Dhanbad judge murder: HC slams CBI probe, summons CBI Director

Dhanbad judge murder: HC slams CBI probe, summons CBI Director
Source: IANS

Ranchi, Oct 22 (IANS) Expressing displeasure over the probe ordered by the CBI into the death of Dhanbad Additional District Judge Uttam Anand, the Jharkhand High Court on Friday ordered the CBI Director to appear before it on the case's next hearing on October 29.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ravi Ranjan and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad termed the charge sheet filed by the CBI in a special court on October 20 as "incomplete" and "faulty", saying that in the investigation conducted till now, the agency has failed to explain the motive behind the judge's murder.

It said the CBI has been unable to arrest the accused persons behind the murder and ascertain their motive

The high court said since the matter is being monitored by it, why was the information not shared with it by the agency before it filed a charge sheet in the special CBI court at Dhanbad.

"Why did the CBI hide this information from us? This was not expected from the CBI. It is a flawed charge sheet. The matter is being monitored by the High Court and monitoring does not mean merely discharging your responsibility," it added.

On July 28, District Sessions Judge Uttam Anand was hit by a speeding autorickshaw at Randhir Verma Chowk in Dhanbad while on a morning walk and died on the spot.

The judge's wife had filed a case of murder. Later, autorickshaw driver Lakhan Verma and his associate Rahul Verma were arrested by the police and investigation in the matter was handed over to the CBI.

In the charge sheet filed by the CBI, the autorickshaw driver and helper were charged with murder and the central agency was on the hunt for more people involved in the case for which an investigation is on.