New Delhi, Aug 5 (IANS): A Delhi court on Friday extended till August 22 the interim bail granted to senior Corporate Affairs Ministry official B.K. Bansal in a bribery case.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Gurdeep Singh extended the interim bail after defence counsel told the court that Bansal has to perform some religious rituals.

Bansal was granted interim bail on July 22 for the cremation of his wife Satyabala, 57, and daughter Neha, 27, who committed suicide a day earlier at their flat in Neelkanth Apartments in east Delhi's Madhu Vihar area.

Later, his interim bail was extended on July 24 and August 3.

Both women were upset over two CBI searches at their residence.

Meanwhile, Investigating Officer Harnam Singh and Public Prosecutor K.P. Singh opposed the plea and told the court that the accused office is not joining investigation despite repeated calls.

The court also extended the judicial custody of two co-accused -- Vishwadeep Bansal, a distributor of Elder Pharmaceuticals, and chartered accountant Gopal Krishan -- in the case till August 19.

Bansal, an additional secretary-ranked Director General in the Ministry, was arrested by the CBI on bribery charge on July 16.

He was accused of receiving Rs 9 lakh from Mumbai-based Elder Pharmaceuticals.