A dramatic twist in Chhattisgarh’s long-running political scandal: Raipur’s special CBI court has quashed the discharge of ex-Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in the 2017 Rajesh Munat CD controversy, alongside dismissing related appeals by other defendants. This paves the way for full trial proceedings.
The saga began with extortion threats in October 2017, where an unknown caller dangled a lewd video of BJP’s Prakash Bajaj’s ‘boss’ for ransom. Parallel complaints targeted Baghel and journalist Vinod Verma for circulating doctored Munat footage online, ostensibly to cripple the minister’s standing.
Chhattisgarh Police’s FIRs led to CBI takeover, yielding charges against six, including the prominent duo. Verma’s Ghaziabad arrest, amid cries of political witch-hunt over the CD, amplified the frenzy. Munat branded it a character assassination ploy.
Saturday’s ruling meticulously dismantles the discharge rationale, affirming evidence of collusion in blackmail and smear tactics. Baghel now confronts trial head-on, a development BJP celebrates as justice delayed but delivered.
This resurgence tests Baghel’s resilience, intertwining legal battles with electoral legacies. It spotlights vulnerabilities in political discourse, where fabricated scandals erode trust. As courts deliberate, Chhattisgarh watches intently, pondering lessons in integrity and intrigue.