SC cancels bail of Amit Jogi

New Delhi, Apr 30 (UNI) The Supreme Court today cancelled the bail granted by the Chhattisgarh High Court to Amit Jogi, son of former state chief minister Ajit Jogi, main accused in the Ramavtar Jaggi murder case.

A Bench comprising Justices H K Sema and Lokeshwar Singh Panta set aside the impugned order of the High Court dated May 5, 2006 vide which the court had granted bail to Jogi.

The apex court while setting aside the High Court judgement noted, ''The High Court Chief Justice in his order had virtually acquitted the accused and virtually decided the case on merits even before the trial. To say the least it is against the cannon of justice as the court did not consider the nature and gravity of the offence.'' The order, a major setback to the Congress, came on a petition filed by Satish Jaggi, son of the deceased who was killed in 2003 while campaigning for his party candidate namely NCP headed by Sharad Pawar.

The deceased was treasurer of the state NCP unit.

The investigation was transferred to the CBI and Jogi was later arrested. He remained in jail only for 10 months.

With today's order Jogi will have to surrender and go behind bars.

Counsel for Jogi had opposed the petition for cancellation of bail on the ground that the trial was at its fag end as all the prosecution witnesses had already been examined and the prosecucution had already closed its evidence.

The court, however, did not agree.

UNI