K.K. Sonawane, J.

1. By this petition, the petitioner is agitating the validity, correctness and propriety of the impugned order passed by the respondent dated 4th August, 2004, rejecting the claim for grant of benefit of Samman Pension as envisaged under the Freedom Fighter Pension Scheme, 1972.

2. The factual matrix emerging from the circumstances on record in this petition is that, the petitioner had taken active participation in the Hyderabad Liberation Movement and worked as an underground freedom fighter. He had participated in the activities like campaigning against the erstwhile Nizam Government. He had collected funds for the sake of Liberation Movement. He supplied weapons to the activists of the movement. He was providing secret information about the police activities to the other workers etc. The petitioner participated in the freedom movement as underground freedom fighter. The veteran leaders – Shri Vitthal Bhosale, Kondiba Surne, Nagorao Mugal, Bhujangrao Panchal, Govind More, Rajendra Sangewar and others were the associates of the petitioner in the liberation movement.

3. According to the petitioner, the Government of India introduced a scheme providing grant