Sedition charges in the FIR in Rajasthan audio tape case

Jaipur: Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was accused along with rebel Congress MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma of sedition and conspiracy in police cases today linked to Congress allegations of a plan to pull down its government in Rajasthan. The Congress alleged that investigations have revealed rebel MLAs were plotting with the BJP against the Ashok Gehlot government.
A man named Sanjay Jain, also charged in the FIR, has been arrested. The BJP has denied any links to him, as claimed by the Congress.

There were two complaints from Mahesh Joshi (Congress leader), it is with respect to the audio that went viral yesterday. We registered 2 FIRs under section 124A and 120B. The veracity of clip to be investigated: Ashoke Rathore, ADG Special Operations Group (SOG), Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/RgasN88Nfj

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2020

The Congress has also suspended Bhanwar Lal Sharma and another rebel MLA, Vishvendra Singh, claiming audio proof that they were involved in deal-making to dislodge the party’s government in cahoots with the BJP.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said two audio recordings have surfaced in which Bhanwar Lal Sharma was heard in discussions with BJP leaders. The party claims one of the voices belongs to Mr Shekhawat, a senior BJP leader from Rajasthan and Union Minister for “Jal Shakti”.

“I am ready to face any investigation. The audio doesn’t have my voice. If I am called for questioning I will definitely go,” Mr Shekhawat said.

The audio tapes have been circulating online but the Congress did not play them at its media briefing; Mr Surjewala read out what he called were transcripts of the conversations.

The SOG filed two FIRs shortly after Mr Surjewala’s press conference, one for sedition.