New Delhi: TV actor Anuj Saxena was on Monday asked by Delhi High Court to surrender before CBI on February 17 in connection with a graft case, in which co-accused and senior bureaucrat B K Bansal, his wife and children committed suicide last year.
Justice Vipin Sanghi issued the direction after the lawyer for Saxena 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".
However, in view of Saxena's apprehension that the same fate as that of Bansal might befall him, the court asked CBI to get him examined by an AIIMS doctor before he is taken into custody and that he should be represented by a lawyer. CBI agreed to the conditions set by the court.
During the hearing, CBI opposed Saxena's plea saying he has not responded to repeated notices to appear before the court and was evading arrest despite a non-bailable warrant issued against him.
The agency also said that a proclamation has been issued asking Saxena, the Chief Operating Officer of Elder Pharmaceuticals, to appear before the court and surrender on March 15.
It said his custody was required for interrogating him to unearth the conspiracy and find out the chain of events. Saxena's lawyer opposed CBI's arguments, saying he apprehended that Bansal's fate might befall him if he is takeninto custody.
The lawyer said that Saxena was willing to join the probe and there was no need to take him into custody, since as per the agency, there was no money trail and it only claimed to have record of an alleged conversation between him and Bansal, who was a Director General in the Corporate Affairs Ministry. The court, however, disagreed with the contentions, saying he appeared to be the "ultimate beneficiary". It also said that prima facie, the conversation between Bansal and Saxena "shows that you conversed with Bansal for payment of bribe".
"It shows you agree to payment of bribe," the judge said and added "I am not inclined to grant the relief", after which Saxena's lawyer decided to withdraw the plea.
According to the CBI, Saxena had allegedly 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.
Saxena, known for roles in soaps like "Kkusum" and "Kumkum", had contended before the trial court that he did not have any direct link with the case and there was only a disclosure statement of a co-accused.
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. 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, 2016.
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