The New Indian Express ·
Politics
Jhiram Ghati verdict is ‘Half-Baked Justice’, says Chhattisgarh Congress chief Deepak Baij
RAIPUR: Terming the National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court’s verdict on the 2013 Jhiram Ghati massacre delivered on Saturday as "half-baked justice", Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Chief Deepak Baij levelled serious allegations against the premier investigative agency, stating that it systematically derailed the probe to shield political conspirators and senior Maoist commanders.
Baij said that while the party respects the court’s decision, the verdict merely reflects the deeply flawed and selective evidence presented before it by the NIA.
The special court in Jagdalpur convicted 10 cadres for their role in the May 2013 ambush that virtually wiped out the top leadership of Chhattisgarh Congress.
The opposition Congress pointed out that an attack of this magnitude could never have been orchestrated without the involvement of top-tier Maoist leaders.
"The NIA itself acknowledged that more than 200 Naxals carried out the attack, with 39 specifically named. Why were charges proven against only 10 low-level operatives?" Baij asked. He noted that those convicted were merely small-time cadres, while the real masterminds remain unaccountable.
The ruling BJP, however, hailed the NIA court verdict as a resounding victory for the rule of law and the Indian judicial system.
Countering the opposition's claims of an incomplete probe, the BJP asserted that the court delivered its judgment based on substantiated evidence and facts presented before it, cautioning against politicising a grave national security tragedy.
The Congress chief raised several 'unresolved' questions regarding the larger conspiracy behind the deadly attack.
“Why were injured victims and eyewitnesses never formally questioned by the NIA? The survivors repeatedly submitted affidavits to depose, but their statements were ignored. Why was the dedicated security cover for the Congress party’s Parivartan Yatra abruptly withdrawn? Who ordered the sudden change in the convoy's travel route, and for what purpose?” Baij asked while asserting that the NIA aggressively obstructed the Chhattisgarh Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT—formed during the previous Congress regime) from investigating the conspiracy angle.
The state Congress leadership demanded an explanation as to why the names of top CPI (Maoist) leaders were quietly expunged from the formal chargesheets.