BJP Leader Arrested and Suspended Over Alleged Illegal Opium Cultivation in Chhattisgarh

Vinayak Tamrakar, a BJP leader and state coordinator for the party's Kisan Morcha, was arrested along with two others for allegedly cultivating opium on about five acres of farmland in Durg district, Chhattisgarh. Police found opium plants concealed among maize crops and have registered a case under the NDPS Act. Tamrakar denies the charges, calling them politically motivated. The BJP suspended him, citing damage to the party's image. Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel alleged Tamrakar's influential connections and called for further investigation.