File FIR against Jaswant Singh, 9 others: Court

Jodhpur, Nov 5: A local court today ordered registration of FIR against Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh and nine other BJP leaders for violation of the NDPS Act during a function held at Mr Singh's native village Jasol in Barmer district last week.

The special NDPS Court judge ordered the filing of FIR at the Balotra police station on a complaint lodged by OP Bishnoi of Jodhpur against Mr Singh, three party MPs, three state ministers, the Government Chief Whip and two MLAs, who were regarded dissidents in the state politics.

Mr Bishnoi had alleged that these leaders had violated the NDPS Act 1985 by serving and/or tasting opium during a socio-religious ceremony organised by Mr Singh at his native village on Wednesday.

Besides Mr Singh, Rajasthan Education Minister Ghanshyam Tiwari, Welfare Minister Madan Dilwar, former Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's son-in-law and Industries Minister Narpat Singh Rajvi, Government Chief Whip Mahavir Prasad Jain, sitting MP and BJP national Vice-President Kailash Meghwal, former BJP state Presidents and sitting MPs Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi and Raghubir Singh Kaushal and sitting MLAs Shankar Singh Rajpurohit and Jogeshwar Garg are also made respondents in the case.

The leaders allegedly tasted ''opium'' offered by the host (Jaswant Singh), the complainant had stated.

While participating in the function at Jasol the leaders had also held a closed door meeting which had lasted for over half an hour.

UNI