Chhattisgarh High Court Stays Trial Against Ex-CM Bhupesh Baghel In Morphed Video Case
The Chhattisgarh High Court on Thursday (July 30) stayed a trial court proceedings against former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in a case pertaining to the alleged creation and circulation of "obscene video" involving a former state cabinet minister.
In 2025, Special CBI court had discharged Baghel in the case holding that no prima facie case existed to connect him with alleged conspiracy or dissemination of alleged objectionable video. Against this CBI filed a revision before the Sessions Court which on January 24 this year allowed the plea and reversed the discharge. Against this Baghel moved the high court.
The case pertains to allegation of preparation and circulation of a morphed obscene video purportedly depicting BJP MLA Rajesh Munat, the then Cabinet Minister in the Chhattisgarh government.
While admitting the plea and permitting the CBI to file a response, Justice Radhakishan Agrawal after hearing arguments on plea for interim relief in his order said:
"Having considered the submissions advanced by learned counsel for the parties and looking to the facts and circumstances of the case, it is directed that further proceedings against the applicant in Criminal Case No.5465/2018 (CBI v. Kailash Murarkaand & Others), pending before the learned Special Judicial Magistrate (CBI), Raipur (C.G.), shall remain stayed until further orders".
The Prosecution traces back to two FIRs registered at Raipur in October 2017 one under Sections 384/506 IPC (initially without anynamed accused), and another under Section 67A of the IT Act, 2000 dated 27.10.2017 concerning an alleged obscene/morphed video of the then Cabinet Minister Rajesh Munnat, and an allied extortion/threat narrative.
The matter was taken over by the CBI and the agency filed the first charge-sheet on 24.09.2018 and a supplementary charge-sheet on 27.12.2019 under Sections 469, 471,120-B IPC and Section 67A Information Technology Act, alleging a conspiracy to create/circulate the said electronic content to harm reputation.
The petitioner has argued that upon examining the chargesheet Special Magistrate (CBI), Raipur vide order dated 04.03.2025, found that there was no prima facie material to connect the Petitioner with the alleged conspiracy, forgery or circulation of the purported objectionable video and accordingly discharged him from all the alleged offences, while directing framingof charges against the remaining accused.
Aggrieved therefrom, the CBI filed a revision plea before the Sessions Court where the Petitioner's discharge was set aside and directions were issued to proceed against him by framing charges.
Baghel claims that the sessions court's order ex facie unsustainable as the exceeds the limited scope of jurisdiction by reassessing the evidence, substituting its own findings for the well-reasoned discharge order, and effectively altering the nature of the charges, an exercise impermissible in law.
It is argued that the prosecution material, even if accepted in its entirety, fails to disclose the essential ingredientsof the alleged offences or raise any grave suspicion against the Petitioner, there being no evidence of any conspiracy, involvement inthe creation or dissemination of the alleged objectionable video, or commission of any offences alleged.
The CBI's counsel submitted that the Revisional Court, after due consideration of the material available on record, has rightly set aside the order of discharge and directed framing of charges against the petitioner. It was further submitted that the order does not call for any interference by this Court and that the present petition itself is not maintainable.
The court has listed the matter in first week of September, 2026.
Case title: Bhupesh Baghel v CBI
CRMP 1976 of 2026
Appearance: Mayank Jain, Adv Harshwardhan Parganiha, Adv Madhur Jain, Adv Arpit Goel, Adv Harshit Sharma Adv Manubha Shankar Adv
Mr. Vaibhav A. Goverdhan, counsel for the Respondent/Non-applicant