Malkhan tells court he had fathered Bhanwari's child

Jodhpur, Sept 6: Accusing

of framing Malkhan Singh Bishnoi in Bhanwari Devi

case, his counsel on Wednesday told a CBI court that the

was "in love" with the nurse with whom he had sired a daughter and she was not blackmailing him as he was paying for the child's expenses.

"Bhanwari never blackmailed him. She even went to the holy shrine in Ajmer to offer 'Chadar' when Bishnoi became MLA and he also went to the hospital to express his delight when Bhanwari gave birth to the daughter of Bishnoi, which was a clear indication that he had accepted her as their daughter," the counsel for Bishnoi told the court during the trial in Bhanwari Devi abduction and murder case.

Bishnoi's counsel Hemant Nahata argued that the CBI has framed him as ties between Bishnoi and Bhanwari were not strained.

"She was not blackmailing Bishnoi as Bishnoi was not only bearing the expenses for education of Gungun, he had also told her to spend Rs 50 lakh on her wedding," Nahata said in the court, adding that "everybody knew that she was his daughter and she was in no way a threat to him."

He argued that the CBI has framed Bishnoi, his entire family including his brother Paras Ram and sister Indra and former minister Mahipal Maderna.

He also argued that there is no evidence of hatching a conspiracy by Bishnoi in collusion with Sahi Ram Bishnoi and Sohan Lal Bishnoi and prayed for discharging him immediately.

With this, the arguments on charges against Malkhan Singh completed today. While the arguments by counsel for Paras Ram Bishnoi and Amarchand were adjourned till Sept 11.

Bhanwari Devi was killed on Sept 1, 2011 allegedly at the behest of then state minister Mahipal Maderna and Congress legislator Malkhan Singh Bishnoi.

The CBI had alleged that Bhanwari Devi was blackmailing Maderna and Bishnoi on the basis of some CDs featuring her in a compromising position with the two politicians. She was abducted from Jodhpur's Bilara area on Sept 1, 2011 and strangulated to death. Her body was then handed over to another gang which burnt it and dumped it in a canal.

PTI