Rajasthan crisis: Congress suspends 2 MLAs, FIR against Union Minister Shekhawat

An FIR has been filed by the SOG in Rajasthan against Union Minister Gajendra singh Shekhawat and two others on the basis of a complaint by Congress whip Mahesh Joshi soon after three audio clips with alleged conversations on toppling of the Ashok Gehlot government were released by the ruling party.

Shekhawat has denied any of the tapes has his voice while another BJP leader said the tapes were doctored.

The clips have recorded purported conversation between Shekhawat, Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma and Jaipur resident and BJP leader Sanjay Jain while discussing plans and actions to topple the Congress government.

The Special Operations Group (SOG) team has been actively following the case with many proofs submitted by the ruling Congress, said officials, adding that the case was also registered against Sharma and Jain.

Joshi said that the party already had "subtle proofs" against the three accused as named in the audio clip. "We are going through the legal route," he said.

Meanwhile, Shekhawat said: "The voice in the tape is not mine and I am ready for investigation."

He also said that he is not in touch with Jain and Sharma and added that there are many people goin by the name of Gajendra Singh in the state.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had earlier in the day demanded the arrest of union minister and BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and rebel Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma after two audio clips surfaced pertaining to an alleged conspiracy to topple the Rajasthan government 

"Two FIRs have been registered under IPC sections 124-A (sedition) and 120-B (Conspiracy) to probe into horse trading of MLAs and alleged audio recordings that went viral on social media," ADG (ATS and SOG), Ashok Rathore, told PTI.  He said Sanjay Jain, whose name surfaced in one of the audio recordings, was called for interrogation on Thursday and is being further questioned.