M A I N   N E W S

Kalam asks for report on Padma awardee
T.R. Ramachandran
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 7
President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is believed to have expressed reservations about the founder of pharmaceutical major, Ranbaxy, Bhai Mohan Singh being selected for the Padma Vibhushan award, the country's second highest civilian honour, because of his alleged conviction.

Sometime in the first half of last month, a perplexed Rashtrapati Bhawan had written a letter to the Union Home Ministry seeking a detailed investigation report about Dr Bhai Mohan Singh's police record.

As the Head of State had received no reply even after two weeks, a senior official in Rashtrapati Bhawan then politely reminded his counterpart in the Home Ministry that their inquiry about an industrialist nominated for the Padma Vibhushan award had remained unanswered.

With the Home Ministry reportedly dragging its feet in sending its reply to Rashtrapati Bhawan, there was apprehension that the President might decline presenting the award to Dr Bhai Mohan Singh on April 22.

That was bound to cause needless embarrassment to the government if it was unable to convince the President that all was well on the Dr Bhai Mohan Singh front. And if such a situation arose, it would be the first time that the President would refuse to give away a prestigious national award to an individual specially nominated by the government.

Sources said that a senior and influential minister recommended Dr Bhai Mohan Singh’s name for the Padma Vibhushan. By convention, before such awards were formally announced, a thorough inquiry-cum-verification was undertaken by either the Intelligence Bureau, Central Board of Direct Taxes, the Central Board of Excise or Customs or the Central Bureau of Investigation.

What Rashtrapati Bhawan found bewildering was that how had the government failed to take note of any conviction or court order against Dr Bhai Mohan Singh. The founder of Ranbaxy was said to have been convicted in three criminal complaints under section 138 of the Negotiable Instructments Act of 1881 though these had been challenged and pending final disposal in the sessions court in the capital.