Zeenews Bureau
Jaipur: The CBI was on Wednesday inching towards solving the Bhanwari Devi abduction and murder case, with the arrest of two absconding accused.
Bishnaram Bishnoi, the leader of a gang which is suspected to have disposed off the missing nurse’s body, and another member Kailash Jakhar were arrested in a span of two days.
While Bishnoi was nabbed, according to sources, by Maharashtra Police near Pune, Jakhar was arrested last night from a truck on the Jodhpur-Ajmer highway following a tip off.
Jakhar is alleged to have obtained Bhanwari Devi from Sohan Lal Bishnoi and Shahabuddin after they picked her up from Bilara on September 1. According to police sources, he has admitted to have taken possession of Bhanwari Devi and disposed her off somewhere in Jaloda village near Phalodi.
"He has admitted to having burnt her and we will now take him for the physical verification of the spot, where she was burnt," the sources said.
Bishnoi was wanted by the CBI and carried a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head. The CBI has already arrested Bishnoi’s brother Om Prakash Bishnoi who is currently under CBI custody.
Jakhar is the person, who as per the investigations so far, had come to Nevra Road on the evening of September 1 to receive Bhanwari Devi from Sohan Lal and Shahabuddin in a light green colour Scorpio car.
Following the directions of Sahi Ram Bishnoi, they had handed her over to Jakhar for the final disposal with a direction not to leave any mark leading to her identification.
The police had also seized this Scorpio some time back and CFSL team has examined this car. Jakhar had sold this car to one Sharavan Singh, who has admitted before the CBI to have purchased from him.
The CBI has kept him at its camp office at Jodhpur Circuit House for further interrogation and has taken Om Prakash to Jaloda for the verification of the spot, as he is also believed to be with him during disposal of Bhanwari's body.
This arrest followed by the identification of the spot of Bhanwari's disposal will now also enable the CBI to give reply to the Rajasthan High Court, where the habeas corpus filed by Bhanwari's husband Amarchand is still pending and is listed or next hearing on January 10.
Also, according to CBI sources, sacked Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna and Congress MLA Malkhan Singh planned Bhanwari’s murder.
Further, sources said Bhanwari’s husband was aware of his wife’s abduction and was paid Rs 10 lakh in advance by Malkhan Singh.
According to sources close to the investigation, Maderna and Malkhan were hand-in-glove in the entire conspiracy as the nurse was blackmailing both of them.
Maderna was believed to be blackmailed on the basis of a CD showing him in a compromising position with the nurse.
(With agency inputs)
First Published: Wednesday, January 04, 2012, 10:02