Mahipal Maderna | |
|---|---|
| Member ofRajasthan Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 2008 – 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Banne Singh |
| Succeeded by | Bhairaram Chaudhary |
| Constituency | Osian |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1952-03-05)5 March 1952 Lakshman nagar, India |
| Died | 17 October 2021(2021-10-17) (aged 69) Jodhpur, India |
| Other political affiliations | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | Leela Maderna |
| Children | 2, includingDivya |
| Residence(s) | Civil Lines,Jaipur |
| Alma mater | Jodhpur University[1] (B.A., LL.B.) |
As of 10 November, 2011 Source: [Rajasthan Legislative Assembly profile[2]] | |
Mahipal Maderna (5 March 1952 – 17 October 2021) was an Indian politician fromRajasthan belonging to theIndian National Congress.[3] He served as a Cabinet Minister in theGovernment of Rajasthan and was a prominent leader from theJodhpur region. He was son of veteran Congress leader and formerSpeaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly,Parasram Maderna. He represented theOsian constituency in the Rajasthan assembly and held various ministerial portfolios, including Water Resources, during his political career, which was later overshadowed by his involvement in theBhanwari Devi case.[4][5]
Mahipal Maderna was born to a farming family ofLakshman nagar on 5 March 1952 . His fatherParasram Maderna served as a cabinet minister in theRajasthan Legislative Assembly. He was educated as a lawyer, and held anLL.B.[citation needed]
Like his father, he joined the Indian National Congress and entered politics. Maderna was elected as the chief ofJodhpurZilla Parishad in 1981, 1988, 1994 and 2000. On 5 December 2003, he was elected to the 12th State Legislative Assembly fromBhopalgarh. He was elected to the 13th State Legislative Assembly fromOsian, Jodhpur. He was inducted as cabinet minister for water resources.[citation needed]
Maderna died from cancer on 17 October 2021 at the age of 69 at his residence inJodhpur.[6]
In 2011, Mahipal Maderna was accused of being involved in a case relating to the disappearance of a nurse namedBhanwari Devi. Bhanwari, who worked as an auxiliary nurse/midwife in theJaliwada village (Bilara tehsil) went missing on 1 September. Her husband Amarchand alleged that she was abducted on orders of Maderna.[7] Subsequently, the Chief MinisterAshok Gehlot sacked Maderna as a minister on 26 October.[8] It was alleged that Bhanwari Devi was negotiating a multi-crore deal with Maderna and his opponents to trade of aCD in which she was seen in a "compromising position" with Maderna and others.[9] In November 2011, Rehana, the girlfriend of the key suspect Shahabuddin, leaked an audio clip to the reporters. The clip was recorded during her discussion with Shahabuddin in the Jodhpur Central Jail. In the clip, Shahabuddin is heard telling Rehana that Bhanwari Devi was handed over to the gang of Pradeep Godara, a criminal wanted by the Rajasthan police in several cases. He is also heard telling that he had been falsely implicated in the case, and had no clue what happened to Bhanwari.[10]
CBI arrested Maderna on 3 December and questioned him. He was confronted with the key suspects, Sahiram Bishnoi, Shahabuddin and Sohan Lal Bishnoi in jail.[11][12] Later it was revealed that Maderna and Congress legislator Malkhan Singh were hand-in-glove in the entire conspiracy as the nurse was blackmailing both of them. The two politicians allegedly roped in Sahiram Bishnoi, who hired Sohan Lal, Balia and Shahabuddin for the task of kidnapping the nurse.[13] On 6 January Central Bureau of Investigation claimed to know whereabouts of disposal of Bhanwari Devi's body. Investigating officers were praised by Central Bureau of Investigation director for solving this case in 100 days. The agency is about to file a second charge sheet after admission of the Bishnaram gang on the disposal of Bhanwari Devi's body at Jaloda village near Osian village in Jodhpur.[14]
Earlier in 1970, Maderna along with Vijay Poonia, was also accused of murder of a student Dilip Singh nephew ofBhairon Singh Shekhawat (ex-VP, India) in Jaipur. On 3 February 1970, Dilip Singh was allegedly beaten at room no.42 in Vivekanand hostel and FIR was lodged at Gandhinagar Police Station with offences under Sections 307 and 452 read with Section 149, and Section 148, IPC.
Dilip Singh succumbed to injuries on 14 February 1970. Later, the investigation was handed over to CBI and the case was altered to one for offences under Sections 148, 302, 307, 453 read with Section 149 and Section 120B, IPC. However both the principal accused were acquitted subsequently.[15]