The politics of murder

Jaggi’s murder had evoked outrage in the state. Jaggi’s son Satish had alleged that then chief minister Ajit Jogi and his son Amit were behind the murder. The allegations came as a big embarrassment to the Jogi government, coming as they did before the assembly elections of December 2003. Jogi dismissed the allegations and his government refused to order a CBI probe. The police arrested four people but it was alleged that these people were not even connected with the murder. Instead of probing the political angle, the police explored only two motives: business rivalry and robbery.

IT is not surprising then that Jaggi’s family has little faith in justice. When the BJP replaced Jogi’s government in the state in December 2003, Jaggi’s wife Gulshan decided to give justice another shot. She met chief minister Raman Singh, requesting him for an impartial inquiry. The new government ordered a reinvestigation. Then SSP of Raipur, D.M. Awasthi, headed the probe and after a month handed over the case to the CBI.

‘‘We handed over a foolproof case to the CBI. I don’t know whether the agency has made any further breakthrough. At least I have not heard of any so far,’’ says Awasthi.

NEARLY two years after Jaggi’s murder there has been no breakthrough. This despite the CBI arrest of prime suspect Surya Kant Tiwari, a youth Congress leader. Currently on bail from the High Court, Tiwari is alleged to be the middleman between the contract killers and those who ordered his killing. Satish Jaggi, meanwhile, says: ‘‘Everyone knows the killers. They are not so invisible as the police and CBI is making them out to be.’’ He is disheartened but is not giving up the fight. He plans on getting an appointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, requesting him to direct the CBI for an expeditious and impartial probe. ‘‘I know my father’s killers are very powerful but we will pursue the case.’’

Meanwhile, Satish Jaggi says he has received an anonymous letter from the driver of the vehicle that carried the killers. This driver, Satish says, has offered to be a witness. He has not been contacted yet.

Even as Vidya Charan Shukla blames the ‘‘dishonest manner’’ in which the investigation has been conducted, Jaggi’s family prays for an honest intervention.