Sacked Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna is being questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here in the disappearance of nurse Bhanwari Devi, an official said on Monday.
"His questioning is going on and will continue till he is in our custody," the CBI official said.
Maderna was on Sunday evening brought to the capital from Jodhpur and will remain in CBI's custody till Dec 9.
Maderna and Parasram Bishnoi, the brother of Congress legislator from Luni Malkhan Singh Bishnoi, were arrested in Jodhpur Friday for alleged involvement in the disappearance of Bhanwari Devi. A local court Saturday sent them to CBI custody.
In the charge sheet that was filed in the same court Friday against the three arrested, Sohan Lal Bishnoi, Shahabuddin and Baldev Jaat, the CBI claimed that Maderna hired Sahi Ram Bishnoi, a small-time politician who is absconding at present, to eliminate Bhanwari Devi.
Bhanwari Devi had gone missing from Jodhpur's Bilara area Sep 1.
On Oct 16, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot sacked Maderna from the cabinet over allegations that he had a role in her disappearance as she was blackmailing him on the basis of a CD showing both of them in a compromising position.
"Bhanwari Devi was promised that she would be paid Rs.50 lakh for the CD and was abducted," the chargesheet claims. The CBI said in the chargesheet that it suspects that she was strangulated to death.