The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has reportedly given a clean chit to its officials accused of harassing the family of additional secretary-rank officer in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs BK Bansal, who along with his son committed suicide after his wife and daughter hanged themselves to death in their East Delhi's Madhu Vihar area.
In its 90-page report to the Delhi Police, the CBI said it had never ever questioned Bansal's wife and daughter while probing an alleged bribery case against him. The Delhi Police, which is conducting inquest proceedings in connection with these suicides, had asked the CBI to submit a detailed account of the investigations it had carried out in the bribery case.
Bansal was arrested by the CBI on July 16 for allegedly accepting bribe from a prominent pharmaceutical company. The case hit the headlines after police found suicide notes in which both Bansal and his son Yogesh had blamed the CBI directly for harassing their family.
When asked about the CBI report, a senior Delhi Police officer who did not want to be named, told The Pioneer that the report will be studied. Since the inquest proceedings are on to ascertain the causes of the suicide of all the four members of the Bansal's family, the report will be matched with the details of Bansal's interrogation. It has to be seen whether Bansal was really summoned and questioned by the concerned CBI officers on the days and time mentioned in his suicide note, the official added.
A source said the CBI has told police that it had never ever questioned Bansal's wife and daughter. The investigating agency, however, said it had twice questioned Bansal's son in connection with the bribery case. "The CBI report gives complete breakup of timings when and how Bansal was questioned. It has also given details about the type of food the bureaucrat was served during investigation. The report gives the complete account of people with whom Bansal was confronted with by the probe agency."
In his suicide note, both the officer and his son Yogesh had blamed
the CBI directly for the harassment and accused senior officials of abusing and torturing his wife and daughter. He also alleged that a CBI Deputy Inspector General Sanjeev Gautam also claimed that he was close to a politician of the ruling party leader and dared Bansal to do whatever he wanted.
Sources said the CBI has claimed that they were never contacted in any way and never questioned. This is contrary to the allegations leveled by Bansal and his son about the harassment meted out to their family members by the agency.
The CBI' s exhaustive report to exonerate its officers involved in the arrest and the subsequent arrest is in sharp contrast to the allegations levelled by the officer.
Bansal in his seven-page suicide note had stated: "I am committing suicide because of CBI. On intervening night of July 18 and July 19, CBI female officers Rekha Sangwan and Amrita Kaur severely tortured my wife and daughter, which they shared with neighbours and friends. They slapped and beat my wife and daughter, abused them".