Chhattisgarh High Court Upholds Convictions in Maoist Incident Case

The Chhattisgarh High Court has upheld the convictions and sentences passed by the Special Judge under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act for individuals involved in a Maoist incident in Bijapur. A division bench consisting of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal affirmed that the trial court’s judgment was justified and free of legal errors.

The case, which revolves around a violent Maoist attack on November 11, 2018, involved the abduction and assault of complainant Ravindra Farsa, his brother Deepak Farsa, and their father Mahru Farsa by armed Maoists. The attackers also looted significant amounts of cash, rice, paddy, livestock, and household items. During the assault, Deepak Farsa was murdered by a stone thrown by the Maoists, while Ravindra and Mahru sustained injuries.

The court ruled that all members of the unlawful assembly are guilty of rioting, even if they did not personally commit acts of violence, provided they were aware of the likelihood of such offenses occurring. The appellants, convicted for their roles in this incident, received various sentences including one year of rigorous imprisonment and fines, with additional penalties for non-payment.

Despite claims by the defense regarding discrepancies in witness testimony and the legality of the assembly, the High Court upheld the trial court’s findings, confirming the sentences and convictions. The ruling reinforces the principle that involvement in an unlawful assembly holds all members accountable for the group’s actions.

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