills on the silver screen.

Sandeep, apparently has done a guest appearance in a Punjabi movie, 'Aaj de Ranjhe', directed by Bollywood cinematographer Manmohan Singh.

Sandeep, who scored staggering 16 goals in the recently-concluded Olympic qualifiers, including five goals in the final match, which helped India book a berth in the upcoming London Games, said he enjoyed working in a movie.

"The main lead in the film, Gurpreet Guggi, is my friend and I could not turn down his request," said Sandeep.

"I really enjoyed the experience (of working in films). I have a small role where I am playing Sandeep Singh only," he added.

Asked if he has any Bollywood aspirations also, Sandeep said, "Hockey is my first love and I devote most of my time to hockey only. But if I get time I won't mind working in films too."

Former hockey captain Dilip Tirkey had earlier featured in an Oriya film.

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