Rathore 3rd sitting MLA to go behind bars in Rajasthan

Jaipur, Apr 5 (PTI) BJP leader Rajendra Rathore, who was arrested today in the Dara Singh fake encounter case, is the third sitting MLA in Rajasthan to go behind bars after ruling Congress' legislators Mahipal Maderna and Malkhan Singh Bishnoi in the recent times. All these politicians, facing charges of conspiracy of murder among others, are accused in two separate cases which are being probed by the CBI. Relation with auxiliary nurse and midwife Bhanwari Devi proved costly for both Maderna and Malkhan, who belong to influential families of Marwar region, whereas the murder of liquor smuggler Dara Singh lead to the undoing of the 56-year-old Rajput leader Rathore. Maderna and Bishnoi were arrested in 2nd and 9th December last year for their alleged involvement in the sensational Bhanwari Devi abduction-cum-murder case. While Rathore is a five-time MLA, Maderna is a second- time MLA whereas Bishnoi is a first-time MLA. Both Rathore and Maderna are former state cabinet ministers and LLB degree holders. BJP whip in the legislative assembly, Rathore, who represents Churu district's Tara Nagar constituency in 13th Vidhan Sabha, is a close aide of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia. A political heavyweight, Rathore alleged today at the party office before his arrest in the morning that he was falsely implicated by Congress government led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. From the party office, Rathore, accompanied by other BJP MLAs including Digambar Singh and others, left for the CBI office amid slogan-shouting by his supporters and later he was arrested by the CBI at its office. (More)