Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court has upheld the life imprisonment awarded to Rahul Verma and Lakhan Verma in the murder of Dhanbad Additional District and Sessions Judge Uttam Anand, affirming the verdict of the CBI special court.
A division bench headed by Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay on Tuesday dismissed the criminal appeals filed by the two convicts, ruling that there was no reason to interfere with the trial court’s judgment. While delivering the verdict, the court described the crime as a direct attack on the judiciary.
The convicts had challenged the CBI court’s decision before the High Court, seeking relief from their conviction and sentence. During the proceedings, the bench examined the records of the trial court along with the arguments presented by both sides before concluding that the conviction and punishment warranted no modification. Advocate Sabyasachi appeared on behalf of the appellants.
The case dates back to July 28, 2021, when Judge Uttam Anand was struck by an autorickshaw while on his morning walk in Dhanbad. He suffered critical injuries and later succumbed. CCTV footage of the incident, which went viral, sparked nationwide outrage and raised serious concerns over the security of judicial officers.
Considering the gravity of the incident, the investigation was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
After completing its investigation, the CBI secured the conviction of autorickshaw driver Lakhan Verma and his associate Rahul Verma. On July 28, 2022, the CBI Special Court found both guilty of murder, and on August 6, 2022, sentenced them to life imprisonment along with a fine of ₹25,000 each.
The special court had observed that both convicts should remain in prison for the rest of their natural lives. They were convicted under Sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), and 34 (acts done with common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
With the High Court rejecting their appeals, the life sentences imposed by the trial court will continue to remain in force.
With inputs from IANS