New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS) A court here Tuesday sought the CBI's reply on the anticipatory bail plea of central excise commissioner A.K. Srivastava in a corruption case and sent two co-accused to judicial custody till Jan 19.

Srivastava along with co-accused central excise superintendent Lallan Ojha and alleged middleman Hemant Gandhi were involved in allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs.60 lakh from mobile phone importers.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Talwant Singh sent Ojha and Gandhi to judicial custody for nine days. Ojha and Gandhi were arrested Jan 2.

Srivastava is in hospital where he has undergone angioplasty. The court has directed the probe agency to reply to his anticipatory bail plea till Thursday.

According to the CBI, Ojha Dec 28, along with a team of officials of central excise, conducted a surprise raid at the warehouse of Dilip Aggarwal and Anand Aggarwal and negotiated a deal for illegal gratification.

The CBI recovered a cheque of Rs.20 lakh and currency notes along with other evidence.

The probe agency booked the accused under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.