Chhattisgarh high court finds Amit Jogi guilty in 2003 murder case, asks him to surrender in 3 weeks

RAIPUR: In a major development, the Chhattisgarh high court on Thursday overturned the acquittal of former legislator Amit Jogi by a trial court and held him guilty in the 23-year-old murder case of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ram Avatar Jaggi. The high court directed Amit Jogi, son of the state's first chief minister Ajit Jogi, to surrender within three weeks.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha passed the order on an appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Jogi's acquittal by the trial court.

Reacting to the verdict, Jogi termed the decision unexpected and claimed he was not given a full hearing. "Injustice has been done to me," he said.

Ram Avatar Jaggi, then treasurer of the NCP in Chhattisgarh and a close aide of former Union minister Vidya Charan Shukla, was shot dead in Raipur on June 4, 2003. Political opponents of the then chief minister Ajit Jogi had described the killing as the "first political murder" after the state's formation.

The investigation, initially handled by the state police, was later transferred to the CBI following allegations of bias. The agency filed an 11,000-page chargesheet naming 31 accused, including Amit Jogi, alleging political conspiracy. While a special court in Raipur sentenced 28 others to life imprisonment in May 2007, it acquitted Amit Jogi citing lack of evidence. Two others had turned approvers.

Satish Jaggi, the victim's son, challenged the acquittal in the Supreme Court. While a stay was initially granted in Jogi's favour, the apex court later remanded the matter to the Chhattisgarh high court for a fresh hearing.

During the proceedings, the counsel for Jaggi argued that the murder was a state-sponsored conspiracy and alleged that evidence was destroyed due to the influence of the then state government. The counsel said that in cases of conspiracy, uncovering the plot is as important as physical evidence.

The division bench had earlier dismissed appeals filed by other convicts in the case two years ago, upholding their life sentences.

In a post on X, Amit Jogi said, "Today, the high court accepted the CBI's appeal against me in just 40 minutes, without giving me an opportunity to be heard. I regret that a person who had earlier been acquitted by the court has now been declared guilty without being given even a single opportunity for a hearing. This is unexpected. The court has granted me three weeks to surrender. I believe a grave injustice has been done to me. I have full faith that I will receive justice from the Supreme Court. I have complete faith in the judicial system. I am moving forward with calm, faith and patience. Truth will prevail. I appeal to all of you to pray for me and continue to bless me."

Meanwhile, Satish Jaggi told TOI, "My stand has been vindicated."

Ajit Jogi led the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J), the only regional party in the state, to win five seats in the 2018 Assembly elections and also influenced outcomes in several others. Amit Jogi, president of the JCC (J) since his father's death in 2020, won the Marwahi Assembly seat in 2013 as a Congress MLA by a record margin. He was expelled from the Congress in 2016, along with his father, for alleged anti-party activities, including sabotaging a bypoll. In the 2023 assembly elections, Amit Jogi contested against former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel in the Patan constituency and lost.