Raipur:
The Chhattisgarh High Court has sentenced Amit Jogi, son of former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, to life imprisonment in the Ramavatar Jaggi murder case. A special division bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Arvind Verma delivered the verdict, setting aside a previous lower court order that had acquitted him.
The court observed that when multiple accused persons are charged with involvement in the same crime based on similar evidence, one individual cannot be treated differently without solid grounds. Amit Jogi has been found guilty under Sections 302 (murder) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. Along with the life term, the court imposed a fine of ₹1,000, failing which he will undergo an additional six months of imprisonment.
The High Court has directed Amit Jogi to surrender within three weeks. Following the verdict, Jogi moved the Supreme Court, which has listed the matter for hearing on 20 April 2024.
Supreme Court to Hear Appeal on 20 April
While the Supreme Court has accepted the petition for hearing, it has not granted any immediate stay on the High Court’s order. A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sanjiv Mehta heard the initial arguments. Senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Mukul Rohatgi, Vivek Tankha, and Siddharth Dave represented Jogi.
The legal team argued that the High Court passed the order without providing an adequate opportunity for a hearing. The apex court has allowed Jogi to file a formal appeal against the final judgment before 20 April so all related matters can be heard together.
Background of the Case
NCP leader Ramavatar Jaggi was shot dead in Raipur on 4 June 2003. Jaggi, a businessman, was a close aide of former Union Minister Vidya Charan Shukla and served as the treasurer for the NCP in Chhattisgarh.
The investigation, initially handled by the state police, was later transferred to the CBI following allegations of bias. The CBI named 31 accused in the case, including Amit Jogi.
In May 2007, a special court in Raipur acquitted Amit Jogi, giving him the benefit of doubt, while convicting 28 others.
Satish Jaggi, the son of the deceased leader, challenged this acquittal. His counsel BP Sharma argued in court that the murder was a politically sponsored conspiracy and that evidence had been tampered with due to the influence of the then state government.
Convictions Upheld
The 28 individuals previously convicted in the case include:
- Police Officials: Two then City Superintendents of Police (CSPs) and one Station House Officer (SHO)
- Others: Yahya Dheber, Chiman Singh (shooter), Abhay Goyal, VK Pandey, Firoz Siddiqui and others
Two individuals, Baltu Pathak and Surendra Singh, had turned state witnesses during the trial.
The High Court had previously dismissed the appeals of these 28 convicts, upholding their life sentences. Following a CBI appeal, the Supreme Court had directed the High Court to re-examine Amit Jogi’s role, leading to the current judgment.
