Arrested excise commissioner fit to be discharged: AIIMS

The AIIMS is understood to have said that the health of Central Excise Commissioner Anup Kumar Srivastava, who is in judicial custody, is fine and he is fit to be discharged.CBI sources said AIIMS experts have opined that Srivastava, who was arrested in a graft case on January 13, is fit and can be discharged.Following the report, Srivastava might be asked to be shifted to Tihar jail.Srivastava was arrested by the CBI for his alleged role in shielding two businessmen from prosecution in an excise evasion case for a bribe of Rs 40 lakh.He was taken into custody after the private hospital, where he was admitted and undergoing treatment, discharged him. Srivastava was then remanded in judicial custody till January 28 and was admitted at AIIMS for further treatment.The CBI had registered an FIR against Srivastava and Excise Department Superintendent Lallan Ojha besides alleged conduit Hemant Gandhi, businessmen Dalip Aggarwal and Anand Aggarwal for their alleged roles in the graft case.It had said Gandhi was in touch with Srivastava, Ojha and others and was acting as a middleman for them to obtain the bribe from the businessmen.The court had earlier refused to give anticipatory bail to Srivastava saying he "seems to be the mastermind of the entire conspiracy."