Malkhan skips court hearing once again

JODHPUR: Malkhan Singh Bishnoi, one of the main accused in the abduction and murder of Bhanwari Devi, did not appear in the court on Tuesday to hear the charges framed against him. He sought exemption from appearance on health grounds. Bishnoi had undergone surgery in Jaipur earlier this month. He is the only accused under judicial custody to whom the court has to read out the charges.
All the accused in the case had been read out the charges on October 4 except Mahipal Maderna and Malkhan Singh Bishnoi, who remained absent on health grounds. Maderna, however, appeared in the court on the next hearing that was scheduled for October 15 but Bishnoi then too did not turn up. Hence a new date was fixed for October 30. "But he did not turn up on Tuesday either on health ground. He is still said to be in a hospital in Jaipur", said the senior special counsel (CBI) Ashok Joshi. The court has now listed the matter for November 8 for reading out charges against him.
On the other hand, admitting the plea of Bishnoi and expressing his inability to bear the expenditure of the police security, the court has directed the government not to charge for security from now on but has refused to return the money already deposited, which is to the tune of Rs. 2.30 lakh.
Joshi said that the court had allowed Bishnoi to undergo treatment on the condition that he will have to bear the expenses of the security, which will be kept around him during his treatment in the hospital. But now, he, has expressed his inability to bear this expenditure anymore and citing the jail manual, according to which, the accused need not bear the expenditure for security, pleaded to return the deposited money.