Bhanwari murder case: CBI questions Indra Bishnoi's mother

The CBI on Tuesday questioned 80-year-old mother of absconding Indra Bishnoi, an accused in Bhanwari Devi murder case, even as the judicial custody of her brother Malkhan Singh Bishnoi and others were extended till February 14.

The probe agency questioned Amari Devi for about three hours here, officials said.
Besides Amari, Congress MLA Malkhan Singh's two sons and some other family members were also summoned by the CBI, they said.

CBI is also taking Pukh Raj and Dinesh Bishnoi at different places around Bilara for verification of their statements. The duo, who had surrendered before the CBI, are son and nephew of one of the main accused Sohan Lal Bishnoi and were believed to be privy to the crime.

Meanwhile, the judicial custody of Malkhan Singh and other accused Sahi Ram Bishnoi, Umesha Ram Bishnoi, Amarchand, Bishana Ram Bishnoi, Om Prakash Bishnoi, Ashok Bishnoi and Kailash Jakahr was extended till February 14.

Bhanwari, 36, had gone missing from Jodhpur's Bilara area on September 1 following which her husband had filed a habeas corpus petition in the Rajasthan High Court.
After the state government ordered a CBI probe into the case, the agency arrested sacked Rajasthan Minister Mahipal Maderna on December 3 and Congress MLA Malkhan Singh on December 19 for their alleged involvement in the case.

Maderna was removed by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot from his ministry in October after his name cropped up in the case.

During the probe, it was found that Bhanwari was allegedly abducted and killed and her body burnt at Jaloda. Her remains and belongings were later dumped in the Rajiv Gandhi Lift Canal which were recovered by the CBI.

Soon after her death, a sleaze CD was circulated allegedly featuring Maderna and Bhanwari. Agency sources had said Maderna and Malkhan Singh were being blackmailed by Bhanwari who was allegedly having relations with them and threatened to expose them which led to her killing.

According to the sources, Bhanwari had demanded Rs 50 lakh from Maderna with whom she was shown in a compromising position in a CD. She had also threatened Malkhan Singh that she would make it public that he was the father of her youngest daughter at a Bishnoi community fair on September 7.