A Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Jagdalpur convicted all 10 surviving accused in the 2013 Jhiram Ghati Naxal attack case, more than 13 years after the deadly ambush that claimed the lives of several senior Congress leaders and security personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region. The court reserved the announcement of the quantum of punishment for September 16.
The accused were found guilty under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Arms Act and the Explosive Substances Act.
The NIA said its investigation established that armed cadres of the banned CPI (Maoist), in coordination with local committees and divisions, had entered into a criminal conspiracy to attack
and kill senior Congress leaders and security personnel travelling in the convoy of the party’s ‘Parivartan Yatra’.
According to the NIA, the attack was carried out in pursuance of the Maoist organisation’s Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign.
What The NIA Court Found
The case relates to the planned attack on the Congress convoy in Jhiram Ghati, Darbha, Bastar, on May 25, 2013. The convoy was travelling on NH-221 as part of the Congress’ ‘Parivartan Yatra’ ahead of the 2013 Assembly elections.
According to the NIA release, the attack involved an IED blast, indiscriminate firing and grenade attacks.
Twenty-four civilians and police personnel were killed on the spot, while more than 35 others were seriously injured.
Three of the injured subsequently succumbed to their injuries.
The Maoists also looted arms, ammunition, walkie-talkie sets, mobile phones and other belongings from the victims.
The court’s verdict followed a prolonged trial during which the prosecution examined 101 witnesses and presented documentary and forensic evidence.
The NIA had filed its chargesheet against 39 accused through an initial chargesheet and a supplementary chargesheet in September 2014 and September 2015, respectively.
Of the 11 accused who were arrested and faced trial, one died during the proceedings. The 10 surviving accused have now been convicted.
The defence has indicated that the verdict could be challenged before a higher court.
Congress Calls Verdict ‘Incomplete Justice’
The court verdict has triggered a fresh political confrontation in Chhattisgarh, with Congress questioning the scope of the NIA probe and alleging that the larger conspiracy behind the attack remains unaddressed.
Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, “Looking at the court’s decision. It feels like it is incomplete justice.”
Baghel said the Jhiram Ghati conspiracy was “the biggest political massacre in the history of the world’s democracies” and argued that sentencing 10 low-level Naxals could not be considered complete justice.
He said the NIA investigation had been controversial and alleged that the names of senior Naxal leaders mentioned in the FIR were subsequently removed. “There is no mention of any conspiracy in it,” Baghel said.
He also alleged that no action had been taken against officers responsible for providing security during the Congress’ Parivartan Yatra, claiming that the investigation had “covered things up”.
Congress state president Deepak Baij similarly alleged that the NIA had failed to investigate a larger “political conspiracy”.
He described the attack as a “supari” or contract killing allegedly aimed at eliminating Congress leaders before the 2013 Assembly elections.
Baij further alleged that the Centre had influenced the verdict to protect BJP politicians and said the Congress was “completely dissatisfied” with the outcome.
Congress Raises Security Lapse Questions
Former Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo also questioned the security arrangements during the Parivartan Yatra.
Singh Deo, who was in charge of the programme in 2013, said information about the six-to-seven-day programme in Bastar had been provided to the DGP, IG and other police officials.
He recalled that security had been provided during the initial days of the programme but alleged that when the convoy travelled towards Sukma on the third day, there was no police or paramilitary presence along the route.
“The firing continued for 45 minutes to an hour. Where was our police force?” Singh Deo asked, saying he would not be satisfied until the circumstances that allowed the attack to take place were established.
Congress leader Vikas Upadhyay also alleged that the then BJP government led by Raman Singh had failed to provide the security requested for the Parivartan Yatra.
He said the 10 convicted persons were merely “foot soldiers” and alleged that those who planned the larger political conspiracy had not been brought to justice.
BJP Says Verdict Vindicates NIA Probe
The BJP welcomed the conviction, with Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma saying the verdict established the correctness of the NIA investigation.
Sharma said those arrested in connection with the Jhiram incident in 2014 and 2016 had been found guilty by the court.
He also recalled that the case was transferred to the NIA when the UPA government was in power at the Centre and a BJP government was in power in Chhattisgarh.
According to Sharma, the then state government transferred the case to the NIA within two days so that there would be no doubts about the investigation.
BJP MP Santosh Pandey also welcomed the verdict, describing the attackers as “ruthless Naxalites” and saying people had waited a long time for the truth to emerge.
Pandey, however, hit back at Baghel’s criticism of the investigation. Referring to Baghel’s earlier claims of possessing evidence, he questioned why the former chief minister had not produced it during his five-year tenure.
“So, Bhupesh ji, you couldn’t present evidence in five years. Was it really evidence or something else?” Pandey said.
NIA Case And The 2013 Attack
The Jhiram Ghati case concerns the Maoist ambush on the Congress convoy on May 25, 2013.
The attack claimed the lives of several prominent Congress leaders, including then Chhattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel, his son Dinesh Patel, former Union minister Vidya Charan Shukla, senior Congress leader Mahendra Karma and former MLA Uday Mudliyar, besides security personnel and others.
The NIA said its investigation established that CPI (Maoist) cadres, acting in coordination with local committees and divisions, had conspired to target the Congress leaders and security personnel travelling with the Parivartan Yatra.
