Jodhpur:
In a major breakthrough, one of the two key suspects accused of kidnapping Bhanwari Devi, a nurse who has been missing for almost two months, surrendered before a court here on Saturday, police said.
Shahabuddin, a resident of Pipad area in Jodhpur and a mechanic by profession, surrendered in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court.
He is accused of kidnapping Bhanwari Devi, who allegedly features in a CD showing her in a compromising position with Rajasthan's sacked Water Resources Minister Mahipal Maderana.
"The investigative agency is trying to get his police remand now," a police officer said.
Sources said that Shahabuddin was accused of working under the instructions of Sahi Ram Vishnoi - a small-time politician in Jodhpur, who is now the only identified accused on the run.
Sahi Ram is believed to be close to Maderana, who has been accused by the nurse's family in the kidnapping.
"Sahi Ram was the mastermind while Shahabuddin was the executioner of the kidnapping plan," a police officer told reporters.
Police have already arrested two people - Sohan Lal Vishnoi and Baldev Jaat alias Balia - in connection with the case.
Maderana was last week sacked by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Maderana was among those named in an FIR after Bhanwari Devi remained absent from duty from August 25, confined herself to her home for a few days and then vanished without a trace on September 1.
Rumours quickly gripped the state that she allegedly featured in a CD in a "compromising position" with the minister, who repeatedly denied he had anything to do with her.
Under attack, the Rajasthan government ordered the CBI to take over the case after the Rajasthan police was pulled up for allegedly not taking on Maderana.
The Rajasthan High Court on October 13 asked police to explain why they had not questioned those named in the case.
The court sought the explanation when counsel for the nurse's husband Amarchand objected to Maderana not being questioned by police though his name figured in the FIR covering charges of rape, kidnap and murder.