Missing nurse case: Legislator's kin declared proclaimed offender

Jodhpur, April 16 (IANS) A court here Monday declared a Congress legislator's sister Indra Bishnoi a proclaimed offender for remaining an absconder for over five months in the case of nurse Bhanwari Devi's murder and kidnap, a lawyer said.

Indira Bishnoi, sister of Luni legislator Malkhan Singh Bishnoi who has also been arrested in the case, is believed to be close to Bhanwari Devi and was involved in the conspiracy behind the nurse's disappearance Sep 1, 2011.

The CBI had announced a cash reward of Rs.5 lakh for any credible information leading to arrest of Indra. An arrest warrant against her was earlier issued by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court here.

"The court of additional chief judicial magistrate declared her a proclaimed offender today (Monday)," CBI lawyer S.S. Yadav told IANS.

As per the chargesheet filed by the CBI in the case, Indira Bishnoi provoked Bhanwari Devi to prepare a CD showing the nurse in a compromising position with then Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna, who was sacked later.

When Bhanwari started blackmailing not only Maderna, but also Indra's brother Malkhan Singh, she played an important role in getting the nurse eliminated, the chargesheet said.

"Indra Bishnoi remains the only major suspect who is on the run in the Bhanwari Devi case. The CBI posted a notice outside her residence asking her to surrender. The CBI then attached her properties, but she still did not surrender," a source in the CBI told IANS.