Court summons ex-CLB member R Vasudevan, others in graft case

"I take cognizance of the chargesheet. Let the accused be summoned on November 24, the next date of hearing," Special CBI Judge A S Yadav said.

The probe agency had named Vasudevan, company secretary Manoj Kumar Banthia, Atul Maheswari, Harshvardhan Lodha, Vikas Shukla and Ankur Chawla as accused in the chargesheet.

They have been charged under various provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, criminal conspiracy and giving and accepting bribe.

Initially, three persons including Vasudevan and Banthia, a company secretary of a vernacular daily, were named as accused in the FIR which was lodged on November 23.
Later, names of other three cropped up during the subsequent investigation. Vasudevan and Banthia are presently out on bail.

"The then Member, Company Law Board, New Delhi was caught red handed by the CBI while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs seven lakhs from the Company Secretary at his official residence on November 23, 2009," the agency had said.

Banthia was also caught while delivering the illegal gratification. The CLB member had demanded the gratification to give favourable orders in a case being presided over by him," it had said.