The Supreme Court on Thursday provided significant legal relief to Amit Jogi, president of the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) and son of the state’s first Chief Minister, the late Ajit Jogi. A three-judge bench stayed the Chhattisgarh High Court’s recent verdict that had sentenced Jogi to life imprisonment in connection with the 2003 murder of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ramavatar Jaggi.
The interim order effectively halts the High Court’s direction for Jogi to surrender before jail authorities, pending further deliberation by the apex court.
The case dates back to June 4, 2003, when NCP leader Ramavatar Jaggi was murdered during the tenure of Ajit Jogi as the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. While the investigation was initially handled by the state police, it was subsequently transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The CBI filed a charge sheet against 28 individuals, including Amit Jogi. On May 31, 2007, a trial court delivered a split verdict: it convicted 28 of the accused but acquitted Amit Jogi of all charges.
The case saw a dramatic turn last month when the Chhattisgarh High Court reopened the proceedings following directions from the Supreme Court on an appeal filed by the CBI. The High Court eventually overturned Jogi’s acquittal, convicting him and handing down a life sentence.
Appearing for Amit Jogi, senior advocates Vivek Tankha and Kapil Sibal challenged the High Court’s decision, seeking a stay on both the conviction and the sentence.
The plea was strongly opposed by senior advocates Siddharth Luthra and Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who represented a member of the victim’s family. Despite the opposition, the bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and Vijay Bishnoi, decided to grant the stay.
In addition to staying the High Court’s verdict, the Supreme Court has issued a formal notice to the CBI regarding Jogi’s petition. The stay allows Jogi to remain out of custody while the apex court examines the merits of his appeal against the conviction.
