RAIPUR: In a legal setback for the Congress party in Chhattisgarh, the Raipur sessions court has overturned a lower court's discharge order granted to former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in the 2017 sex CD case.
The court accepted a review petition filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), mandating that Baghel face trial with the first hearing scheduled for February 23, 2026.
The sessions court’s ruling apparently nullified a March 4, 2025, judgment given by a special CBI court that cleared Baghel of all charges due to lack of evidence.
The higher court has now ordered that the senior Congress leader should face trial once again, reviving a case that has shadowed state politics for the last over eight years.
Baghel maintained that the move is politically motivated.
"This is nothing but a political vendetta. The truth will eventually come out in court. We will fight and win," Baghel told reporters.
His legal team, led by advocate Faisal Rizvi, confirmed that they are preparing to challenge the sessions court’s order in the high court.
"Our client neither commissioned the creation of the CD nor participated in its distribution; he has been framed in a baseless case. We will soon challenge this reversal in the high court," said Rizvi.
"The Central government is misusing its agencies to intimidate and frame Congress leaders. This is a conspiracy, but the party remains resilient and confronts it," stated Charan Das Mahant, Chhattisgarh Leader of Opposition.
During the proceedings, senior advocate Manish Dutt, representing Baghel, argued that the former CM was falsely implicated, asserting that no criminal offence was committed by him.
The Raipur sessions court has directed Baghel to appear for the commencement of the trial. As the Congress moves to the high court for relief, the case is expected to reignite the political tussle in Chhattisgarh.
Legal experts believe the outcome of the upcoming high court appeal may be significant in determining whether the trial proceeds or is stayed.