CBI takes over probe in death of Jharkhand judge, sets up SIT

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case in connection with the death of Dhanbad Additional District Judge Uttam Anand on the request of the Jharkhand government and constituted a SIT.

CBI spokesperson R.C. Joshi said: “CBI has today registered a case related to death of Uttam Anand, ADJ Dhanbad, on the request of Jharkhand Government and further notification from the Centre and taken over the investigation.”

Joshi said that the CBI has set up a Special Investigation Team and it is proceeding to Dhanbad.

A case was earlier registered by Dhanbad police as the judge was killed after an autorickshaw hit him on July 28 while he was on a morning walk, on a complaint from wife against an unknown auto driver.

After the CCTV footage surfaced, the Jharkhand government had formed an SIT to probe the matter. But, later it recommended the CBI probe into the death.

The SIT probing the killing of the judge has so far not made any headway, despite arresting a total of 17 people in the case including autorickshaw driver Lakhan Verma and his associate Rahul Verma.

On Tuesday, the Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday directed the CBI to start the probe into the death of the judge at the earliest, so that no evidence is destroyed, and directed the state government to provide all logistics support and documents to the agency.

The court also directed the Jharkhand DGP to ensure security to the judicial officers in the state, and ensure deployment of security guards at their houses. It also wanted to know, if the incident took place at 5.08 a.m., why the FIR was lodged at 12.45 p.m.IANS