Raipur/Jagdalpur, Sep 15 (IANS) After a judicial process spanning nearly 13 years, all eyes are now fixed on the court’s decision in high-profile “Jhiram Ghati” (Valley) Maoist attack case on Wednesday.
A special NIA court in Chhattisgarh’s Jagdalpur will pronounce the sentence for the 10 convicted accused.
On May 25, 2013, Maoists ambushed the Congress’ ‘Parivartan Yatra’ in the Jhiram Ghati Valley of Chhattisgarh.
Several senior Congress leaders, including the then State party President Nandkumar Patel, former Leader of the Opposition Mahendra Karma, and former Union Minister Vidyacharan Shukla, were killed in the attack.
A total of 29 people, including security personnel, lost their lives.
The incident shook the entire nation and is regarded as one of the most significant Maoist violence attacks in the state.
During the trial, statements from 101 witnesses were recorded and a large volume of documents was presented before the court.
Following the lengthy proceedings, the court convicted 10 accused persons.
The court judgment on their sentencing will now be delivered on Wednesday.
Despite the conviction, several major questions surrounding the Jhiram attack remain subjects of discussion.
Debate continues, particularly regarding the extent of the conspiracy, the role played by top Maoist leaders, and whether there were serious lapses in security arrangements.
Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has repeatedly raised questions regarding the investigation into the Jhiram Ghati attack.
He has said that the incident was not merely a Maoist attack but involved a larger conspiracy.
Baghel had noted on several occasions that he possessed evidence linked to the Jhiram conspiracy.
Questioning the NIA investigation, the former Chief Minister alleged a cover-up in the probe.
He said that had the state government’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) been given the opportunity to investigate independently, the individuals behind the alleged conspiracy could have been identified.
Baghel also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of failing to fully probe the Jhiram Ghati case and of shielding the conspirators.
The court judgment on the sentencing of the guilty, coming 13 years after the attack, will mark a significant milestone in the judicial process.
However, even after the conviction, there remains a persistent demand to find answers regarding the conspiracy behind the attack and the full chain of events.
It remains to be seen what sentences the special NIA court will pronounce on September 16 for the 10 convicted accused.
–IANS
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