CBI : Court Revives 2017 Obscene Video Case Against Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister
CBI: A Special CBI Court in Raipur has delivered a significant development in the long-running 2017 obscene video case linked to Chhattisgarh politics. According to sources, the court has reversed an earlier magisterial court order that had discharged former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel from the case. This decision has effectively reopened legal proceedings and brought renewed attention to a controversy that has remained politically sensitive for several years.
Court Reverses Discharge Order
The Special CBI Court set aside the order passed by a lower magisterial court that had earlier granted relief to Bhupesh Baghel. By reversing the discharge, the court has allowed the case to proceed further under trial. Legal experts see this move as an indication that the court found sufficient grounds in the investigation material to warrant continuation of proceedings against the accused.
On the same day, the court also dismissed appeals filed by other accused individuals in the case. These appeals had challenged the trial court’s decision to frame charges against them. With the rejection of these pleas, the path has been cleared for the trial to move forward without procedural hurdles.
Appeals by Co-Accused Rejected
Apart from Baghel, the appeals of several other accused were also turned down by the Special CBI Court. These include Kailash Murarka, Vinod Verma, and Vijay Bhatia. All of them had sought relief from the order framing charges, arguing that the evidence was insufficient to justify a trial. However, the court rejected these arguments, reinforcing the trial court’s earlier findings.
This collective rejection of appeals suggests that the judiciary intends to examine the allegations in detail during the trial phase rather than dismissing them at a preliminary stage.
Background of the 2017 Case
The case traces its origins back to 2017, when former minister Rajesh Munat accused Bhupesh Baghel of being involved in the creation and circulation of sexually explicit videos. Munat alleged that these videos were fabricated and distributed with the intention of damaging his public image and political career.
Based on these allegations, a case was registered for making and circulating obscene content. The matter initially remained under the jurisdiction of the Chhattisgarh Police before being transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation for an independent probe.
Role of the CBI Investigation
After taking over the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation conducted a detailed investigation. The agency eventually filed a charge sheet and a supplementary charge sheet against six accused individuals, including Bhupesh Baghel. The charges were framed under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, which deals with electronic content and cyber-related offences.
At the time of investigation, Baghel was serving as the President of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee, adding a strong political dimension to the case. The involvement of a senior political leader ensured that the investigation remained under public and media scrutiny.
FIRs and Related Allegations
In 2017, an FIR was also lodged by the Chhattisgarh Police in connection with the alleged sex CD case involving a state minister. Journalist Vinod Verma was arrested during the course of the investigation in a separate extortion and blackmail case. Verma had claimed that he possessed a sex CD related to the minister, stating that this was the reason the state government was unhappy with him.
Another FIR was filed against Verma by Prakash Bajaj, who accused the journalist of attempting to blackmail him over a so-called vulgar video that allegedly featured his employer. These interconnected complaints further complicated the case and broadened the scope of the investigation.
Claims of Fake Content
Rajesh Munat consistently maintained that the sex CD allegedly linked to him was fake. He denied all claims of authenticity and reiterated that the video was part of a conspiracy to malign him politically. This assertion has remained a central point of contention throughout the legal proceedings and is expected to be examined closely during the trial.
With the Special CBI Court’s latest order, the case has once again come into focus. The reversal of Bhupesh Baghel’s discharge marks a crucial moment, as the court prepares to hear evidence and arguments that could shape the outcome of one of Chhattisgarh’s most talked-about political controversies.