CBI custody of suspended CBFC CEO Rakesh Kumar extended to August 31

A court on Thursday extended till August 31 the CBI custody of suspended CEO of Central Borad of Film Certification Rakesh Kumar who has been accused of taking bribe for clearing films.

CBI, which is investigating the bribery racket in Central Borad of Film Certification today told a court here that he had received applications for clearance for 900 feature films and thousands of short films during his stint since January.

"In some cases, Kumar violated procedures laid down under the Cinematograph Act and cleared the films," the CBI lawyer told the court which extended Kumar's CBI custody till August 31.

Kumar was arrested on August 18, four days after an agent and a censor board member were arrested for allegedly taking bribes on Kumar's behalf to clear the film.

According to the CBI lawyer, Kumar maintained `tabular sheets' of names of agents and the films which came through them were cleared out of turn.

He had directed his clerk to maintain sheets from April onwards with the names of agents and how fast the certificates were issued to them.

The agency also claimed that Kumar threw an I-pad which he had got from an agent by way of bribe into the sea after he heard about the arrest of the two co-accused.