RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh high court has upheld the life imprisonment of 28 people convicted for the murder of NCP leader Ram Avatar Jaggi that had caused a political upheaval in the state six months before the 2003 assembly elections.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Arvind Kumar Verma rejected the convicts’ appeal. Among them are Raipur mayor Aijaz Dhebar’s brother Yahya Dhebar, shooter Chiman Singh and three former police officers.All of them are currently on bail and have been told to surrender.
On June 3, 2003, NCP treasurer Jaggi was shot dead at the busy Jaistambh Chowk in state capital Raipur. His son, Satish Jaggi, told TOI: “I filed an FIR at Moudhapara police station. The high court decision against the 28 convicts will strengthen my fight. I will seek legal advice and ensure all the accused are punished.”
Satish said he had named then CM Ajit Jogi and his son Amit in the FIR. Amit was accused by CBI in the chargesheet but he was acquitted by the trial court. Satish said his petition against Amit’s acquittal is pending in high court.
Jaggi’s murder had sparked a political storm. The state NCP unit, then led by former Union minister V C Shukla, and opposition BJP called it the “first political murder” since the formation of the state in 2000.
Shukla had quit Congress in 2003 when Ajit Jogi was CM, floated his own party and then joined NCP. Jaggi, who was close to Shukla, became the NCP treasurer. The party was about to organise a rally in Raipur when Jaggi was shot dead. Opposition parties alleged that the motive was to scuttle the rally.
Police arrested the shooters and said Jaggi was murdered during a robbery bid. The opposition called it a cover-up by the cops.
After BJP formed the govt in 2003, the probe was handed to CBI. The central agency arrested 29 accused, including Amit Jogi, in connection with the murder. CBI also arraigned the then CSP Amrik Singh Gill, then Moudhapara SHO V K Pandey, the then crime branch in charge Rakesh Chandra Trivedi, who initially probed the case, on various charges.
District court judge B L Tirkey acquitted Amit of all charges, including criminal conspiracy, but convicted all other accused – including Yayah Dhebar, Chiman Singh, and the three former cops.
On Thursday, HC upheld the verdict and sentencing, and ordered all 28 applicants to surrender within a week. “Their bail bonds are hereby cancelled and sureties are discharged from their liabilities,” the HC said, adding that if they don’t surrender within the deadline, they shall be taken into custody to serve out the remaining part of the jail term.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Arvind Kumar Verma rejected the convicts’ appeal. Among them are Raipur mayor Aijaz Dhebar’s brother Yahya Dhebar, shooter Chiman Singh and three former police officers.All of them are currently on bail and have been told to surrender.
On June 3, 2003, NCP treasurer Jaggi was shot dead at the busy Jaistambh Chowk in state capital Raipur. His son, Satish Jaggi, told TOI: “I filed an FIR at Moudhapara police station. The high court decision against the 28 convicts will strengthen my fight. I will seek legal advice and ensure all the accused are punished.”
Satish said he had named then CM Ajit Jogi and his son Amit in the FIR. Amit was accused by CBI in the chargesheet but he was acquitted by the trial court. Satish said his petition against Amit’s acquittal is pending in high court.
Jaggi’s murder had sparked a political storm. The state NCP unit, then led by former Union minister V C Shukla, and opposition BJP called it the “first political murder” since the formation of the state in 2000.
Shukla had quit Congress in 2003 when Ajit Jogi was CM, floated his own party and then joined NCP. Jaggi, who was close to Shukla, became the NCP treasurer. The party was about to organise a rally in Raipur when Jaggi was shot dead. Opposition parties alleged that the motive was to scuttle the rally.
Police arrested the shooters and said Jaggi was murdered during a robbery bid. The opposition called it a cover-up by the cops.
After BJP formed the govt in 2003, the probe was handed to CBI. The central agency arrested 29 accused, including Amit Jogi, in connection with the murder. CBI also arraigned the then CSP Amrik Singh Gill, then Moudhapara SHO V K Pandey, the then crime branch in charge Rakesh Chandra Trivedi, who initially probed the case, on various charges.
District court judge B L Tirkey acquitted Amit of all charges, including criminal conspiracy, but convicted all other accused – including Yayah Dhebar, Chiman Singh, and the three former cops.
On Thursday, HC upheld the verdict and sentencing, and ordered all 28 applicants to surrender within a week. “Their bail bonds are hereby cancelled and sureties are discharged from their liabilities,” the HC said, adding that if they don’t surrender within the deadline, they shall be taken into custody to serve out the remaining part of the jail term.
