CBI gets one-day custody of accused in graft case

CBI today secured one-day police remand of a company secretary in a graft case involving R Vasudevan, acting chairman of the Company Law Board, from a Delhi court. Vasudevan was to be confronted with a lawyer, who is another accused in the matter.

Vasudevan, 58, was remanded to judicial custody till December 12 by the court.

The court allowed CBI's plea for custodial interrogation of the accused Manoj Kumar Banthia till tomorrow.

CBI's plea for two days police remand of Banthia was opposed by senior advocate Ramesh Gupta who contended confronting one accused with another was no justifiable ground for extension of custodial interrogation.

Banthia, the company secretary of a leading vernacular daily, and Vasudevan were produced before the court this evening at the end of their six days of custodial interrogation.

CBI arrested Banthia and Vasudevan on November 23 when the former was emerging from the Delhi residence of the CLB member after allegedly paying Rs7 lakh bribe to him to get a favourable order in a matter related to the vernacular daily.