When Om Prakash Chautala snooped on Rajiv Gandhi!

The early 1990s in more ways than one witnessed some of the most defining moments in Indian politics that catapulted socialists like VP Singh and Chandra Shekhar to the chair of the Prime Minister of India.

One interesting episode that remains etched in the political history of India was Chandra Shekhar's unceremonious exit from the South Block.

How it happened:

• On March 2, 1991, two Haryana intelligence sleuths, in plain clothes, were nabbed by the Delhi Police from outside Rajiv Gandhi's 10, Janpath residence.
• On questioning, they admitted that they were doing 'duty' in Delhi on orders of the state CID, controlled by then Haryana home minister Sampat Singh.
• The Congress (I) was shocked by the act and alleged that snooping was carried out under direct orders from Janata Dal(S) strongman and then CM of Haryana Om Prakash Chautala.
• As it turned out, the Delhi Police found out that the snooping was carried out by Chautala to keep  track of the activities of JD(S) dissidents that included Devi Lal's younger son, Ranjit Singh.
• The Congress put pressure on Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar to sack the Chautala government.
• Chandra Shekhar responded by ordering a probe but the Congress was unimpressed. The matter eventually forced the Congress' hand to pull support from his government, eventually leading to its downfall.