CBI arrests BJP MLA in Dara Singh fake encounter

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday arrested BJP MLA Rajendra Rathore in connection with the fake encounter of local liquor smuggler Dara Singh in 2006. 

Rathore, an MLA from Taranagar Assembly constituency, was arrested by the sleuths from his residence on Thursday morning and would be produced before a court later in the day.

ADG Police A K Jain wanted by the CBI for his role in the case has already surrendered before a special court in Jaipur.

"The circumstantial evidence shows clearly that Dara was murdered in cold blood by SOG personnel and the same was duly monitored by ADG Police A K Jain, SP SOG A Ponnuchammi and Additional SP Arshad Ali along with other officials and during this entire period Rajendra Rathore (a sitting BJP MLA) was on telephonic touch with Jain, ADGP," the charge-sheet had said.

In its charge-sheet filed last year in June, CBI had alleged that Dara Singh was taken into illegal custody by SOG officials from Jaipur Airport and was taken to a lonely place near Amber where he was kept hostage till October 23, 2006 and killed in a planned manner.

Before his arrest, Rathore addressed a meeting of party workers at the BJP office and alleged that he was being falsely implicated at the behest of the Congress government.

"I did not know the person who was killed in the encounter before the incident was reported in newspapers next day in October 2006," Rathore claimed.

"In his first address in the Rajasthan Vidhansabha, the chief minister had said that he will get the matter inquired...and while pointing towards me he had said: 'I am concerned for you'. I then replied that I am a strong man and have faith in judiciary," Rathore said.

"It is very unfortunate that I am being falsely implicated but it is fortunate that you all are gathered here to give me moral support. I will return and resume my work to strengthen the party," he said.

In the meeting, party leaders including the party's state chief Arun Chaturvedi, leader of opposition Vasundhara Raje, Deputy leader of opposition Ghanshyam Tiwari, MLAs Digambar Singh, Gulabchand Kataria, Vasudev Devnani and large number of party workers were present.

Rathore alleged, "I was named in the case just because of political reasons. His family members did not name me anywhere in their early complaints, now it is done in a planned manner".

Dara Singh was killed in the alleged fake encounter on October 23, 2006. Police had then claimed that Dara Singh was killed while fleeing from their custody.

Acting on a petition by Dara's widow that her husband was killed in cold blood at the behest of Rajendra Rathore, the Supreme Court had ordered a CBI inquiry in the case.

The CBI has named 16 police officials including suspended IPS officers A K Jain and A Ponnuchammi, besides then Additional Superintendent of Police Arsad Ali, Inspectors Nisar Khan and Naresh Sharma, Assistant Sub-Inspector Surendra Singh, Sub-Inspector Satyanarayan Godara among other policemen for the killing.