TV actor Anuj Saxena granted bail in graft case

TV actor Anuj Saxena was today granted bail by a special court in a graft case in connection with which co-accused and senior bureaucrat B K Bansal and his entire family committed suicide last year.

Special Judge Gurdeep Singh said Saxena was not required for further custodial interrogation and allowed his bail plea.

Saxena was earlier asked by the Delhi High Court to surrender by February 17 and he was lodged in judicial custody. After he had surrendered before the court, he was sent to CBI custody.

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".

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.

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 after his arrest, 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.