Date:06/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/06/stories/2007110659830100.htm

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Court orders police to register case against Jaswant

Special Correspondent

Investigation ordered into charge that opium was served to guests at his ancestral residence

In the dock: Jaswant Singh

JAIPUR: A special court in Jodhpur on Monday directed the police in Balotra tehsil of Barmer district in Rajasthan to register cases against the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Jaswant Singh, and nine others under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for allegedly serving/consuming opium at a family function in Mr. Singh’s ancestral village this past week.

The directive from the Special Judge, Bhawani Shankar Kumawat, came on a complaint from a Jodhpur citizen, Om Prakash Vishnoi, alleging violation of Sections 8, 17, 18, 27 and 29 of the NDPS Act by Mr. Jaswant Singh and others at a “reyan” (get-together) in Jassol village last Wednesday.

The court directed the police to register cases against each of the ten persons mentioned in separate complaints and investigate the charges. It is likely that the police will take action only after the court order reaches them.

Mr. Vishnoi in his complaint, filed on Friday through his counsel Mallam Singh Choudhary, had alleged that opium was served at the function as part of traditional hospitality offered to guests.

Mr. Jaswant Singh since then has denied the charge, contending that it was “kesar” (saffron) which was served to the guests and not opium. The Ministers, too, have denied consuming the opiate.

Local newspapers had carried photographs of Mr. Jaswant Singh himself offering what looked like “amal” (a traditional drink of opium dissolved in water) in cupped hands to Rajasthan Ministers Ghanshyam Tiwari, Narpat Singh Rajvi, Madan Dilwar, the ruling BJP chief whip, Mahaveer Prasad Jain, and senior party leaders Kailash Meghwal, L. K. Chaturvedi and Raghuveer Kaushal.

Mr. Jaswant Singh’s son Manavendra Singh, who is the Member of Parliament from Barmer, was also present at the function but his name is not mentioned in the complaint.

The ritual in the Marwar region is to drink directly out of the host’s hands.

Anyone refusing to partake in the activity would be considered an insult to the host.The gathering of the BJP leaders, who are mostly opposed to Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, at Mr. Jaswant Singh’s ancestral residence was looked upon as an act of intrigue on the part of the party rebels.