SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Aug 7: After initial investigation and going through the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe report, the CBI is banking on interrogation of both the arrested accused, auto driver Lakhan Verma and Rahul Verma, to solve the death mystery of Dhanbad District and Sessions judge Uttam Anand.
On demand of the CBI, the Special (CBI) court of Shikha Agrawal directed the Dhanbad jail administration to send both Lakhan and Rahul on five-day remand of the CBI on Friday evening.
Earlier, the Special Investigating Team (SIT) of the district police had taken both the accused on five days’ remand on July 29 and sent them back to the jail after interrogation on August 2.
A senior officer of the district police said that since the investigation of the judge’s death case is being monitored by the Supreme Court and the High Court, Joint Director of CBI Sharad Agrawal has also reached Dhanbad to expedite the probe. “ This is the first time Joint Director level officer of the CBI has arrived Dhanbad for investigation,” the police officer said.
Delhi CBI (crime wing) Superintendent of Police Jagrup S Sinha and Additional Superintendent of Police ( investigation officer) Vijay Kumar Shukla are already camping here.
Uttam Anand was killed in a road accident in the early morning of July 28 at Randhir Verma Chowk near the district court under Sadar police station while he was on a morning walk. The CCTV camera showed the judge was jogging on the left side of the empty road. A three-wheeler running on the right lane of the road came on the left lane and knocked him down.
First, the district police set up an SIT under city superintendent of police R Ramkumar. Taking the matter seriously the state government also set up an SIT under Additional Director General of police (ADJ) Sanjay Anand Lathkar. However, when the High Court and the Supreme Court took cognizance of the judge’s death, the Jharkhand government recommended a CBI probe.
