JOIN USSohan Lal Bishnoi (judicial custody): Sohan Lal, an ‘A’ class Public Health Engineering Dept contractor and cousin of Luni MLA, Malkhan Singh Bishnoi, called Bhanwari on September 1 to Bilara, the day she went missing. He is accused of criminal conspiracy to kidnap and kill Bhanwari Devi. Supposedly close to Bhanwari, he was mediating the deal with Mahipal Maderna for the tell-all CD .
Sahi Ram Bishnoi (suspect): Dubbed as the mastermind and currently under CBI custody on his surrender on December 23, he is a Congress worker and has been Upa Zilla Pramukh of Jodhpur from 2000 to 2005, when Maderna was the Zilla Pramukh. CBI had announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh for information on him. He was roped in by Mahipal Maderna to settle the matter with Bhanwari Devi and had engaged Sohan Lal and Shahabuddin to execute his plan.
Shahabuddin (judicial custody): A history sheeter of Pipar, he is a mechanic and runs a garage. He had good relations with Maderna family and is being dubbed as the executor of the crime by police. He was introduced to Bhanwari as Raju Bhai and went absconding the moment the matter flared up and surrendered before the court on October 22 after the CBI took charge of the investigation. After 15 days of interrogation, he is now under judicial custody. He has been held accused of criminal conspiracy to kidnap and kill Bhanwari Devi.
Mahipal Maderna (suspect): Sacked Cabinet rank minister for water resources and MLA from Osian constituency of Jodhpur, currently under judicial custody. He featured in a sleaze CD with Bhanwari Devi, who was introduced by Malkhan Singh Bishnoi in 2005. Bhanwari was blackmailing him and threatening to make the CD public. He had engaged Sahi Ram Bishnoi to settle the matter with her. He is named in the charge sheet but no charges have been framed yet.
Baldev Jat alias Balia (judicial custody): Second person to be arrested from Kaparda village, is close aide of Shahabuddin, who was dubbed as the executor of the
alleged abduction of Bhanwari Devi. He was following the car on the day she went missing, which carried Sohan Lal, Shahabuddin and Bhanwari Devi. A small time drug peddler, he is said to have no details. He is accused of criminal conspiracy to kidnap and kill Bhanwari Devi.
Paras Ram Vishnoi (suspect):Brother of Luni MLA Malkhan Singh Bishnoi, he is under judicial custody but has no direct role. His mobile number was in the call list of Bhanwari Devi on the day she went missing. He is also believed to have arranged shelter for Sohan Lal Bishnoi after her kidnap. Accused of manufacturing and supplying Mandra drug in a closed factory in Pipar around 2000, a Red Alert notice has been issued against him by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
Leela Maderna (suspect): Wife of Mahipal Maderna, she also has been interrogated thrice by CBI. Chairperson of the State Sahkari Bank (Apex Bank) and member of Jodhpur Zilla Parishad, she is suspected to be involved in the disappearance of Bhanwari Devi. But she has denied knowledge of Bhanwari Devi or her relations with Maderna.
Indra Bishnoi (suspect): Daughter of late cabinet minister Ram Singh Bishnoi, she is the sister of Malkhan Singh Bishnoi and Paras Ram Bishnoi and is now absconding. She is said to have strained relations with Malkhan and is a friend of Bhanwari Devi. He is also believed to have knowledge of the deal, which Bhanwari was intent to settle with Maderna with the help of Sahi Ram and Sohan Lal as evident in her telephonic conversation with Bhanwari.
Malkhan Singh Bishnoi (suspect): MLA from Luni constituency, currently under CBI custody, had about 12-year-long relationship with Bhanwari Devi. Known to have been very close to Bhanwari, he had accompanied her allegedly twice on a tour of Singapore. Rumours abound that he also features in a CD in a compromising position with her and was also being blackmailed by Bhanwari Devi. She had claimed that her younger daughter was fathered by Malkhan Singh and had demanded a DNA test.
Bishna Ram Bishnoi (suspect): A history-sheeter, Bishna Ram Bishnoi is believed to have either personally or through a gang member received Bhanwari Devi from Sohan Lal and Shahabuddin after they had allegedly abducted her from Bilara. He has about 45 cases pending against him, mostly related to land grabbing. He also carries a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head.
Amarchand (suspect): Husband of Bhanwari Devi, now in judicial custody, is said to have been aware of the abduction of his wife and was conniving with Sohan Lal, who had allegedly promised to pay him Rs 10 lakh. He later lodged an FIR claiming his wife was abducted.
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