Court extends Bansal's interim bail till Aug 3 in graft case

The interim bail granted to graft case accused Director General Corporate Affairs B K Bansal, whose wife and daughter had allegedly committed suicide, was today extended till August 3 by a Delhi court before which he alleged that CBI had compelled them to take the extreme step.
During the arguments on bail application, Bansal's counsel claimed before Special CBI Judge Gurdeep Singh that after his client was arrested, the agency had not allowed anyone to meet his family due to which they were "isolated" and committed suicide.
"No relatives were allowed to meet them (Bansal's wife and daughter) that's why these ladies committed suicide. This is a fact. They were isolated. They (CBI) are threatening his son not to say anything otherwise he will also be implicated," senior advocate Ramesh Gupta, who appeared for Bansal, said.

At this juncture, Bansal who was present in court and was seen sobbing, said, "Sir, my son will also commit suicide."
Gupta told the court that Bansal should be granted bail as he has to perform the rituals related to death of his wife and daughter and he himself was having medical problems.
CBI, which said they have "full sympathy" with Bansal, opposed his bail plea contending that probe into the case was going on and if Bansal was required for any rituals, the court may pass order at the appropriate time.

Bansal's counsel termed this submission as "inhuman" and said that CBI was opposing the bail despite knowing the facts and circumstances of the matter where two family members of the accused had committed suicide.

The court, after hearing the submissions, extended interim bail granted to Bansal which noting his "traumatic state" due to "unfortunate deaths of his wife and daughter".
"...On account of two unfortunate deaths of his wife and daughter which have taken place in his family, the accused is in traumatic state, I am of the opinion that ends of justice would meet in admitting the accused to interim bail till 3 August," the judge said while granting him the relief on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with one surety of the like amount.
Bansal, an additional secretary-rank officer in 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.
During the hearing, Bansal's counsel referred to multi
crore scam case like Bofors, 2G and Commonwealth Games and said that even in these cases most of the accused were not arrested by the agency before filing of charge sheet.
"He (Bansal) can be sought for the investigation whenever required during the period of his interim bail," he said, adding that, "Bansal has already suffered a lot."
He argued that raids have already been conducted and recoveries have been made in the case so there was no need for sending the accused in custody.

The defence counsel also opposed CBI's submissions that accused might tamper with the evidence.
CBI prosecutor told the court that they had not opposed Bansal's interim bail earlier keeping in view the incident that had occurred in his family.
While granting bail, the court imposed several conditions on Bansal, including that he would make himself available before CBI during the period of his interim bail, if he is required for the purpose of investigation.
It also asked him neither to influence witnesses or visit his office during the period nor to leave the country.
CBI had earlier carried out searches at eight locations in connection with the case during which the agency had claimed to have made cash recoveries.