Yet to establish if J’khand judge’s death due to conspiracy: CBI to HC

The central agency on Friday submitted its weekly report before the Jharkhand high court’s division bench of chief justice Dr Ravi Ranjan and justice Sujit Narayan Prasad

RANCHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the death of Dhanbad additional judge Uttam Anand, informed the Jharkhand high court on Friday that it is still investigating if the accident that caused the death of the judge was a case of routine accident or part of a conspiracy.

File photo of Additional Judge Uttam Anand who died after being hit by a three-wheeler, in Dhanbad. (ANI)

The central agency on Friday submitted its weekly report before the high court’s division bench of chief justice Dr Ravi Ranjan and justice Sujit Narayan Prasad.

People aware of the matter said that CBI informed the court that based on its investigation, while accident caused the judge’s death, it is yet to establish whether it was done as part of some conspiracy.

CBI also informed the court that it was going to conduct Narco test of the two arrested accused---Lakhan Verma and Rahul Verma---to get behind the truth. The court directed the central agency to ensure proper security of the two accused, and if required use air travel for their transport, the people said.

Both the Supreme Court and the Jharkhand high court have taken suo motu cognisance of the incident that took place on July 28, when the judge, who was out on his morning walk, was hit by a vehicle near Randhir Verma square in Dhanbad.

The apex court directed CBI, which took over the case from the SIT formed by the Jharkhand police, to file a status report every week with the high court.