Bhanwari Devi CD expose: Sex, lies and blackmail

Days before her kidnapping on September 1, nurse Bhanwari Devi was believed to be negotiating a multi-crore deal with sacked Minister Mahipal Maderna and his opponents to trade off the CD in which she was seen in a compromising position with Maderna and some others. She was sure that revelations in the CD would lead to the fall of the Gehlot Government in Rajasthan. 

A four-minute audio clip, now in the possession of the CBI, allegedly contains snatches of  conversation between Bhanwari Devi and Indira Bishnoi, sister of Malkhan Singh, Congress MLA from Luni. The CBI sleuths interrogated Indira Bishoni for nearly six hours to check the authenticity of the clip and also to dig out some details about the relations among  Bhanwari Devi and Indira’s brother, Maderna, and others.

In the tape, Indira Bishnoi reportedly tells Bhanwari Devi that Sahi Ram, an accused in the case who is still absconding, has already talked to the Minister for the payment. But Bhanwari Devi refused to believe and threatened to give the CD to his opponents, who were willing to pay up to `7 crore. In her ultimatum-like tone, Bhanwari Devi said if the agreed amount was not paid within four days, she would either hand over the CD to police or to any private TV channel.

The contents of the CD would not only finish the political career of Maderna, but also eclipse the Ashok Gehlot Government, she had said.

Against the background of the tape is Bhanwari Devi’s complex relations with Malkhan Singh, his younger brother Parasam, also a Congress leader, their sister Indira Bishnoi and their cousin Sohan Lal Bishnoi, a local PHED contractor, at whose behest Shahbuddin brought Bhanwari Devi to Bilara from where she is said to have disappeared. Sahi Ram is also their close relative.

According to locals, whispers of an affair between Malkhan Singh and Bhanwari Devi were doing the rounds for several years. She even used to claim that her younger daughter was born out of her affair with Malkhan Singh.

She is said to have created a ruckus during the wedding of Malkhan Singh’s daughter. When Maderna became Minister, it was Malkhan Singh who took Bhanwari Devi to him.

In the conversation in Marwari, at one place Bhanwari Devi refers to Sohan Lal striking the CD deal with  some parties in Delhi. “He had made a deal of `7 crore, out of which I would get `5 crore and the rest would go to Sohan Lal.” Sohan Lal is already under arrest. 

Then, she insisted that Indira Bishnoi should talk to Malkhan Singh to settle the matter after talking to the Minister. But, Indira says, now he has nothing to do with his brother on this issue.

According to experts, the voice of Bhanwari Devi indicates that she was in a drunken state. She uses abusive language at places and Indira Bishnoi was equally caustic in her response.

Following are excerpts from the taped conversation: 

Bhanwari Devi: Why you disconnect my calls. I want to convey some thing important. Now, listen to me.

Indira Bishnoi: There is no point in talking about the things of the past.

Bhanwari Devi: Sohanio (Sohan Lal) has made a deal with a Delhi party three days back. I would get `5 crore and he would get `2 crore. Party claims that CD would lead to the fall of Ashok Gehlot Government.

Indira Bishnoi: Humm

Bhanwari Devi: Are you listening?. Sahi Ram came to me ten days back and assured that he would talk to Saheb (Maderna). But nothing came out as Saheb told him that Bhanwari Devi has nothing in her possession. But you know what I have got with me. Tell your brother Malkhan to convey this to the Minister. I would wait only for four days and then things would be on TV.

Indira Bishnoi: I have no contact with Malkhan Singh. Why don’t you talk to the Minister directly.

Bhanwari Devi: Don’t tell me you are not in touch with your brother. I would also derail his political carrier.

Indira Bishnoi: You have got some money from Maderna and now your demand is increasing.

Bhanwari Devi: Not much, I need more. I would keep two bodyguards and would tell them what I am.

'Bhanwari frequently stayed in Ajmer'

AJMER: In the previous eight months before her disappearance, Bhanwari Devi had been making frequent visits to Ajmer. She used to stay at Kotra colony on Pushkar Road and met her close friends during the frequent two-three days breaks that she took here frequently.

A CBI team started looking for records with the help of revenue department to trace the property of Bhanwari in Ajmer. "It was confirmed by witnesses that Bhanwari had shifted to Kotra area where she purchased a house and stayed for days," said an official. Bhanwari was seen in Ajmer in the last days of August along with some other women.

It has emerged that Bhanwari wanted to purchase a big property in Ajmer and that she had been in talks with some relative of a politician. "Sunil Gujjar, a relative of former minister Govind Singh Gujjar, offered her a good plot of land in Kayar area of Ajmer, situated on the Jaipur road. But Bhanwari turned down the offer after visiting the place," said a relative of Bhanwari. "She had almost finalised the land but turned it down at the last minute," added Kailash, brother of Bhanwari.

Sources said that Bhanwari visited Ajmer many times and then purchased a big house in the Kotra region, "We are looking at the records to confirm if there is any place in the Kotra region in the name of Bhanwari Devi," said an official source.

It has also came out that one woman who was caught in Patan district in Gujarat in suspicious circumstances some days ago also lived in Kotra region of Ajmer and was known to Bhanwari. She confirmed to CBI that she had good relations with Bhanwari and she used to visit her house in Kotra.

Bhanwari was interested in settling down in Ajmer because her maternal house is in Kishangarh where her brother lives in Azad Nagar and her relatives are settled in Lohagal area of Ajmer. "The other angle is that the girlfriend of Shahabuddin - Rehana - belongs to Majvi Mohalla of Kishangarh and she had good relations with Bhanwari," said an official. They added that Bhanwari was used to meet Shahabuddin in Kishangarh.

It came out that Ajmer was the centre of conspiracy and meetings with Mahipal Maderna used to take place here because Maderna used to visit Kishangarh to meet his friends. "We have already interrogated a Congress leader of Kishangarh where Maderna used to stay at night," said an official. There are as many as half a dozen people who were interrogated in Ajmer and Kishangarh for the past fifteen days," said an official.