Ranchi, July 14: The Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday upheld the life imprisonment awarded to Lakhan Verma and Rahul Verma in the 2021 murder of Dhanbad Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADJ) Uttam Anand, dismissing their appeals against the conviction.
A division bench headed by Justice Rangon Mukhopadhyay affirmed the judgment delivered by the CBI Special Court in Dhanbad, holding that the prosecution had successfully established the guilt of both convicts.
The High Court ruled that there was no legal basis to interfere with the trial court’s findings or the sentence imposed.
The case relates to the death of Judge Uttam Anand on July 28, 2021, when he was struck from behind by a speeding auto-rickshaw while on his morning walk in Dhanbad.
The incident, captured on CCTV cameras, triggered nationwide concern over the safety and security of judicial officers.
Following widespread public attention, the investigation was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
After examining CCTV footage, witness testimonies, and other evidence, the agency arrested Lakhan Verma and Rahul Verma and charged them with murder.
On August 6, 2022, the CBI Special Court convicted both accused and sentenced them to life imprisonment. The court also imposed a fine of ₹25,000 on each convict.
Challenging the verdict, both convicts approached the Jharkhand High Court.
However, after hearing arguments from both sides, the High Court concluded that the trial court had correctly appreciated the evidence and that the conviction and sentence required no interference.
With the dismissal of the appeals, the life imprisonment awarded by the CBI Special Court remains in force, bringing a significant legal closure to one of Jharkhand’s most high-profile criminal cases.
The murder of Judge Uttam Anand had sparked widespread debate on judicial security across the country and prompted demands for stronger protection measures for members of the judiciary.
