BJP Functionary Arrested in Chhattisgarh Over Alleged Opium Cultivation on Farmland Worth Crores

A senior member of the Bharatiya Janata Party was taken into police custody on Saturday, along with two associates,s after authorities discovered an alleged illegal opium cultivation operation spread across several acres of farmland in Durg.

Following the arrest, the party leadership moved swiftly to suspend the leader from all organisational responsibilities.

The matter came into public view after former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Indian National Congress figure Bhupesh Baghel visited the agricultural land and shared photographs and video footage of the suspected opium crop on social media platforms.

Police in Durg identified the detained BJP functionary as Vinayak Tamrakar, aged 58. Tamrakar had been serving as the state coordinator for rice milling and processing activities within the farmers’ wing of the party.

Investigators said the suspected narcotic plantation was found across agricultural plots located between the villages of Samoda, Jhenjha,ri and Sirsa.

Although Baghel publicly alleged that the land where the opium was grown belonged to Tamrakar, police officials have not officially confirmed the ownership of the farmland or disclosed the name of the registered landholder.

Law enforcement authorities stated that the seized narcotic crop is estimated to be worth approximately ₹8 crore in the illegal drug market.

The Superintendent of Police for Durg district, Vijay Agrawal, said that investigators discovered the prohibited plants cleverly concealed within maize fields during the inspection of the agricultural site.

According to Agrawal, the preliminary probe indicates that several individuals were involved in the cultivation activity.

He further revealed that workers had reportedly been brought from outside the district specifically to assist in planting and tending the opium crop.

The crackdown was conducted as part of a coordinated operation involving multiple government agencies, including the Narcotics Control Bureau, the Forensic Science Laboratory, and officials from the state Excise and Revenue departments.

Besides Tamrakar, two other individuals were also detained in connection with the case. They were identified as Vikas Bishnoi, 27, a resident of Matoda village under the jurisdiction of the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, and Manish Thakur, aged 45.

Police officials said the accused have been remanded to judicial custody for the time being, while investigators plan to seek police custody to conduct further questioning and expand the probe into the narcotics cultivation network.

Taking to the social media platform X, Bhupesh Baghel sharply criticised the development and posted images of the plantation, describing it as a glaring contradiction to claims of good governance.

In his message, Baghel alleged that Tamrakar had cultivated opium across nearly ten acres of farmland and claimed that he and his supporters rushed to the location immediately after receiving information about the activity.

According to Baghel, large numbers of local villagers gathered at the site once news of the discovery spread.

The Congress leader also alleged that Tamrakar was an influential figure with strong connections to senior officials and political leaders.

He further claimed that the BJP functionary frequently visited the residence of the state’s chief minister, raising questions about possible political patronage.

Baghel questioned whether the cultivation was an individual operation or part of a larger network linked to political figures.

Despite the controversy, the BJP leadership responded by issuing a suspension order against Tamrakar and releasing the document publicly. However, the party refrained from offering any detailed explanation or statement regarding the allegations.

Attempts by journalists to reach Kiran Singh Deo for comment reportedly went unanswered.

A BJP representative from the party’s media unit, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the organisation would soon release an official clarification.

He added that the party had already acted decisively by suspending the accused leader.

“We have taken disciplinary action immediately. Unlike the Congress party, we do not protect individuals involved in wrongdoing,” the BJP media cell member said.

The discovery of the alleged opium plantation has triggered political controversy in Chhattisgarh and raised serious questions about illegal narcotics cultivation networks operating in rural parts of the state.

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