Raipur (Chhattisgarh): In a recent development in the 2003 murder case of NCP leader Ramavatar Jaggi, two convicts surrendered in the court of Special Judge Pankaj Kumar Sinha in Raipur on Monday. These include shooters Chiman Singh and Vinod Rathore.
Notably, Chhattisgarh High Court had rejected the appeal of 27 convicts on April 4. However, 5 of these convicts got relief from the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court has given these convicts 3-week additional time to surrender. These include RC Trivedi, who was in-charge of the crime branch, then Maudhapara police station in-charge VK Pandey, CSP Kotwali Amrik Singh Gill, Suryakant Tiwari and Mayor Ajaz Dhebar's brother Yahya Dhebar.
Earlier, the division bench of Chhattisgarh High Court Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Arvind Verma had upheld the decision of the lower court and sentenced them to life imprisonment. One of the 28 convicts, Vikram Sharma alias Bultu Pathak, has died.
Will soon approach SC to initiate proceedings against Amit Jogi: Satish Jaggi
Ramvatar Jaggi's son Satish Jaggi, who reached Raipur court, said that all the culprits were to surrender between April 10 and 11. “I got the news today that everyone will surrender on the 15th at 11 o'clock. I have reached here with my lawyers. Court timings are till 5:00 pm. If everyone does not come, what decision will the court take or remains to be seen, he said.
On five of the convicts getting relief from the Supreme Court, he said that he has not read the order yet. He said, “Although I do not believe that anyone should get relief in this case, extension may be granted. For a few days, due to some reasons, but I have full faith that no one can get relief in this case.”
Jaggi further said that he will soon approach the Supreme Court to initiate proceedings against former CM Ajit Jogi’s son Amit Jogi as well.
The 2003 Jaggi murder case
Notably, Ramavtar Jaggi, who had a business background, was very close to former Union Minister Vidyacharan Shukla, one of the country's top leaders in the early 2000s. Vidyacharan Shukla left Congress and joined NCP after Congress made Ajit Jogi CM of the newly-formed Chhattisgarh. Jaggi also went with him.
On June 4, 2003, NCP leader Ramavtar Jaggi was shot dead. 31 people were made accused in this case. Two of whom, Bultu Pathak and Surendra Singh, became government witnesses. Except Amit Jogi, son of former CM Ajit Jogi, the remaining 28 were punished. Later Amit Jogi was acquitted. Ramvatar Jaggi's son Satish Jaggi had appealed against this in the Supreme Court. There is a stay in favor of Amit Jogi in the matter.
