NEW DELHI: The interim bail granted in a graft case to Director General Corporate Affairs B K Bansal, whose wife and daughter had allegedly committed suicide, was today extended till August 22 by a Delhi court which said CBI’s request to deny the relief lacked “seriousness”.
Special CBI Judge Gurdeep Singh extended the relief granted to the officer, who claimed his presence was required for certain rituals related to the death of his family members.
The CBI, however, opposed the plea saying the evidence was allegedly tampered with and also that the accused did not cooperate in the ongoing probe while he was out on interim bail.
“I had directed that whenever you (CBI) need him (Bansal) for the purpose of investigation, you may give notice to him in this regard. Did you do any such thing? I do not see seriousness in your plea that the relief should not be granted to him,” the judge said, after Bansal claimed he was never called for joining the probe in the interim bail extended on August 3.
“I am giving him interim bail. Meanwhile, he will join the investigation. And if he does not, you may come to the court again,” the judge said.
The court had on August 3 extended the interim bail granted to Bansal till today. He is on interim bail since July 20 which was granted after the death of his wife and daughter on July 19.
During the argument today, public prosecutor K P Singh, appearing for the CBI, opposed Bansal’s plea seeking extension of interim bail till August 23.
The counsel submitted before the court that the alleged tampering had already taken place and on the day when the unfortunate incident took place in the family, Bansal’s son allegedly went to a bank locker and moved articles to some other place. This has been captured in CCTV footage, he said.
The accused told the court that he will join investigation whenever it is required.
On July 22, Bansal had alleged before the court that CBI had compelled his wife and daughter to take the extreme step.
Bansal, an additional secretary-rank officer in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, was arrested on July 16 for allegedly accepting bribe from a prominent pharmaceutical company.
His wife Satyabala (58) and daughter Neha (28) allegedly hung themselves from ceiling fans in separate rooms at their residence in Nilkanth Apartments in east Delhi’s Madhu Vihar on July 19.
Both the women have left separate suicide notes, saying CBI raid had caused “great humiliation” and they did not want to live after that. They, however, held nobody responsible for their death. (AGENCIES)
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