Bhanwari Devi case: CBI files status report in HC

Jodhpur, Nov 11 (PTI) The CBI today filed a status report in the Rajasthan High Court in the Bhanwari Devi disappearance case in which former minister Mahipal Maderna is a suspect. The report was filed a day after the agency quizzed Maderna on his alleged links with the missing nurse during which he is understood to have admitted that he knew her. After seeking the court's permission to file the report in a sealed envelope, the CBI filed the report in the division bench of Govind Mathur and NK Jain here. The CBI also requested the court to provide a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) rank police officer to assist it in searching Bhanwari Devi, who is missing since September 1, but the court advised the agency to first approach the state government on the issue. However, the court said, if the government does not take any action in this regard the court can interfere. The court was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Amarchand, the husband of Bhanwari Devi. Amarchand had alleged that she was abducted at the behest of Maderna who denied the charge. The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled on November 14. Agency sources yesterday said that Maderna was quizzed for about six hours and he came out with "valuable information" about the case and his questioning is likely to continue today as he has assured the CBI of his "full cooperation" in the probe. Maderna was confronted with statements of other suspects, his call records, details of his meetings with Bhanwari Devi, Sahiram and other suspects besides some recent recoveries made by the agency in the case. He has admitted that "he knew" Bhanwari and has provided "valuable information", the sources had said, without elaborating. The questioning of Maderna, who was removed from Cabinet by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on October 16 after his name cropped up in the case.

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