Rajasthan legislator held for 2006 ‘staged’ shootout

Rajasthan legislator Rajendra Singh Rathore of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was arrested by the CBI here Thursday in connection with the allegedly staged killing of criminal Dara Singh in 2006.

Rathore, who represents the Taranagar constituency in Churu district, was presented before an additional chief judicial magistrate, who remanded him to judicial custody till April 9.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Rathore, who was a minister in the BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje.

The staged shootout by police’s special operations group took place on the outskirts of Jaipur Oct 23, 2006.

The probe agency, in its chargesheet filed in a court, accused Rathore of kidnapping and criminal conspiracy.

“I have always cooperated with the investigating agency and will continue to do so. Although, I must say that I am being falsely implicated,” said Rathore.

The case has so far seen the arrest of 11 policemen, including two Indian Police Service (IPS) officers. The IPS officers are Additional Director General of Police A.K. Jain and Inspector General of Police A. Ponnuchami.

Other arrested policemen are inspectors Nisar Khan, Naresh Sharma and Subhash Godara, sub-inspectors Satyanarayan Godara and Munshi Lal, assistant sub-inspector Surendra Singh, constables Jagraj and Bardi Prasad and driver Sardar Singh.

Accused policemen Rajesh Chaudhary, Zulfikar and Arvind are on the run.