CBI submits 1st report in Dhanbad judge case
RANCHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday submitted its first report on its investigation into last month’s death of Dhanbad additional judge Uttam Anand to the Jharkhand high court.
Both the Supreme Court and the Jharkhand high court took suo motu cognisance of the incident, with CCTV camera footage showing a vehicle seemingly swerving deliberately to hit the judge, who was out on his morning walk, and speeding away. The apex court directed the central agency to file a status report every week with the high court.
The investigation officer in the case also appeared before the division bench of Jharkand HC chief justice Ravi Ranjan and justice Sujit Narayan Prasad that directed the agency to carry out a proper investigation and submit a detailed report next week.
During the hearing, the court also sought details from the state government about security measures for judges in Dhanbad.
“I can’t comment on the content of the status report. We submitted the first status report today (Thursday) as per the Supreme Court’s direction. The next progress report will be submitted for the next hearing on August 20,” said CBI counsel Rajiv Sinha.
A news agency quoted Jharkhand advocate general Rajiv
Ranjan saying that the HC was not satisfied with the status report. “CBI submitted its report before the HC. The HC was not satisfied with it so it has asked CBI for a detailed report. They have to file it next week,” Ranjan told news agency ANI.
People involved in the proceedings said the bench sought to know from the investigation officer details of the forensic report of the crime scene and the auto rickshaw and the interrogation of people seen passing by in the footage.
The agency informed the court that with a local court’s permission they took custody of the auto rickshaw involved in the accident to recreate the crime scene and that the forensic report of the samples lifted f was still awaited. The agency also informed the court that they have questioned one of two bike riders captured on CCTV passing by the same road at the time of the accident.
Additional district judge Uttam Anand was brought dead to the hospital on July 28, about an hour after he was hit by a vehicle near Randhir Verma square in Dhanbad. Two people who were riding the threewheeler, identified as driver Lakhan Verma and his associate Rahul Verma were arrested by Jharkhand police the next morning and the vehicle was seized.
CBI took over the investigation from the SIT headed by an ADG rank officer of Jharkhand Police at the state government’s instance.