CBI files application for discharge of 35 accused

Nagpur, Feb 12 (UNI) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today filed an application in a Special Court, seeking discharge of 35 persons arrested by Bhandara police in the Khairlanji dalit killings.

CBI filed an application in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class P Y Ladekar at Mohadi in Bhandara district of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, seeking their discharge.

The court has ordered that 35 persons be produced on February 22 in the Special Court at Bhandara which will pass orders regarding their discharge. On the same date, remaining 11 accused, who have been chargesheeted in the case, will be produced before the Court which will frame the charges against them.

It may be recalled that four members of the Bhotmange family were allegedly massacred by villagers over a land dispute in October last year. The deceased included Surekha Bhotmange, her daughter Priyanka, sons Sudhir and Roshan.

After the killings created a furore across the country, Maharashtra Government had ordered an inquiry into the role of police who dealt with the case. Later, the investigation was handed over to CBI which had arrested 46 villagers of Khairlanji in the case and filed a chargesheet against 11 of them. The remaining 35 persons were released on bail after the completion of 90 days in police custody.

With the CBI applying for discharge of 35 persons from the case, only 11 persons face charges in the Khairlanji killings.

UNI