Dhanbad judge death: SC seeks report on probe by next week

The bench said that after taking into consideration the incidents of attacks against judicial officers and lawyers happening across the country, it thought it “proper” to take suo motu cognisance of the matter as the issue required detailed examination

The Supreme Court Friday took suo motu cognisance of an additional district judge’s death in a “gruesome incident” on July 28 in Dhanbad, and sought a status report within a week from Jharkhand’s chief secretary and the director general of police on the probe.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana made it clear that the proceedings before the Jharkhand High Court to monitor the probe into Judge Uttam Anand’s death would continue. 

The bench said that after taking into consideration the incidents of attacks against judicial officers and lawyers happening across the country, it thought it “proper” to take suo motu cognisance of the matter as the issue required detailed examination.

The bench said it was concerned with the larger issues such as “the nature of the incident and the steps taken by the state governments for protection of judicial officers inside and outside the court premises”.

“We direct the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) of Jharkhand to submit a report in a week’s time on the status of investigation on the sad demise of additional district and sessions Judge Uttam Anand,” said the bench which also comprised justice Surya Kant. The bench sought the presence of Jharkhand Advocate General when it hears the case next week and said that it would then consider the issue of issuing notices to other states.

CCTV footages showed Anand was on w morning walk when a heavy auto-rickshaw veered towards him, hit him from behind and fled the scene.

Chief Justice Ravi Ranjan of the Jharkhand HC on Thursday ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team to probe the death. The HC stated it will monitor the probe and sought updates from the SIT from time to time.

28 July
Day the judge was killed by two men

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