The Hindu : SC asks NCP chief to amend petition against Ajit Jogi

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Tuesday, Sep 16, 2003

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SC asks NCP chief to amend petition against Ajit Jogi

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI SEPT. 15. The Supreme Court today asked the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader in Chhattisgarh, V.C. Shukla, to amend his petition alleging harassment of party workers by the State Chief Minister, Ajit Jogi, as it was like a "charge-sheet". The way in which the petition was drafted appeared to be "washing of dirty linen" in the Courts, a Bench comprising the Chief Justice V.N. Khare and Justice S.B. Sinha told the petitioner's counsel.

The Bench told counsel "what kind of petition is this. It is like a charge-sheet". It contained many things which were not necessary to be included and asked "are the Courts the place for washing the dirty linen?"

Appearing for Mr. Jogi, senior counsel, Harish Salve, said that a similar petition was pending before the Chattisgarh High Court. The Bench gave four weeks time to the petitioner to file the amended petition.

The petitioners, including H.P. Bansal and Munna Lal Chaudhary of the NCP, said that they were being threatened daily by the goons, anti-social elements and local administration at "the behest of" the Chief Minister, Mr. Jogi and his son, Amit Jogi, to "settle personal scores". Mr. Shukla, they said, was not being allowed to move freely within the State and to address public meetings.

Further, the situation had deteriorated to such an extent that not only the grassroots workers but also members of the party were being attacked and threatened by the police to join the Congress. Hence the present petition for a direction to order a CBI enquiry into the serious irregularities, scandals, harassment and other allegations and to restraining the Chief Minister from "misusing" the State machinery.

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