The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is under pressure to submit the results of its probe in the disappearance of Bhanwari Devi on or before Nov. 24. The Rajasthan High Court has directed the CBI to speed up the probe, claiming that the credibility of the agency was at stake.
However, the team must now wait till the health of former Water Resources Minister, Mahipal Maderna, improves, according to Dr. Arvind Mathur, the Superintendent of Mathura Das Mathur Hospital.
Bhanwari Devi, 36, is believed to be a mid-wife by occupation and allegedly had an affair with Madera, following which claims of blackmail and extortion were made against her. She subsequently went missing from Biladar, near Jodhpur. The CBI is attempting to solve the case with the help of several audio tapes.
The CBI team did question Maderna last week, before he was admitted. The former Minister did confess to an affair with the missing woman but denied any role in her disappearance. He further added that he was introduced to her by Pushkar Singh, a local MLA. Nevertheless, the team is clearly anxious to question him again.
The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, dropped Maderna from his cabinet on Oct. 16, following a court directive that the latter be charged with abduction and murder. On Sunday, Maderna was suspended from the Congress party.
The CBI, on Tuesday, announced a reward of Rs. 10 lakhs, to anyone providing credible information about the case.
