The Chhattisgarh High Court on Thursday convicted Amit Jogi, the son of former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, in a 2003 murder case.
He was directed to surrender before the court within three weeks.
The case pertains to the killing of Nationalist Congress Party treasurer Ramvatar Jaggi, who was shot dead in Raipur on June 4, 2003, when Ajit Jogi was the chief minister of Chhattisgarh.
Amit Jogi was accused of conspiring the murder ahead of a massive rally by the NCP, which was said to have been posing a challenge to the incumbent Congress government.
On May 31, 2007, a trial court convicted 28 persons for the murder, reported The Telegraph. Amit Jogi was acquitted.
The Central Bureau of Investigation had challenged the acquittal in 2011. However, the High Court had rejected the application on the grounds of delay.
Appeals by the Chhattisgarh government and Satish Jaggi, son of Ramavtar Jaggi, were also rejected.
The investigation agency then moved the Supreme Court against the order, according to PTI. In November, the top court referred the case back to the High Court, directing it to consider the CBI’s application afresh.
The top court had held that although the CBI filed the application after a significant delay, it was equally true that “the charges against respondent Amit Jogi were very grave, involving a conspiracy to murder a member of a rival political party”, reported PTI.
On Thursday, a division bench of Chhattisgarh High Court’s Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Arvind Kumar Verma set aside Amit Jogi’s acquittal and directed him to surrender.
Following this, Amit Jogi, the chief of the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh, stated on social media that “a grave injustice” had been meted out to him.
“Today, the Honourable High Court allowed the CBI’s appeal against me in a mere 40 minutes, without granting me an opportunity to be heard,” he said.
Amit Jogi added: “I am saddened that a person whom the court had acquitted has been convicted without even a single opportunity for a hearing.”
He said this was “unprecedented” and that he was “fully confident” of receiving justice from the Supreme Court.
“I have complete faith in the justice system,” he said. “I am moving forward with complete peace, faith, and patience.”
On the other hand, Satish Jaggi said that “truth has prevailed” with the judgement, reported PTI.
“My faith in the judiciary has been vindicated,” he said. “Truth has prevailed and my father has finally received justice.”
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