Jaipur:
The CBI has charged former Rajasthan minister Mahipal Singh Maderna and a former Congress MLA Malkhan Singh with murder, abduction, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence in the Bhanwari Devi murder case. Bhanwari's husband, Amarchand, has been charged with criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and abduction.
Bhanwari Devi, a trained midwife and nurse, went missing in September last year and the remains of her body were discovered by the CBI four months later. The investigating agency filed its second chargesheet in the case in a Jodhpur court today; it is a 97-page document and was brought to the designated court along with supporting documents by the CBI in two cartons and a big tin box. Thirteen of the 17 people accused in the case have been charged under different sections in the chargesheet filed today. The CBI has examined 300 witnesses in the case.
Bhanwari Devi was reportedly blackmailing Mahipal Singh Maderna with a CD that showed them together.
In the chargesheet, investigators say Malkhan Singh and his sister Indra, conspired with Bhanwari to make the CD that featured Bhanwari and Maderna. Malkhan Singh wanted Mahipal Maderna to be disgraced and was reportedly eyeing his ministerial job.However, events took a turn when Bhanwari started asking Malkhan for maintenance money, for her children. This led to Malkhan Singh conspiring with Maderna to kill Bhanwari.
Mr Maderna was forced to resign after she disappeared. He was arrested along with ex-MLA Malkhan Singh, who allegedly had an affair with Bhanwari before he introduced her to Mr Maderna. The CBI, earlier this week, said that both men should be moved into separate prisons since they were trying to influence witnesses. The CBI has also charged both men under the SC/ST Act in the chargesheet filed today.
Along with the two politicians, 15 other people were arrested in recent months. They include a gang of paid assassins, and others who reportedly helped them destroy evidence. Among them is Bhanwari's husband, Amarchand, who originally fought in court to have her case handed to the CBI. He also campaigned for Mr Maderna to be investigated for rape and murder. Amarchand was arrested after he allegedly attempted to escape from the CBI questioning centre in Jodhpur. The agency contended that he did not cooperate during questioning and hence was taken into custody. The CBI later claimed that its investigations had found that he too was part of the murder plan and was offered Rs 10 lakh to be part of the conspiracy.
In the first chargesheet filed in December, the CBI had not specified the charges against Mr Maderna; the agency said it was investigating the ex-minister's role. At that time, Bhanwari's murder had also not yet been established. So the chargesheet dealt with her rape and abduction.
Then, in January, the remains of her body were found at the Jaloda village near Jodhpur. The CBI found a pit where Bhanwari's corpse had been set on fire; some remains were thrown into a canal nearby. Divers recovered burnt bones, a broken locket, a toe-ring, a tooth. Also found nearby - the bat that was allegedly used to smash her skull. This gory map of the crime-scene formed the basis for the CBI's new chargesheet.
Sohanlal and Shahabuddin were the men who were allegedly hired to kidnap her from a bus and kill her.
Bishna Ram and Kailash Jakhar were assigned to get rid of her corpse, according to the CBI. The team had reportedly been identified and assimilated by Sahi Ram, known to be a close aide of Mr Maderna.