The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an appeal at the Chhattisgarh High Court against the acquittal of Amit Jogi, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and Congressman Ajit Jogi, in a 2003 murder case.
Amit Jogi was arrested in 2005 on charges of masterminding and financing the murder of NCP political worker Ramavtaar Jaggi, and subsequently acquitted by a Raipur court in May 2007. News reports from the period indicate that the CBI had approached the Law Ministry for permission to appeal against the acquittal as early as July 2007, but it is unclear why the agency waited four years before approaching the High Court at Bilaspur.
“Quite frankly, it is beyond my comprehension. Why have they woken up after four years?” said Amit Jogi in a telephonic interview. Describing the delay as “unheard of”, Mr. Jogi said his lawyers would challenge the CBI’s appeal. “We will ask if this delay can, or should, be condoned,” he said.
“The CBI must get the consent of the Central government before filing such an appeal. The appeal was filed the moment we received their consent,” said Gautam Bhaduri, counsel for the CBI. Mr. Bhaduri said the CBI had sufficient evidence to prove a “direct nexus” between Amit Jogi and the men who actually committed the murder.
“Why has only one accused been acquitted when there is evidence to prove that Amit Jogi participated in the conspiracy to murder Ramavtaar Jaggi? There were a number of accused… all were convicted except Mr. Jogi,” said Mr Bhaduri, adding that Amit Jogi’s acquittal was “bad in law”.
The CBI’s appeal comes five days before a by-election for the Lok Sabha constituency of Bastar in South Chhattisgarh. While Amit Jogi is not contesting the election, he has been one of the crowd pullers in Congress hopeful Kowasi Lakma’s campaign.
