Jaipur:
As controversy still rages on over the alleged involvement of a former minister in his government in the disappearance of a nurse, Bhanwari Devi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, according to unconfirmed reports, may reshuffle his cabinet soon.
Fuelling speculation of the reshuffle is a crucial meeting of the state Congress unit that is being held today and is being attended by party in-charge of Rajasthan, Mukul Wsanik. The meeting comes just a week after Mr Gehlot sacked Water Resources Minister Mahipal Maderna who is facing charges of kidnapping and murdering Bhanwari Devi. The 36-year-old auxiliary nurse midwife went missing near Jodhpur on September 1. Her husband, Amarchand Nat had alleged that she was abducted at the behest of Mr Maderna and his associates. The minister allegedly had an affair with Bhanwari Devi, proof of which was contained in a CD that showed him caught in a compromising position with her. He, though, had refuted all the charges levelled against him.
But the continuance of Mr Maderna as a minister was slowly becoming untenable for the Gehlot government. In fact, the Rajasthan High Court had made some sharp observations over the shoddy probe into the case. Thus, amid mounting anger, criticism and political pressure, the Chief Minister met Mr Maderna and asked him to step down. But when the latter refused to relent, Mr Gehlot was forced to sack him.
The High Court had ordered the police to officially provide an update every alternate day on its attempts to locate Bhanwari Devi.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had, on October 11, taken over the probe and had registered a case in this regard after the Rajasthan government requested the Centre last month to hand it over to the agency.