Court seeks CBI reply on TV actor Anuj Saxena's bail plea

Anuj Saxena.

New Delhi: A special court on Monday sought CBI's response on TV actor Anuj Saxena's bail plea in a graft case in connection with which co-accused and senior bureaucrat BK Bansal and his entire family committed suicide last year. Special Judge Gurdeep Singh asked the agency to file its reply tomorrow and listed the matter for hearing arguments on February 23. The court also sent Saxena to 14-day judicial custody after CBI said his custodial interrogation was not required. Saxena, who was asked by the Delhi High Court to surrender by February 17, was produced before the court on expiry of his three-day CBI custody. He was sent to CBI custody after he surrendered before the court. The high court had on February 13 issued the direction after Saxena's lawyer decided to withdraw the anticipatory bail plea moved by him, when the court said it was "not inclined to grant the relief" as the accused appeared to be the "ultimate beneficiary". What has CBI alleged? CBI has alleged that Saxena had played a direct role in bribing Bansal to ensure that he does not order an SFIO inspection against his company on charges of illegal collection of Rs 175 crore from 24,000 investors, diversion of funds to companies abroad and not filing returns on time. What is the BK Bansal  suicide case? BK Bansal, who was out on bail, allegedly hung himself along with his son at their residence on the intervening night of September 26-27, 2016 with a purported suicide note claiming "harassment" by CBI. Bansal was arrested by CBI on July 16, 2016 for allegedly accepting bribe from the pharmaceutical company. Three days later, his wife Satyabala (58) and daughter Neha (28) allegedly hung themselves from ceiling fans at their residence in Nilkanth Apartments in East Delhi's Madhu Vihar.