HC dismisses Ajit Jogi's plea in sting operation case

New Delhi, May 30 (UNI) Delhi High Court today dismissed the petition of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, former Union Minister for State Dilip Singh Judeo and four others who had sought to quash the Delhi sessions court order of framing of charges against them in a sting operation case.

Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul in his order said the trial court has rightly framed charges against all the accused for abetment and conspiracy and directed to proceed with the case.

The court held that enough evidences have been collected by the CBI to frame charges against the accused which cannot be discarded at the threshold.

It is alleged that Dilip Singh Judeo as the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests had taken a bribe of Rs nine lakhs in front of his Additional Private Secretary (APS) Natwar Singh Rateria from one Bhupinder Singh Patel for consideration of future favours for the mining projects in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa.

Arvind Vijay Mohan and Rajat Prasad of Akash Channel video recorded Judeo while taking bribe.

The allegations against Ajit Jogi, the then Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh is that he hatched a plan with Bhupinder Singh Patel and Rajat Prasad to video record Judeo while receiving bribe to disgrace and tarnish his image to derive political mileage just before the Assembly polls which were scheduled for November 2003.

The CBI filed a case against six persons - Ajit Jogi, Bhupinder Singh Patel, Arvind Vijay Mohan, Rajat Prasad, Dilip Singh Judeo and Natwar Rat for criminal conspiracy under section 120(b) and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The accused filed a revision petition in the Delhi High Court seeking to quash charges framed by the trial court for criminal culpibility of persons undertaking "sting operation" under the Indian Penal Code.

The court said the channel could not have assumed the role of a 'Knight in the shinning Armour' seeking reform in the society while completely ignoring the legal methodology laid out for necessary corrective measures. The accused had no altruistic motive but a self serving one therefore the charges framed by the trial court cannot be doubted, Justice Kaul said.

UNI SNG KK VC2025