MUMBAI: The CBI has found that Rakesh Kumar, CEO of the Central Board of Film Certification, had accepted a laptop and an iPad for arranging speedy screening of big-budget Tamil movie Anjaan and another Rs 50,000 for screening its Telugu version. The movie was issued the clearance certificate on August 5 this year. Anjaan, starring Surya and Samantha, is produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur.

Kumar was arrested on Monday. On Friday, the court extended Kumar’s custody till August 28.

The CBI found CCTV footage of Kumar accepting money and gifts at a coffee shop in Andheri. The investigating agency has also found footage of him accepting money from some authorized agents who act as the interface between the producers and CBFC . Kumar was arrested on Monday after an agent, Shripati Mishra, and advisory panel member Sarvesh Jaiswal were caught accepting Rs 70,000 bribe for issuing clearance of a Chhattisgarh movie. Both are in judicial custody.

Kumar had invested Rs 2.34 crore in properties and spent Rs 1.27 crore on purchase of gold and diamond jewellery. The CBI also seized 2kg gold and diamonds worth Rs 65 lakh that were found in a bank locker maintained by Kumar and his wife. The properties included land and flats in New Delhi and Noida. The CBI has examined eight agents who have approached Kumar since he took over as CEO in January this year. The agents told CBI that they used to send text messages to Kumar seeking speedy clearance of movies. “They used to pay money for speedy work,” CBI’s remand application said.

