Until two days ago, barely any resident of Neelkanth Apartments knew BK Bansal as a senior bureaucrat. His family’s “simple lifestyle” and the way they “conducted” themselves in the locality did not reflect his position. It was only when they read the newspapers on Sunday, did they know Bansal was the Director-General of Corporate Affairs.
Though, CBI has arrested Bansal for allegedly accepting a bribe, most of the residents are unwilling to believe he could be “corrupt”. “The family owns an old Maruti Zen car. We know Bansal’s son as a property dealer, but he would clean the car himself everyday. If his wife and daughter have killed themselves after his arrest, it only proves that they could not bear false allegations,” said Sanjay Aggarwal, a family friend.
Ill-maintained flat
Police officers who visited the suicide scene said that the condition of the house surprised them. “There was seepage on the walls of the flat and the house was not well maintained. It was difficult to believe that the flat belongs to a ‘corrupt’ bureaucrat,” said a senior investigator.
The residents said that the family mostly kept to themselves. “They never interacted with us or attended any functions organised in the society. But the entire family was very religious and attended religious functions,” said SR Batra, the RWA secretary.
“Though they kept to themselves, they were not arrogant. Whenever he would see us, he would fold his hands and greet us. We have also heard that he would go out of his way to help people financially,” said Anil Jha, the security in-charge of the society.
But Bansal kept these “charity” activities a secret. “Once he gave me a box of sweets for no reason. While going, he suddenly turned around and requested me not to mention it to anyone because it would draw unnecessarily attention,” said Mr. Jha.
Bansal stayed in a three-bedroom apartment located on the first floor of Neelkanth Apartments in East Delhi’s IP Extension area. His family included his wife, Satyabala, daughter, Neha, and son, Yogesh. While Yogesh worked as a property dealer, Neha stayed at home with her mother.
Wedding preparations
The family owned another similar flat right above this one. Jha, who appeared to be among the very few who interacted with the family, said Mr. Bansal planned to gift it to Neha after her marriage that was apparently scheduled for two months later.
“The family had begun preparations for Neha’s wedding,” said Jha.
Because of the little interaction the family had with neighbours, the police have so far had a “tough time” in gauging what transpired within the family in the recent past. “There were two maids who were working for them for four months, but even they did not know who the family interacted with,” said Rishi Pal, DCP (East).
If his wife and daughter have killed themselves after his arrest, it only proves that they could not bear false allegations
