Cong MLA, Maderna's wife quizzed by CBI in Bhanwari Devi case

Jodhpur, Nov 11: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday quizzed the wife of sacked Rajasthan Minister Mahipal Maderna and a Congress MLA in the Bhanwari Devi abduction case, a day after Maderna told the agency that he knew the nurse.

Lila Maderna was called for questioning at the circuit house in Jodhpur, agency officials said. The CBI also grilled ruling party MLA Malkhan Singh Bishnoi at its local office.

Sources said it is believed that Bhanwari Devi was introduced to Mr. Maderna some years back by Mr. Bishnoi, who represents the Luni constituency in the Rajasthan Assembly.

Bishnoi"s sister Indira Bishnoi was questioned twice by the agency. Maderna, who was sacked from Ashok Gehlot cabinet on October 16 after his name cropped up in the case, was quizzed for the first time by the CBI on Thursday.

Agency sources had 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 and other suspects in the case besides some recent recoveries made by the agency.

Bhanwari Devi was posted as auxiliary nurse midwife at a sub-centre in Jaliwada village, around 120 km from Jodhpur.

PTI