Raipur’s CBI special court delivered a stinging blow to Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday, scrapping the lower court’s order that had cleared the former Chhattisgarh CM in the sensational 2017 CD case involving PWD Minister Rajesh Munat. In the same breath, the court rejected discharge pleas from co-accused Kailash Murarka, Vinod Verma, and Vijay Bhatia against charge-framing orders.
This scandal erupted in October 2017 amid fierce political rivalry. Complaints alleged that fake pornographic clips of Munat were doctored and spread on social media to derail his career and benefit Congress. Police swiftly filed two FIRs—one for extortion via a threatening call to BJP’s Prakash Bajaj, another directly implicating Baghel and Verma in dissemination.
Transferred to CBI by the BJP government, the probe uncovered a plot laced with blackmail and character defamation. Verma, a senior journalist, was nabbed from his Ghaziabad home, protesting that he was being framed over possessing the controversial CD. Munat dismissed the footage as morphed, aimed at political sabotage.
Baghel and associates have maintained innocence, but the CBI court’s detailed order points to cogent material warranting trial. This pivot forces Baghel back into the legal fray, potentially reshaping narratives around his leadership. With charges now reinstated, the case promises prolonged courtroom drama, spotlighting the murky intersections of media, politics, and crime in India’s heartland.
As Chhattisgarh gears up for future polls, this ruling serves as a reminder of unresolved grievances from past regimes, fueling debates on accountability and vendetta politics.