By IANS,
Jodhpur: Sacked Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna, arrested in connection with the disappearance of nurse Bhanwari Devi, was Tuesday elected unopposed as the chairman of a Gram Sewa Sahkari Samiti (a village cooperative committee) in his native village, sources said.
The elections were held for the cooperative committee of Chandi village in Jodhpur district.
“Maderna had filled up the nomination forms for the post of the chairman from the jail Monday. It is a sign of his clout in the village that he still got elected unopposed despite being arrested in the Bhanwari Devi case,” a representative of Chandi village panchayat (council) told IANS.
On Monday, many supporters of the former minister had gathered in the court premises where he was produced by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and shouted slogans in his support.
Maderna had been arrested by the CBI Dec 3 for criminal conspiracy in the disappearance of the nurse, who allegedly features in a CD with him in a compromising position, and went missing from Jodhpur Sep 1.
On Oct 16, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot sacked the minister over allegations that he had a role in her disappearance as she was blackmailing him on the basis of the CD.
It was alleged that Maderna had hired one Sahi Ram Bishnoi, a small-time politician from Jodhpur to get the nurse eliminated. Sahi Ram then allegedly assigned the task to Shahabuddin, Sohan Lal Bishnoi and Baldev Jaat alias Balia to kidnap the nurse.
In the chargesheet filed before the court earlier, Shahabuddin, Baliya and Sohanlal have been charged with Section 364 (abduction with an intent to kill) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code and various sections of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in the case.