Jogi moves HC; challenges report of panel dismissing his claim

Former chief minister Ajit Jogi today filed a petition in the Chhattisgarh High Court challenging the report of ahigh-level panel of the state government which has dismissed his claim of being a tribal.
In his 550-page petition, Jogi prayed for grant of stay on the high power committee's report based on which his Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate was cancelled by the Bilaspur collector early this month, his lawyer Shailendra Shukla said.
The panel formed on the Supreme Court's directive to look into the authenticity of Jogi's tribal status, recently dismissed his claim of being a tribal belonging to Kanwar community and recommended for cancellation of his ST certificate, he said.

He contended that the committee failed to comply with the directives of the Supreme Court in Madhuri Patil Case and also the findings of the vigilance committee (which probed his caste status), Shukla said.
The petition also mentioned that the apex court had directed to constitute a panel but "the state government maliciously ensured status of the panel to only one officer".
The panel gave the report on direction of the state government, the plea claimed.

Shukla informed that the copy of the petition has been given to Nand Kumar Sai, Sant Kumar Netam and Sameera Paikra (all BJP leaders) who have filed caveat in this connection (panel's report) in the HC, and the office of advocate general Chhattisgarh.

Jogi, a former Congress stalwart, had served as the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh from November 2000 to November 2003. He had served as an Congress MLA from the Marwahi seat, reserved for ST.
Last year, he parted ways with the Congress and formed a new outfit Janata Congress Chhattisgarh after he and his son Amit (incumbent MLA from Marwahi) got embroiled in a controversy over alleged fixing of the by-election held for Antagarh seat in Kanker district in 2014.