The CBI probe into the Bhanwari Devi case has revealed that the conspiracy to kidnap and eliminate the 36-year-old folk singer was hatched on August 8 in Jodhpur. Meanwhile, a key witness in the case, Indira Bishnoi, reportedly went missing on Saturday.
Sources in the CBI alleged that former Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna, in CBI custody till December 9, was part of the conspiracy hatched August 8. The agency on Friday arrested Mr Maderna and Mr Parasram Bishnoi, the brother of a ruling Congress MLA, in connection with its probe. The two were produced before a local court in Jodhpur which remanded them to seven days’ police custody. When Mr Maderna was being produced before the court, his supporters started shouting slogans. His daughter Divya was also present at the hearing.
“As part of the plan, Maderna hired Sahi Ram Bishnoi, who is absconding, for `50 lakh to get a CD from Devi. When Devi refused to give the CD, allegedly showing Maderna in a compromising position with the folk singer, to them, Shahabuddin and Sohan Lal allegedly strangled her in a Bolero jeep on the directions of Sahi Ram,” the sources claimed.
“The accused hatched the conspiracy to eliminate Devi on August 8. Both Shahabuddin and Sohan Lal bought two SIM cards (numbers 7742688399 and 8432322195) on August 9 from Jodhpur on the basis of forged documents. They used to contact Devi from these two mobile numbers,” the sources alleged.