RANCHI: A day after the Supreme Court observed that the death of a Dhanbad judge had “wider ramifications” on the independence of the judiciary, Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Saturday recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged hit-and-run case.
Dhanbad district and additional judge Uttam Anand died early on Wednesday after he was hit by a tempo from behind as he was taking a morning walk. “The case relating to the death of Dhanbad district and additional judge Uttam Anand has been handed over to the CBI on the recommendations of chief minister Hemant Soren,” stated an official announcement from the Jharkhand Chief Minister’s Office.
The decision was taken a day after Soren met family members of the deceased Judge during which he assured them that the state government was serious on the issue of investigations and it was their priority to bring justice to him.
On Thursday, the Jharkhand high court took suo-moto cognizance of the matter, calling it a direct attack on the judiciary. The incident was also brought to the notice of the court by Supreme Court Bar Association president Vikas Singh, who demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter.