Explainer: Does Dhanbad Judge’s Suspected Murder Have Connection With His High-Profile Cases?

New Delhi: The death of Dhanbad judge Uttam Anand in Jharkhand is not an accident but a murder. The whole matter was earlier believed to be a road accident, but when the CCTV footage of the incident was examined, the angle of murder came to the fore.

It is believed that there is a plot behind the death. Here’s a detailed explanation regarding the case.

How did the judge die?
28 July 2021, Day – Wednesday, Time – 5 am. Judge Uttam Anand was returning to his house after the morning walk. The road was completely deserted. The judge was walking on the left side of the road. At the same time, an auto-rickshaw came from behind. The rickshaw was running straight in the middle of the road, but then suddenly it turned towards Judge Uttam Anand and ran away after hitting him. This entire incident was recorded on CCTV.

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After a while, he was spotted by the locals lying on the roadside. They admitted him to Shaheed Nirmal Mahato Medical College and Hospital. He died during treatment. When he did not return home till 7 a.m., the family members informed the Sadar police station. Police launched a search for him. 
Police reached the hospital after receiving information about an unclaimed dead body. The judge’s bodyguard identified his body.

Family alleges murder
After the death of Judge Uttam Anand, the family alleged that it was not a road accident but a planned murder. At the same time, the CCTV footage also raised many questions about his death. Initial investigation revealed that the auto-rickshaw was also stolen. The auto has been confiscated. The police have arrested three people including the auto driver. 

Jharkhand High Court and Supreme Court took Suo Motu Cognizance
The next day the Jharkhand High Court expressed grief over the death of Judge Uttam Anand. He called the law and order of the state a failure. It also ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the Additional Director General of Police to probe the judge’s death and said the investigation would be monitored by the High Court. Taking Suo Motu Cognizance in this matter, the High Court ordered the state government to constitute a special investigation under the leadership of Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Sanjay Latkar and speedy investigation of the matter.

The next day on Friday, the Supreme Court also took Suo Motu Cognizance of the matter and sought a status report from Jharkhand chief secretary and director general of police within a week on the investigation of the incident. A bench of Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justice Surya Kant said that the Jharkhand High Court will continue to monitor the investigation into the incident.

Is there a connection with high-profile cases?
Judge Uttam Anand was hearing high-profile murder cases in his court. There were more than 15 such criminal cases. Therefore, this whole matter is also being linked to these high-profile cases. It is being told that a few days before the incident, Judge Uttam Anand had rejected the bail applications of two gangsters in Dhanbad’s famous Neeraj Singh murder case. Dhanbad Municipal Corporation Deputy Mayor Neeraj Singh was killed with an AK-47 rifle.