Court extends Bansal's interim bail till Aug 5 in graft case

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 5 by a Delhi court.
Special CBI Judge Gurdeep Singh extended the relief granted to the officer and put up on August 5 his plea seeking extension of his interim bail till August 23.
During the hearing, Bansal told the court that he was cooperating in the ongoing investigation and whenever there is a need, he will join the probe.
Bansal's application, however, was opposed by CBI which claimed that during the relief period granted to Bansal, he was called to join the ongoing investigation a number of times, but he did not turn up.

He, however, denied the allegation. The court, thereafter, fixed August 5 for hearing arguments on the plea.
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.
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The court granted bail to the accused on a personal bond of Rs five lakh and two sureties of like amount.

While granting the relief, the court said "the investigating officer affirms that necessary investigation in this regard has been carried out. The nature of evidence in the present case is documentary and digital and the investigation has already been carried out... It is unlikely that he can tamper with the evidence at this stage."
It said the accused had "from time to time approached the court for anticipatory bail and therefore it cannot be said he was fleeing from justice."
"It is not disputed that the accused is TV actor, his reputation and he has stakes in India. Therefore it is unlikely that he would flee from justice," the court said.

The court, however, put various condition on the accused including that he would make himself before CBI as and when required, will not influence the probe and not leave the country without its prior permission.