The Supreme Court has stayed the Chhattisgarh High Court order that sentenced Amit Jogi, son of former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, to life imprisonment, in the 2003 murder case of NCP leader Ram Avtar Jaggi.
The Bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Vijay Bishnoi passed the interim order while issuing notice on Amit Jogi’s appeal. It further stayed the High Court direction requiring Jogi to furnish bail bonds and sureties.
During the hearing, Justice Mehta expressed its displeasure over the High Court proceeding to convict and sentence the appellant without hearing him.
As per the prosecution, Jaggi was shot dead on June 4, 2003, while travelling in his car. In 2007, the trial court convicted several accused but acquitted Amit Jogi. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and complainant Satish Jaggi challenged this acquittal before the High Court, which initially dismissed the CBI’s appeal as non-maintainable in 2011. Later, the Apex Court set aside the verdict and directed a fresh consideration on merits.
The High Court then reversed the acquittal, describing Amit Jogi as the ‘mastermind’ and ‘driving force’ behind the murder. It noted that the accused had adopted delaying tactics during the proceedings and exercised significant influence in the case by conspiring with the co-accused through meetings and financial transactions.
The Court also referred to the alleged involvement of associates in planning the offence to disrupt an NCP rally ahead of Assembly elections, noting that part of the conspiracy was hatched at the then Chief Minister’s residence.
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