HC upholds conviction in judge Uttam Anand’s murder case

In a judgment carrying strong words on the safety of judicial officers and the sanctity of the justice system, the Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday dismissed the appeals of Lakhan Kumar Verma and Rahul Kumar Verma, holding that the killing of Dhanbad Additional District and Sessions Judge Uttam Anand was a deliberate act and not a road accident.

The case had sent shockwaves across the country in July 2021 after CCTV footage captured an autorickshaw suddenly swerving towards Judge Anand, who was out on his routine morning walk in Dhanbad, and knocking him down before speeding away. The judge later succumbed to his injuries, triggering nationwide outrage and prompting the Jharkhand High Court to take suo motu cognisance.

The investigation was subsequently handed over to the CBI, with the case coming to be seen as a litmus test for the safety and independence of the judiciary.

According to the prosecution, Rahul Kumar Verma was driving the autorickshaw while Lakhan Kumar Verma was travelling as its passenger. The prosecution alleged that the two acted in concert and, after knocking the judge down, fled the scene. They later abandoned the autorickshaw in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence.

A division bench of Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay and Justice Pradeep Kumar Srivastava upheld the conviction and sentence awarded by the CBI court, concluding that the evidence overwhelmingly established that the autorickshaw was intentionally driven into the judge.

Court Rules CCTV and Forensic Evidence Prove Intentional Murder

The court relied heavily on forensic reconstruction, CCTV footage and expert testimony, which showed that the driver was “in full control” of the vehicle and deliberately altered its course towards the victim before returning to the original path after the impact. Experts found no evidence of braking, swerving or any attempt to avoid the collision.

Rejecting the defence argument that the incident was accidental or lacked the intention required for murder, the bench observed that the chain of evidence clearly demonstrated a planned and intentional act.

The court also noted that the accused were neither under the influence of alcohol nor driving a mechanically defective vehicle, eliminating the possibility of impaired judgment or vehicle failure.

Murder of Judicial Officer an Attack on the Rule of Law, Says High Court

In one of its strongest observations, the High Court described the murder as an “audacious” act that was far more than an ordinary homicide. It said the crime amounted to “an affront to the judiciary”, struck at the very administration of justice and raised grave concerns about the safety of judicial officers.

Holding that both accused acted with common intention, the bench upheld their conviction for murder and destruction of evidence and dismissed their appeals, reaffirming that the killing of a judge while discharging the solemn duties of the justice system was an attack on the rule of law itself.

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