Daijiworld Media Network - Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh, Apr 2: The Chhattisgarh High Court on Thursday convicted Amit Jogi, son of the late chief minister Ajit Jogi, in a murder case dating back 23 years.

The case involves the killing of Ram Avtar Jaggi, treasurer of the NCP (then headed by Ajit Jogi’s rival Vidya Charan Shukla), who was shot on June 4, 2003, in Raipur. At the time, Ajit Jogi was the Chief Minister, leading the first Congress government after the formation of Chhattisgarh.

A special CBI court in 2007 had convicted 28 people in connection with the murder, sentencing them to life imprisonment. Amit Jogi, who faced conspiracy charges, was acquitted then, benefiting from the benefit of doubt. The High Court in April 2024 upheld the life terms for the 28 convicts.

The CBI had filed an appeal against Amit’s acquittal in 2011, which was dismissed due to delay in filing. The matter later reached the Supreme Court, which in November last year, directed the High Court to decide the case on merit.

On Thursday, a High Court bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Arvind Kumar Verma convicted Amit Jogi. Details of the order are awaited.

Reacting to the verdict, Amit Jogi said, “Today, the Honorable High Court accepted the CBI’s appeal against me in just 40 minutes, without granting me an opportunity for a hearing. It is deeply regrettable that a person who was previously acquitted has now been declared guilty.”

The court granted him three weeks to surrender, and Amit expressed confidence in seeking justice from the Supreme Court.

Speaking to the media, Satish Jaggi, son of the slain treasurer, said, “My faith in the court and my belief that truth would triumph has been upheld today.”