JAIPUR: The escape of Rajasthan Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedham’s son-in-law after a bribery bust in Delhi has triggered a political storm.
Anil Khatana, a Delhi Police sub-inspector, was caught in a CBI trap on January 29 while taking a bribe at Lahori Gate police station but escaped. The CBI has been searching for him for two months.
The case began with a complaint from Syed Anees Ahmed, who alleged that Anil Khatana demanded Rs 2 lakh to shield him from legal trouble over a delayed visa service. Khatana and a constable allegedly detained him at Fatehpuri police station, extorted Rs 25,000, and took Rs 15,000 from his wallet before demanding more money. A sting operation confirmed the bribe, but Khatana escaped through a back staircase.
The CBI raided Bharatpur and Deeg in Rajasthan to capture Khatana, but he escaped hours before each operation. He is suspected to be hiding in Rajasthan, frequently changing locations.
As the controversy escalates, Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasara has demanded Minister Jawahar Singh Bedham’s resignation, accusing him of shielding his son-in-law. Bedham, however, acknowledged the case and maintained that the investigation should proceed independently.