Bansal suicide: DCW pulls up Delhi Police, CBI

The DCW on Monday asked the Delhi Police if an FIR has been filed against those named in the suicide note of senior bureaucrat B.K. Bansal and also pulled up the CBI for 'unsatisfactory' response to a notice issued to them.

In a notice to the Delhi Police, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Monday asked it to provide reasons for the delay if an FIR has not been filed yet, and called in the response within the next 48 hours.

"Whether an FIR for abetment of suicide and other relevant provisions of law has been filed against those named in the suicide note? If not, please provide reasons for the same and the steps being taken by the Delhi Police to ensure filing of the same," said the notice.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has responded to an earlier notice issued by the DCW, saying that an inquiry by a Joint Director-level officer has been ordered and "appropriate action" would be taken based on its findings.

Last week, the DCW had issued notice to the CBI following the suicide by senior bureaucrat B.K. Bansal, his wife and their two children.

"The Commission finds the reply inadequate and unsatisfactory. Hence, a repeat notice is being issued for point-wise reply within 48 hours to the Director of CBI," a statement said.

The notice said that Bansal named CBI officers accusing them of torturing him and his family, which forced all of them to end their lives.

"He (Bansal) has stated in his alleged suicide note that his wife and daughter were physically abused and tortured by the officers of CBI while he was in custody," the notice read.

It also mentioned Bansal's son's suicide note, in which he alleged that he and his mother and sister were "unofficially" subjected to "mental and physical" torture by five officers of the CBI, which forced them to take the extreme step.

"Prima facie, this appears to be a shocking instance of alleged victimisation and abatement of suicide of the family of an accused. The Delhi Commission for Women is deeply concerned about the same and has taken up the case of the alleged torture and suicide of the wife and daughter of (B.K.) Bansal," it said.

Bansal, a senior officer in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, was accused of corruption and was being probed by the CBI.

He and his 31-year-old son Yogesh committed suicide on September 27 by hanging themselves at their house in east Delhi. His wife Satyabala, 57, and daughter Neha, 27, committed suicide on July 19.

Bansal named CBI Deputy Inspector General Sanjeev Gautam, Superintendent of Police Amrita Kaur, Deputy Superintendent of Police Rekha Sangwan and Investigating Officer Harnam Singh, apart from an unnamed Head Constable, in his suicide note for making "my family life hell".

"These CBI officers made my family life hell. Although I heard that the CBI is tough, I never heard about such proceedings. My daughter and wife had not committed suicide, it is murder by the CBI," Bansal wrote in his suicide letter.

--IANS

vv/nir/dg