Dhanbad judge murder case: Special CBI court convicts both accused

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Thursday convicted two accused in Jharkhand's additional district judge Uttam Anand murder case. The court of Special CBI Judge Rajinikanth Pathak, Dhanbad, held Lakhan Verma and Rahul Verma guilty of murder, and convicted them under sections 302 and 201 of the IPC.

The hearing on the quantum of punishment of the two convicts will be held on August 6.

Anand was murdered exactly a year ago on 28 July 2021, when he was out for a morning walk and was mowed down by an auto-rickshaw, which led to his death on the spot.

The entire incident was captured in a CCTV installed nearby. It was seen in the footage that the auto had deliberately hit the judge.

The very next day Lakhan and his associate Rahul were arrested by the police. Of the two convicts, Lakhan was behind the wheel of the vehicle while Rahul was his accomplice. The investigation of the case was handed over to the CBI on the recommendation of the Jharkhand government.

The Supreme Court and the Jharkhand High Court had also taken suo motu cognizance of the judge's murder terming it "a very serious matter".

The court conducted a speedy trial in the murder case.

On October 20, 2021, the CBI had submitted the charge sheet against Lakhan and Rahul in the court under Sections 302, 201, 34 of the IPC. The CBI had recorded the statements of 58 witnesses in the case. According to the CBI, Lakhan and Rahul had deliberately hit the judge, which led to his death.