The Supreme Court deferred hearing in a Special Leave Petition arising out of proceedings in the 2003 Ram Avtar Jaggi murder case, while granting liberty to the petitioner to challenge his conviction before the appropriate forum.
A Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta directed that the matter be listed on April 20, 2026. The Court clarified that it would be open to the petitioner to file an appeal against the conviction and sentence imposed by the Chhattisgarh High Court in its judgment dated April 2, 2026.
The SLP challenges a High Court order dated March 25, 2026, which granted leave to appeal under Section 378(3) CrPC to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the petitioner’s acquittal recorded by the trial court in 2007. The High Court’s order came in the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s earlier judgment dated November 6, 2025, which had condoned delay in filing the leave application and directed fresh consideration on merits.
Before the Supreme Court, it has been contended that the High Court granted leave mechanically, without independently assessing whether the case met the threshold for interference with an acquittal. The petitioner argues that the High Court misinterpreted the Supreme Court’s earlier order as a mandate to grant leave, rather than undertaking a reasoned evaluation under Section 378(3) CrPC.
The plea also raises procedural concerns, alleging that the High Court proceeded to grant leave within a day of listing, without supplying relevant records or affording a meaningful opportunity of hearing, despite specific directions of the Supreme Court requiring such hearing at the leave stage.
The case originates from the 2003 killing of Ram Avtar Jaggi, a political figure in Chhattisgarh. While multiple accused were convicted by the trial court, the petitioner had been acquitted in 2007. Subsequent proceedings have revived scrutiny of that acquittal, alongside developments relating to conviction.
The Supreme Court is now expected to examine the legality of the High Court’s grant of leave to appeal and its compliance with earlier directions in the matter at the next hearing.
Appearances:
For Petitioner(s) :Mr. Kapil Sibal, Sr. Adv.; Mr. Mukul Rohatgi, Sr. Adv.; Mr. Vivek Tankha, Sr. Adv.; Mr. Siddharth Dave, Sr. Adv.; Mr. Vikas Walia, Adv.; Ms. Drishti Harpalani, Adv.; Mr. Yash Sharma, Adv.; Mr. Arunodya, Adv.; Mr. Nikhil Pahwa, Adv.; Ms. Mantika Haryani, AOR
