Information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj - in an interview to DD National over the weekend - clarified what kind of surrogate advertising will be allowed on television channels beaming into Indian homes without attracting the government‘s ire for violation of the recently passed cable TV amendments imposing the advertising and programming code on private TV channels.
"Where a product is being manufactured and a brand has been built around it by the liquor company, advertising for that product will not considered as surrogate advertising and will be permitted," she told DD National. "Where the product is not being manufactured in substantial quantities, it will be seen as surrogate advertising and will be disallowed."

She gave the example of the UB group‘s Kingfisher beer which also retails Kingfisher Mineral water. "Advertising for Kingfisher will be allowed," she said. "However, advertising for McDowell‘s cricket bats and balls will be perceived as surrogate advertising."

However, it‘s quite likely that they will protest against what constitutes substantial quantity of a product, which is what they have not been clear about. Guess only Aunty Sushma can answer that.

The police have concrete evidence linking Bollywood film financier Bharat Shah to underworld don Chhota Shakeel, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said in a press briefing after Shah‘s arrest on Monday.

He was a conduit for $50,000 in slush money from an unnamed link in the United Arab Emirates and was also linked to a Rs7.5 million extortion threat against a businessman, Morani, the Press Trust of India quoted Bhujbal as saying.

Shah‘s role in forcing film personalities to sign on films, give dates and even work for lower fees had been clearly established, Bhujbal said.

According to a source, Shah was initially interrogated by the Crime Branch where transcripts of his conversations were played to him after which he is alleged to have confessed to his links with the underworld.

State Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian said Shah had been arrested on a charge of abetting crime under the Maharashtra Organised Crime Control Act and remanded to police custody till 19 January. He has been denied bail.

In a sudden move, the Bombay police on Monday arrested top Bollywood financier and co-promoter of B4U Entertainment, Bharat Shah. He has been charged under the Maharashtra Organised Crime Control Act. At the time of posting, he was being questioned in court.

In a related development, a special court in Mumbai has granted judicial custody to film producer Nasim Rizvi till 19 January. However, Judge P Bangale remanded Abdul Rahim Allah Baksh, the co-producer to police custody till the January 15.

Both of them were arrested last month for their alleged links with underworld don Chhota Shakeel in the production of the Bollywood potboiler "Chori Chori Chupke Chupke" and conspiring with him to kill film personalities. Shah was the financier of the film.

Ravi Gupta, MD, B4U, said he was still awaiting further details when questioned as to the repercussions the arrest would have on the channel‘s fortunes.

National broadcaster Doordarshan has made a written offer to WSG-Nimbus Pvt. Ltd for telecast rights of international cricket in Sri Lanka, Nimbus Communications Chairman Harish Thawani said on Friday.

WSG-Nimbus is a 50:50 joint venture between the UK based WSG plc and India‘s Nimbus.

Thawani said that while talks were on with other broadcasters too, both primary and secondary, the final decision would cover not just financial considerations but also the kind of exposure that would be achieved.

In this context, a package arrangement involving Doordarshan and a private broadcaster was a possibility, he said.

Thawani added that Nimbus had already finalised a title sponsorship deal for the 14 international tours to be played in the emerald isles over the next three years.

His comments were in response to questions raised about the saleability of the tours. Satish Menon head of Buddha Films, the sports ventures spin-off of Zee Telefilms, had earlier told indiatelevision.com: "Three-year exclusive broadcast rights for international cricket played in Sri Lanka had fallen through because Nimbus‘ asking price of $25 million was much too high." Thawani retorted that Nimbus had rejected a written offer for telecast rights from Zee Telefilms because of doubts over payment security.

Zee was not in the picture at all at present he said, adding that discussions were still on with other channels whose bids were "more secure".