Chhattisgarh Sex CD case: Supreme Court notice in CBI plea to transfer case against CM Bhupesh Baghel to Delhi

The Supreme Court today issued notice in a transfer petition by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking the transfer of the sex CD case against Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to Delhi..The case dates back to a period before Baghel came to power in Chhattisgarh and pertains to allegations of fabricating and circulating a CD containing sexually explicit content against a former BJP minister..Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the CBI before the Bench of CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SA Bobde and S Abdul Nazeer. He submitted that witnesses in the case are being threatened and, therefore, sought the transfer of the case to Delhi..The Court has issued notice in the matter and stayed the trial..The case was registered against Baghel in December 2017 when he was the Chhattisgarh Congress Chief, on a complaint that he had tried to frame the then PWD Minister and BJP leader Rajesh Munat in a fake sex CD case in order to defame him. Baghel was remanded to 14-day judicial custody in September last year in the matter. In December last year, the CBI had filed its charge sheet in the case against Baghel. .The CBI had registered two FIRs in the matter, including one leveling charges under the Information Technology Act, naming Baghel and BBC journalist, Vinod Verma (who was granted bail later when the agency failed to file the charge sheet within the prescribed time). The other FIR is registered against unknown persons on the charges of extortion and intimidation.