Amit Jogi surrenders after cancellation of bail

Raipur, May 2 (UNI) Amit Jogi, son of former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi, today surrendered following the Supreme Court order cancelling his bail in connection with the murder of state NCP Treasurer Ram Avtar Jaggi in June 2003.

The accused surrendered before Additional District and Sessions Judge B L Tidke, who is hearing the case. He has been remanded in judicial custody.

Amit was in judicial custody for about ten months after being arrested by the CBI that named him as prime accused. The Chhattisgarh High Court granted him bail in May last year and in pursuance of bail orders, he was released from Raipur Central Jail.

Mr Satish Jaggi, son of the deceased, moved the apex court challenging the High Court order. A Bench comprising Justices H K Sema and Lokeshwar Singh Panta set aside the High Court order noting, ''the High Court Chief Justice virtually acquitted the accused and decided the case on merit even before the trial. To say the least, it is against the canon of justice as the Court did not consider the nature and gravity of the offence.'' Mr Jaggi was gunned down by unidentified persons a few months before the maiden Assembly elections since Chhattisgarh's formation.

Initially, the state police arrested a few criminals from Uttar Pradesh, claiming that they had killed Mr Jaggi during an attempt of loot. However, the victims' relatives and Opposition parties termed it a ''politically-motivated''.

After the BJP came to power in December 2003, the Raman Singh government handed over the probe to the CBI. The Central agency arrested Amit and others.

The trial is in its final stages.

UNI