Accused Missing For 6 Years In Bhanwari Devi Murder Case Arrested

Rajasthan: Six years after a woman went missing and was later found murdered, one of the main accused in the conspiracy has finally been arrested. Indira Bishnoi, who helped plan the murder of Bhanwari Devi with her brother Malkhan Singh Bishnoi, a former Congress legislator in 2011, was arrested in Madhya Pradesh's Dewas by a Rajasthan Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) team. According to the police, Ms Bishnoi was staying at a shelter along the Narmada river. She had been evading arrest for six years in the sensational case and carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh. She will be handed over to the CBI today in Jodhpur.

"A Rajasthan police team with the help of Madhya Pradesh police arrested Indira Bishnoi from Nemawar area last night," Additional Superintendent of Police (Dewas) Anil Patidar told PTI today.

Bhanwari Devi, a trained midwife and nurse, disappeared after a CD allegedly showing former Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna in compromising position with the 36-year-old nurse was aired by some news channels. She was abducted from Jodhpur's Bilara area on September 1, 2011 and murdered. Her body was handed over to another gang who burnt and dumped it in a canal. The remains of her body were found by the CBI four months later. 

The CBI has so far filed three charge-sheets against 17 accused including former Rajasthan minister Mr Maderna and Malkhan Singh Bishnoi. Among the accused, 15 were in judicial custody, one was out on bail while Ms Bishnoi was absconding.

Mr Maderna, who then represented the Osian assembly constituency in Jodhpur, was arrested on December 2, 2011 by the CBI along with Malkhan Singh's brother Parasram Bishnoi.

(With inputs from PTI)