Bhanwari case: CBI submits second status report

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday filed its second status report in the nurse Bhanwari Devi disappearance case, claiming it had made some significant developments in the case in which sacked Rajasthan Minister Mahipal Maderna is a key suspect.

The CBI, which appeared before the bench of Govind Mathur and N.K. Jain on Thursday morning to submit the status report, requested the court for a private hearing in the matter.

Additional Advocate-General Anand Purohit, referring to some “significant developments” in the case, requested the court to conduct the hearing in a closed chamber to which the court agreed and asked them to appear in the judges’ chamber at 1 p.m.

During the hearing on the

habeas corpus petition filed by the husband of Ms. Devi in the chamber, the CBI submitted the status report in a sealed envelope. The court decided to hear the matter again on December 15.

The CBI had filed the first status report in the case on November 11, 2011.

After the hearing, Mr. Purohit told reporters that a report having “positive” conclusion in the matter would be submitted in the case in the next hearing.

Bhanwari Devi is missing since September 1, 2011 and her husband Amar Chand has alleged that she was kidnapped at the behest of Mr. Maderna, who has been quizzed twice by the CBI.

The CBI has so far grilled several people including ruling Congress MLA Malkhan Singh, his brother and sister besides Mr. Maderna’s wife Leela.