CBI arrests Central Excise Commissioner in Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 13: CBI on Friday arrested Central Excise Commissioner Anup Kumar Srivastava after a local court dismissed his anticipatory bail plea in connection with his alleged role in a graft case.

Srivastava was arrested by the agency soon after the private hospital, where he had got himself addmitted for treatment, discharged him.

According to sources, a team of doctors from AIIMS were supposed to examine him on the court's orders but the hospital discharged him before it could be done.

The agency, meanwhile, also got three-day custody of Excise Superintendent and co-accused in the case Lallan Ojha.

The court earlier today said Srivastava seems to be the "mastermind" of the entire conspiracy.

"This is not the stage to grant anticipatory bail to the present accused (Srivastava) who seems to be the mastermind of the entire conspiracy with other accused," Special CBI Judge Talwant Singh had said today.

The top excise officer had sought anticipatory bail after being named as an accused for allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 40 lakh from two businessmen.

PTI