Phoolan Devi murder; key accused led police to her residence

A senior police officer today told a Delhi court that prime accused Sher Singh Rana had led investigators to the residence of bandit-turned-politician Phoolan Devi and confessed to his complicity in her murder.

"I had prepared the pointing out memo of accused Rana. He voluntarily took the police party to 44, Ashoka Road residence
of Phoolan Devi during the investigation," Suresh Kaushik, an
Inspector who is also the Investigating officer (IO) in the case, said.

Rana had also confessed to his role in the murder of the Samajwadi Party MP, Kaushik, testifying as 170th witness in
the nine-year-old trial, said.

The IO testified that one of the accused Dhan Prakash, who was produced before a magistrate in 2001 with muffled-up face, later refused to undergo the test identification parade.

The recording of statements of Kaushik remained inconclusive and would continue tomorrow before Additional Sessions Judge SC Rajan.
   
Earlier, the IO had said that Rana killed Phoolan to avenge the 1981 Behmai massacre in which she and her gang murdered 17 people belonging to an upper caste.

The Samajwadi party MP was gunned down outside her 44,
Ashoka Road residence here on July 25, 2001.