Charges framed in Dhanbad judge's 'hit and run murder' case

A CBI court in Jharkhand has framed murder charges against two people accused in the 'hit and run murder' of Dhanbad additional district judge Uttam Anand last year. Lakhan Verma, the driver of a 3-wheeler goods carrier, and his alleged accomplice Rahul Verma have been also charged for disappearance of evidence, giving false evidence and performing offence in furtherance of common intention under Sections 302, 201 read with 34 of the Indian Penal Code.

The CBI had filed a charge sheet against the duo last October, after a new team took over the probe following reprimand by the court for laxity in the investigation. The court had observed that despite having filed several status reports, CBI had failed to furnish a plausible explanation that led to the judge's alleged murder.

The new team headed by a police superintendent had started investigations from scratch and is examining the angle of larger conspiracy, said CBI insiders. In its charge sheet last October, CBI alleged that the judge was murdered, and it was not a case of accident. CBI had informed the Jharkhand high court that the judge's death was intentional, and its investigation indicated that the driver of the goods carrier steered his vehicle to hit the 49-year-old judge on the morning of July 28.


To corroborate its claims, CBI furnished four forensic reports in sealed covers. CBI also told the court that it was working on more leads. CBI conducted brain mapping tests on the two accused. The Supreme Court had on July 30 taken suo motu cognisance of the judge's death and sought a report from the Jharkhand chief secretary. The case was handed over to the CBI, which commenced the probe in the first week of August. The judge was hearing cases involving mafia killings in Dhanbad and had turned down bail applications of two gangsters.

He was also presiding over a case allegedly involving an aide of a local MLA. Though CBI said that its probe suggested that he was intentionally hit by the vehicle, a special investigation team constituted by the Jharkhand government earlier ruled out foul play and dubbed it a 'road accident.'