In a rare and striking courtroom declaration on Monday, Additional District and Sessions judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar asserted, while pronouncing capital punishment in a dowry death case, that he would prefer death over being called a "coward judge." He further alleged that several serious cases were recalled from his court to benefit mafias and criminals.
The judge emphasised that he would not discharge his judicial duties “under pressure from mafias, gangsters or criminals,” according to a report by news agency PTI.
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Judge rejects pressure, cites conscience
Asserting that he would not discharge his duties under pressure from strongmen, mafias, gangsters or criminals, the judge observed that performing duties out of fear would erode public faith in the judicial system.
Furthermore, noting that his parents had taught him to fear only God, the fast-track judge stated that he would continue serving only as long as he could follow his principles.
Diwakar, in his judgment, said he would prefer death to being known as a coward judge.
{{/usCountry}}Diwakar, in his judgment, said he would prefer death to being known as a coward judge.
{{/usCountry}}The judge made these remarks while pronouncing his judgment and awarding the death penalty to a man who burnt his wife over dowry demands, as per the report.
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Security threats and case withdrawals
Alleging that he had been receiving threats from mafias and criminals, judge Diwakar said that about 100 serious cases were recalled from his court to benefit mafias and criminals.
The judge reportedly sought protection from senior officers after his security cover in Muzaffarnagar was allegedly curtailed.
This comes weeks after around 100 murder cases pending before judge Diwakar were transferred through an administrative order to the court of District and Sessions judge Virendra Kumar Singh in August.
According to District Bar Association president Pramod Tyagi, the mass transfer of cases followed widespread apprehensions among lawyers and litigants regarding the possibility of the fast-track court awarding capital punishment.
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Dowry case in court - What happened?
The remarks of judge Diwakar came during a case on Monday in which a man, Nadeem, was convicted under Sections 302 and 504 of the Indian Penal Code and imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh.
Nadeem had allegedly set his 23-year-old wife, Shehzadi, on fire on July 23, 2018, in Shahpur town over dowry demands.
Shehzadi subsequently succumbed to her burn injuries at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi.
Despite all 11 prosecution witnesses turning hostile during the proceedings, the court convicted Nadeem on the basis of Shehzadi’s dying declaration.
In her statement recorded before her death, Shehzadi alleged that Nadeem had set her ablaze, PTI further reported, citing government counsel Kuldeep Kumar.
The counsel noted that with Nadeem's case, Diwakar's court has now ordered the death penalty for 23 individuals across 11 cases within four months.
(with inputs from PTI)