Jodhpur, Jan 18 (IANS) Bishnaram Bishnoi, the alleged kingpin of a gang suspected to have disposed of Rajasthan nurse Bhanwari Devi’s body, Wednesday recorded before a magistrate here his statement which can be used as evidence against him, sources said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) brought him before the additional chief judicial magistrate when Bishnaram agreed to record his statement under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), sources added.

“Bishnaram had been persuaded to record his statement before the magistrate. The development will strengthen the CBI’s case during the trial,” a source in the CBI told IANS.

Pune police in a joint operation with the CBI arrested Bishnaram at Lonavala, 70 km from Pune.

It is alleged that Bishnaram was heading the gang of criminals who had taken possession of Bhanwari’s body from her three alleged abductors Shahabuddin, Sohan Lal and Baldev Jat alias Balia Sep 1.

Bishnaram and other members of his gang, including Kailash Jakhar, Umesharam and Omprakash, then brunt the body to ashes and dumped the remains in a canal near Jaloda village in Jodhpur rural, sources said.

The CBI has arrested the three kidnappers and those involved in the disposal of the nurse’s body.

Bishnaram’s accomplice Omprakash Bishnoi had recently led the CBI to the canal near Jaloda village where some items, possibly belonging to the nurse, were recovered. These included her jewellery, watch and bones.

The case has seen the arrest of former Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna and Congress legislator Malkhan Singh.

In a charge sheet filed earlier by the CBI, it was alleged that three men kidnapped the nurse from Jodhpur’s Bilara area Sep 1, killed her and then handed over her body to a gang of criminals headed by Bishnaram for disposal.

A jeep, sources said, was used in the disposal of Bhanwari’s body after she was allegedly strangled by three abductors - Sohan Lal Bishnoi, Shahabuddin and Baldev Jaat alias Balia.

A court earlier issued an arrest warrant against Jakhar on the CBI’s request when the agency failed to trace him.

According to sources close to the investigation, sacked minister Maderna and Congress legislator Malkhan Singh were hand-in-glove in the entire conspiracy as the nurse was blackmailing both of them.

Maderna was believed to be blackmailed on the basis of a CD showing him in a compromising position with the nurse.

The two politicians allegedly roped in Sahiram Bishnoi, who hired Sohan Lal, Balia and Shahabuddin for the task of kidnapping the nurse.

Maderna, Malkhan, the three kidnappers and Sahiram along with Amarchand, husband of Bhanwari Devi, have been arrested by the CBI. Amarchand is presently under judicial custody.

The CBI has also arrested Malkhan’s brother Parasram Bishnoi as well as Umesharam and Omprakash.