Thaindian News

Jodhpur, Nov 14 (IANS) The Rajasthan High Court Monday gave the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) time till Nov 24 to file a report in the case of missing nurse Bhanwari Devi.

The nurse had gone missing from Jodhpur’s Bilara area Sep 1. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Oct 16 sacked state minister Mahipal Maderna from the cabinet over allegations that he had a role in her disappearance.

Maderna has also been suspended from the Congress party’s primary membership over the allegations of the nurse’s rape, kidnap and murder.

The bench of Justice N.K. Jain and Justice Govind Mathur fixed the next hearing in the case Nov 24 and directed the probe agency to submit an investigation report by that day.

Bhanwari Devi has remained absent from duty since Aug 25. A missing complaint was lodged by her husband Amarchand Sep 1. The complaint was then turned into a kidnapping case.

The CBI earlier requested the court that it be granted four weeks’ time to submit the investigation report in the case. The court was hearing a petition filed by Amarchand.

The court said it could not give the CBI “indefinite time” and asked the probe agency to speed up investigations.

The CBI Nov 11 gave a status report, in a sealed cover, to the court on the probe conducted so far into the case.

A day earlier, the probe agency quizzed Maderna for over six hours here. While he was being questioned, a CD was aired on some news channels showing the nurse and Maderna in a compromising position.

An additional chief judicial magistrate in Jodhpur Sep 24 directed police to include Maderna as an accused and probe his role under penal provisions for rape, murder and criminal conspiracy. The case was later transferred to the CBI.