Fearing that the high-profile accused in the Bhanwari Devi murder case may influence witnesses during the trial, the CBI has now constituted a three member team of lawyers to assist its prosecutors in the case.
Sources said, “The CBI, after filing three chargesheets against more than 17 persons, is now preparing for the regular trial in the case. The trial will start immediately after framing charges against the high-profile suspects in the case.”
The high-profile suspects, against whom chargesheets have been filed, include former Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna, former Congress MLA-Malkhan Singh, Pukhraj Bishnoi, Dinesh Bishnoi, Sahi Ram, Reshmaram Bishnoi, Amarchand, Bishna Ram and Indira Bishnoi, who is absconding.
The agency has also recorded statements of several witnesses, including Farooq (driver of Bhanwari Devi) in the case. Sources said, “It is suspected that the accused persons may try to influence witness during the trial. This is the reason that the agency has constituted a team of three senior lawyers to assist its prosecutors during the trial”.
“At the same time the agency is also concerned about the security of the witnesses. The agency sleuths are in touch with the state police in this regard”, sources said.
The agency’ probe has already established that Bhanwari’s body was set on fire in the desert near Jodhpur after she was allegedly murdered by a gang headed by Bishna Ram on September 1, 2011.
Meanwhile, the agency is all set to arrest key absconding accused Indira Bishnoi, sister of former Congress MLA Malkhan Singh, in a day or two. According to sources the agency has got some crucial leads about whereabouts of Indira.
***
‘Corrective steps’ by Army over brawls?
Age Correspondent
New Delhi, May 13
The Army is expected to put in place certain “corrective steps” to ensure that incidents such as the recent clash between officers and soldiers in the Ladakh sector on May 10 do not occur again.
Sources on Sunday said the corrective steps would be put in place soon and that the Court of Inquiry (CoI) that has already commenced would pin-point the reasons for the lapses in discipline that took place. “We are waiting for the conclusions of the CoI,” sources said. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is also keen that corrective steps be put in place by the Army to ensure such incidents—-of total breakdown in discipline, man-management and hierarchy——are never repeated.