Jagdalpur: More than 13 years after Maoists wiped out a large section of Chhattisgarh’s Congress leadership in the Jhiram Valley ambush, a special NIA court here on Wednesday sentenced every one of the 10 convicted accused to death, PTI reported.
Special Judge Ajay Singh Rajput of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Jagdalpur had held the 10 accused, two of them women, guilty on September 5 and kept the sentencing order for Wednesday, NIA counsel Dinesh Panigrahi told reporters. “The court has awarded the death penalty to all 10 convicts,” Panigrahi said.
The convicts are Pramila Modiyam (40), Chaitu Lekam, Sumitra Punem Modiyam, Mukka Mandavi, Kosa Kavasi, Aayata Markam, Madkami Deva, Joga Madkami, Banjami Sanna and Mahadev Nag.
‘Will Challenge In High Court’
During the trial, prosecutors examined 101 witnesses and placed multiple documents on record, Panigrahi said. On the broader list of accused, he noted that the FIR named several identified as well as unidentified persons. “Eleven persons were arrested and a trial was initiated against them. One of them died during the trial and the remaining 10 were convicted after the trial,” he said.
Defence lawyer Arvind Choudhary said, “We are not satisfied with the verdict and will challenge it in the high court.” The capital sentences will require confirmation by the Chhattisgarh High Court, and the convicts have 30 days to file an appeal.
2013 Ambush: IED Blast, Grenades, Loot
According to the investigating agency, the 10 were convicted under multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code along with the Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The NIA said the attack targeted the Congress’ “Parivartan Rally” on a national highway in Jhiram Valley, Bastar, on May 25, 2013, ahead of the state assembly polls.
In all, 27 people — Congress leaders, civilians and security personnel — were killed and over 30 injured, it said. Maoists set off an IED, rained bullets and hurled grenades at the convoy, killing 24 on the spot and injuring more than 35 civilians and police, the agency said.
Three of the injured later died, pushing the toll to 27, it added. The attackers also looted weapons, ammunition, walkie-talkies, mobile phones and other items from the victims, the NIA said.
Among the dead were then state Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son Dinesh, former Assembly Leader of Opposition Mahendra Karma, former Union minister Vidya Charan Shukla and senior Congress leader and ex-MLA Uday Mudliyar.
Post-Attack: SIT, FIR, Panel Row
The NIA said its probe proved that armed CPI (Maoist) cadres, with help from local committees and divisions, planned and executed the attack on the Congress “Parivartan Yatra” convoy to kill senior leaders and security personnel as part of the outfit’s Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC).
Although the state police first registered the case, the then Raman Singh-led BJP government handed it to the NIA within two days. The agency filed its first chargesheet against nine accused in September 2014 and a supplementary one against 30 accused in September 2015; of the 11 arrested and tried, one died in custody.
The attack has remained politically sensitive in Chhattisgarh, with Congress alleging the larger conspiracy was never fully probed. In 2019, the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government set up an SIT to re-examine the case, claiming the NIA had ignored the wider conspiracy angle.
In May 2020, police lodged a fresh FIR at Darbha police station under murder and criminal conspiracy sections on a complaint by Jitendra Mudliyar, son of slain leader Uday Mudliyar, who said the real conspirators were still free.
The NIA sought to take over the fresh probe, but after its plea was rejected, it moved the Supreme Court, which declined to interfere. Baghel also claimed top Maoist leaders were initially named in the NIA FIR but dropped from the chargesheet, while Congress alleged the probe slowed after 2014.
Separately, the Jhiram Ghati Inquiry Commission report was submitted to the Governor in November 2021, sparking a row after the state said it was not informed. The Congress government subsequently reconstituted the commission, but the High Court stayed its proceedings after a BJP leader filed a PIL against expanded terms of reference.
