CBI: Bhanwari claimed legislator fathered her child

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case of missing Jodhpur nurse Bhanwari Devi, 36, has found she had claimed a Congress legislator in Rajasthan had fathered her third child and was extorting money from him. According to the CBI’s case documents, a copy of which is in HT’s  possession, Devi — who went missing on September 1 and is suspected to have been murdered — was blackmailing Luni legislator Malkhan Singh, a suspect in her disappearance.

Sacked Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna has already been arrested in the case. A CD allegedly showing him and Devi in a compromising position is suspected to be the reason for her disappearance.

“Bhanwari Devi had an intimate relationship with Malkhan Singh for the past 10-12 years. She had been extorting money from him by claiming that he had fathered her third child,” said a CBI official who did not want to be named.

The CBI is likely to question Singh again on Friday. On Wednesday, the CBI raided Singh’s house and business establishments in Jodhpur, but could not find him. His family claimed he was in Bangalore.

Singh’s lawyer moved an application in the CBI court seeking postponement of his questioning till December 17 on health grounds.

According to the CBI’s case documents, Bhanwari had allegedly threatened Singh that “on September 7 she would make it public at the Bishnoi fair held at Khejarli” that he had fathered her child. Bhanwari had also allegedly threatened Singh she would insist on a DNA test if he denied paternity, according to the agency’s documents. The CBI official said Singh had allegedly introduced Devi to Maderna.

Abhishek Sharan