By IANS,
Jodhpur : CBI director A.P. Singh and other officials of the agency arrived in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur city Thursday, a day after investigators identified the spot where missing nurse Bhanwari Devi’s body was allegedly disposed of after her abduction Sep 1, sources said.
Apart from Central Bureau of Investigation’s director, joint director Salim Ali and assistant director R.P. Agrawal reached Jodhpur in the afternoon.
Some of officials, including Salim Ali, went to the spot near Jaloda village where the nurse’s body was said to have been burnt after her killing. The ashes and bones were thrown into a nearby canal. A team of Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) also accompanied them.
The CBI chief also inspected the evidence related to the case at the Jodhpur Circuit House, sources said.
The CBI had taken Omprakash Bishnoi, arrested in connection with the case, to a place near Jaloda village where the nurse’s body was reportedly burnt.
“Omprakash Bishnoi told the agency that the remains of her body were dumped into a canal near the village,” sources told IANS.
Omprakash is the brother of Bishnaram Bishnoi, who was held near Pune by Maharashtra Police Wednesday morning. The CBI had announced a cash reward of Rs.5 lakh for Bishnaram’s arrest.
“The CFSL team is trying to gather remains of the body,” sources said, adding that the canal was also being checked by divers.
Bishnaram, the leader of a gang suspected to have disposed of Bhanwari devi’s body, was arrested near Pune in Maharashtra Wednesday while Kailash Jakhar, believed to be the owner of a jeep used to dispose of the body, was nabbed in Rajasthan Tuesday.
Maharashtra Police in a joint operation with the CBI arrested Bishnaram at Lonavala, 70 km from Pune.
The case has seen the arrest of former Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna and Congress legislator from Luni constituency Malkhan Singh.
In a charge sheet filed earlier by the CBI, it was alleged that three men kidnapped the nurse from Jodhpur’s Bilara area Sep 1, killed her and then handed over her body to a gang of criminals headed by Bishnaram Bishnoi.
According to sources close to the CBI, sacked minister Maderna and Congress legislator Malkhan Singh 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.
The two politicians allegedly roped in Sahiram Bishnoi, who hired Sohan Lal, Balia and Shahabuddin for the task of kidnapping the nurse.
Maderna, Malkhan, the three kidnappers and Sahiram along with Amarchand, husband of Bhanwari Devi, have been arrested by the CBI. Amarchand is at present in judicial custody.
The CBI also arrested Malkhan’s brother Parasram Bishnoi as well as two others – Umesharam and Omprakash Bishnoi.