Bhanwari Devi case: Accused to be shifted outside Jodhpur

Jaipur: Congress MLAs Mahipal Maderna and Malkhan Singh, both accused in the Bhanwari Devi abduction and murder case, will soon be shifted outside the Jodhpur jail following government orders, officials said today.While Maderna will be sent to the Jaipur Central Jail, Malkhan will be shifted to the Ajmer Central Jail as per the orders, officials said today.[caption id="attachment_264631" align="alignleft" width="380" caption="Congress MLA Mahipal Maderna will be sent to the Jaipur Central Jail. Screengrab from ibnlive.com"][/caption]The Home Department had issued orders in this regard a couple of days ago following a CBI application in the High Court seeking transfer of both the accused from Jodhpur.In its plea, CBI had alleged that the accused were trying to influence the witnesses, after which the court had issued notices to the state government seeking its response over the issue."On CBI's plea, the High Court had sought response from the government, so it was decided to shift them and the orders to this effect were issued two days back," Principal Secretary (Home) GS Sandhu said.Subsequently, the government had issued orders directing the Jodhpur jail superintendent to shift both the accused outside Jodhpur, he said.Bhanwari Devi, 36, had gone missing from Jodhpur's Bilara area on 1 September last year following which her husband Amarchand, who is now in jail, had filed a habeas corpus petition in the High Court.After the state government ordered a CBI probe into the case, the agency arrested Mahipal Maderna and Congress MLA Malkhan Singh in December last year for their alleged involvement in the case.PTI