If it was my fault, why were my wife, daughter tortured: BK Bansal's suicide note

The CBI is facing allegations of torturing and abusing the wife and daughter of BK Bansal, former Director General (DG) in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Bansal, who was being probed by the agency in a graft case, had, along with his son Yogesh, committed suicide at their East Delhi residence on Tuesday.

In a detailed suicide note found at his home, Bansal named senior DIG officer Sanjeev Gautam, along with two female officers and another officer, who, he claimed, had played a pivotal role in torturing his family. It also alleged that Gautam also dropped the name of a top BJP leader to intimidate him during questioning.

Following the allegations, the agency has begun an internal probe. In a statement to the media it said, "We have examined the matter and decided to probe the allegations. If any violation is established during the probe, strict action will be taken against the CBI officials concerned. The competent court will be informed."

Bansal's wife Satyabala and daughter Neha had committed suicide on July 19 soon after his arrest. In his suicide note, Bansal had written, "On July 18 and 19, 2016 two CBI female officers, named Amrita Kaur and Rekha Sangwan, slapped my wife, scratched her and then abused her. DIG Gautam later asked one of the lady officers to torture my wife and daughter to an extent that both of them were just left to die."

Bansal's suicide note also mentions that he had pleaded with the DIG to show leniency towards his family, but he did not listen. Instead, his note alleged that the DIG said that he would make the lives of Bansal's wife and daughter like that of a "living corpse". It also alleged that the other officer, whose name was not mentioned, misbehaved and tortured his wife and daughter.

Such behaviour, wrote Bansal, ensured that the death of his wife and daughter was murder and not suicide. "If it was my fault then why were my wife and daughter tortured for no reason. This is a murder and not a suicide. Gautam, the lady officers and another officer should undergo a lie detector test for the ultimate truth to come out. He said he is a close aide of a prominent BJP leader and nothing can be done against him," wrote Bansal.

"I had heard that the CBI was a tough agency but did not know that the conduct of officers like DIG Sanjeev Gautam, two lady officers and another officer could be such that it could end someone's life The CBI has murdered my wife and daughter and therefore the will to live has died within me," wrote Bansal.

"Goodbye, Bharat Mata ki Jai" were the concluding lines in the note. Bansal's allegations were not the first time CBI officials had been put in the dock for their poor handling of the case. On July 19, DIG Gautam had been pulled up by a special court hearing the matter at Patiala House district court for his insensitive handling of the situation after Bansal's wife and daughter had killed themselves.

Sources at court state that till five in the evening on July 19, Bansal had remained unaware of the fact that his wife Satyabala and his daughter Neha had committed suicide. Furthermore, when the court made further inquiries on whether a family member of the accused or his counsel was present, Bansal stated that despite repeated requests, CBI officers were not permitting him to talk to anybody in his family.

When asked to respond, Sitanshu Sharma, the Investigation Officer (IO) of the case said that Bansal was allowed one phone call to his daughter at six the previous evening on July 18. Little did Bansal know though that it would be his last conversation with her.

Sources present during the proceedings claim that the court was of the opinion that the interest of justice could wait and that it would be inappropriate to send Bansal to jail at this point, as per the CBI's request. Instead, the court called upon the CBI to take custody of Bansal and directed the agency to extend all help warranted in this special situation to help him deal with the loss he had suffered.