CBI Probe Into Death of Dhanbad Judge: Two Accused Charged With Murder

The CBI filed a chargesheet against auto-rickshaw driver and his helper.

Dhanbad ADJ Uttam Anand was killed on 28 July. Image used for representational purposes. 

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday, 20 October, filed a charge sheet against auto-rickshaw driver Lakhan Verma and his helper Rahul Verma in the murder case of Dhanbad Additional District Judge (ADJ) Uttam Anand.

According to ANI, the chargesheet has been filed under sections 302 (punishment for murder), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Further investigation is also reportedly underway

The duo had been arrested a day after an auto-rickshaw ran over the judge on 28 July.

Background

Earlier in September, the CBI had informed the Jharkhand High Court that they are “inquiring the death from every angle”.

“No angle will left while investigating the probe,” the CBI had told the court.

ADJ Uttam Anand was killed on 28 July in what was initially thought to have been an accident in Jharkhand's Dhanbad. The deceased, who was hit by a tempo, while jogging near the Randhir Verma Chowk in the city, was later suspected to have been murdered.

On 30 July, a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana had taken suo motu cognisance of the death of the Jharkhand judge, and asked the state chief secretary and the police chief to submit a report on the progress of the investigation within one week.

(With inputs from NDTV)