The CBI probe into the Dara Singh fake encounter case has revealed that Rajendra Rathore, BJP MLA from Taranagar constituency of Churu district (Rajasthan), had allegedly threatened relatives and aides of the deceased who wanted to lodge a police case against the accused of dire consequences. The agency arrested Rathore for his alleged role in the fake encounter of Dara Singh in Jaipur on Thursday.
Sources in the agency said, “Probe by the agency has revealed that after the encounter, every effort of the family members of the deceased to register a case against the accused was allegedly stalled by former additional director-general of the police (Rajasthan), A.K. Jain, in connivance with Rathore.” The agency also recorded statements of independent witnesses under Section 161 and 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in this regard, sources said, adding these have been mentioned in the supplementary chargesheet filed before a Special Court in Jaipur on Thursday.
“Probe has also found that it was on the direction of the BJP MLA mobile numbers of Dara Singh and his other gang members were put on surveillance by the Rajasthan police before the encounter. It has also been revealed that Rathore was reportedly in regular touch with the accused police officials of the state after the fake encounter of Dara on October 23, 2006,” sources said.
Rathore also tried to ensure that the widow of Dara Singh was not able to agitate before the judiciary for redressal of her grievances, sources said.
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Protests against Rathore arrest
AGE CORRESPONDENT
JAIPUR, APRIL 6
The BJP supporters and Rajput outfits held demonstrations against the arrest of former minister and BJP chief whip Rajendra Rathore in several part of the state on Friday. The BJP has given a call for a state-wide protest on Saturday. The war of words intensified between the ruling Congress leaders and Leader of the Opposition Vasundhara Raje.
The strike was observed in Churu, Taranagar, Bisau and several other towns. The BJP workers clashed with the police in Churu over blocking of the railway tracks.