SC takes Suo Motu Cognizance of alleged killing of Dhanbad ADJ

Chief Justice of India Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana while taking Suo Motu Cognizance of the alleged killing of Uttam Anand, Additional District Judge of Dhanbad in Jharkhand, on Friday said that the Supreme Court wants to address the safety and security of the judicial officers in the country.

A bench of the apex court, headed by the CJI NV Ramana, today commenting on the ADJ's killing issue, said that it has come across several instances of the alleged attack on many judicial officers and lawyers inside and outside the court.

This prompted the CJI Ramana to take Suo Motu Cognizance on the issue and said this court wants to "address the safety and security of judicial officers in the country." The Court further sought a status report of the detailed probe going on in the matter from the Jharkhand government through its Chief Secretary and DGP within a week.

The CCTV footage showed that ADJ Uttam Anand was allegedly being mowed down by an autorickshaw in the Dhanbad area.

The status report of the Jharkhand government will have to be filed on the issue of law and order situation inside and outside the court premises in Jharkhand, the Supreme Court said.

The Apex Court said that it is the duty of the states to protect the judicial officers and lawyers to make them function independently and fearlessly while endeavoring to dispense justice.

The Supreme Court also said that this Court on the next date of hearing would try to consider if it can issue notice to all the states.

The Top Court also made it clear that the Jharkhand High Court, which is currently monitoring the alleged killing of the Dhanbad judge, Uttam Anand, can go ahead with it, but at the same time said that we want to be appraised of the investigation status.

Senior advocate and former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Vikas Singh, appearing for the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) mentioned the ADJ Dhanbad, Uttam Anand, death case before the Chief Justice of India (CJI) bench, requesting him to take SMC of the alleged brutal incident, to which, the CJI declined the request yesterday.

The bench led by the CJI Ramana, had yesterday said that he spoke to the Chief Justice of the High court in the morning today about the incident.

Vikas Singh said that if someone is killed in an incident like this after he rejected a gangster's bail, then this is a dangerous situation, and added that it is an important issue, and it is "in the interest of justice."

The CJI said we are aware of this incident, and also at the same time made it clear that it was overwhelmed at the initiative of the SCBA and also appreciated the steps taken by it (SCBA).

"This is a brazen attack on the independence of the judiciary. The video which has gone viral was actually being taken by someone who was recording with prior knowledge of the attack," Singh mentioned it before the Supreme Court bench.

Vikas Singh had said that the CCTV footage etc of the area should be taken on record. This incident looks like a premeditated attack on the judge.

( With inputs from ANI )