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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested former Rajasthan minister Rajendra Rathore in connection with fake encounter of liquor smuggler Dara Singh. Speaking to reporters, moments before his arrest, Rathore said that the whole scheme was a conspiracy against him and he vowed to come out clean and expose the people who were plotting against him. “I am telling you that this is a conspiracy against me. The people in power are conspiring with the liquor mafia. But I have faith in the judicial system of India . I have the full backing of my party family and I will cross every obstacle and difficulty. I assure you that I will expose this conspiracy and come out clean from this,” said Rathore. Meanwhile, former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje came out in defence of Rathore, terming the arrest as settling old political scores. “The Central Bureau of Investigation is acting on the behest of the state government and the chief minister. The story is totally false. In a bid to settle political scores this conspiracy was hatched. I had said it earlier also that this should be called the Congress bureau of investigation. They are dancing to the tunes of the Gehlot government,” said Raje. Dara Singh, a resident of Mundital village in Rajasthan’s Churu District was allegedly killed by Special Operation Group, Rajasthan in the outskirts of Jaipur in October, 2006. On a petition filed by wife of deceased Dara Singh, the Supreme Court had directed CBI to take up the investigation. The CBI took up the investigation of the Dara Singh alleged fake encounter case in April 2010. The investigation revealed that Dara Singh was allegedly killed in a fake encounter in pursuance of a criminal conspiracy. CBI has arrested four police officials in connection with the case so far.

Dara Singh fake encounter case: CBI arrests ex-Rajasthan minister Rathore