Dhanbad judge's death may not be accidental: CBI | Economic Times

The death of Dhanbad additional district judge Uttam Anand does not appear to be accidental, the Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday told the Jharkhand high court which had asked it to look into the case.The CBI submitted to the HC that it appeared the death was intentional and its investigation so far indicated that the driver of a three-wheeler goods carrier steered his vehicle to hit the 49-year-old judge on the morning of July 28. To corroborate its claims, CBI furnished four forensic reports in sealed covers, people with direct knowledge of the matter said. CBI also told the court that it was working on more leads to take the investigation to its logical conclusion. CBI counsel had indicated that the judge's death was planned at the last hearing too.CBI conducted brain mapping tests of accused Rahul Verma and Lakhan Verma. At the last hearing, the HC had rapped the CBI for dragging its feet on the probe. The Supreme Court had on July 30 taken suo motu cognisance of the judge's death and sought a report from the Jharkhand chief secretary. The case was handed over to the CBI, which commenced its probe in the first week of August.The deceased judge was hearing cases involving mafia killings in Dhanbad and had turned down bail applications of two gangsters. He was also presiding over a case allegedly involving an aide of a local MLA. Though the CBI said that its probe suggested that he was intentionally hit by a three wheeler, a special investigation team constituted by the Jharkhand government had ruled out foul play and dubbed it a 'road accident'.