Delay In Reporting Judge Uttam Anand's Incident To Police: Jharkhand HC Seeks Details Of Action Taken Against Negligent Authorities

The Jharkhand High Court last week rapped concerned doctor, hospital management for being negligent in dealing with the case pertaining to the death of Late Uttam Anand, District & Additional Sessions Judge, VIII (the then was) for the delay in reporting the incident to the police authorities.

The Court was informed that Late Uttam Anand was brought to the Hospital at about 5.30 a.m. while he breathed his last at 9.00 a.m. and thereafter at 11.45 a.m. information was given to police.

Therefore, the Court directed the State Counsel to apprise the Court, on the next date, as to what action has been taken against the erring officials as they failed to inform the police about the incident in time.

Apart from this, the bench of Chief Justice Ravi Ranjan and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad also called it a serious issue when it was told to the Court, that the urine and blood testing facility is not available in the F.S.L., Ranchi.

"...for what purpose this department of State is functioning. Even after more than twenty years from the date of its creation, the State F.S.L., Ranchi appears to be still in primitive stage," remarked the Court.

The Court observed thus after perusing the progress report in the matter, in which a statement had been made by the investigating officer with respect to Forensic Science Laboratory, Ranchi stating therein that due to nonavailability of the testing facility of urine and blood, the sample of urine and blood of accused persons have been returned and thereafter it has been sent to F.S.L., New Delhi.

The Court, therefore, deem it fit and proper to call upon the Principal Secretary, Home, Prison & Disaster Management, Govt. of Jharkhand and Director, F.S.L. on the next date of hearing on August 27.

Lastly, emphasizing that a judicial officer of the Judgeship at Dhanbad has died in suspicious circumstances, the Court, in order to boost up the morale of the officers of the judgeship at Dhanbad, also directed the competent authority of the State of Jharkhand to make adequate security arrangement for them.

However, the Court did not pass any order with respect to security arrangements of the judgeships of State of Jharkhand as the Supreme Court is in seisin of the matter pertaining to the security of the Judicial Officers of the entire country.

'Can't Ignore State's Negligence, Should've Provided Security' : Supreme Court On Judge Uttam Anand's Killing

Recently, the Jharkhand High Court had, while accepting the recommendations of the State Government and transferring the investigation of the Dhanbad Judge death case to the Central Bureau of Investigation, raised several pertinent questions to the Investigating Agency.