Jharkhand police headquarter has directed all districts to tighten security at the residential localities of lower court judges as well as the court premises.
The instruction has been issued in the wake of the alleged murder of Uttam Anand, Additional District and Sessions Judge of Dhanbad district court.
On the morning of July 28, he was knocked down by an auto rickshaw when he was jogging on the roadside.
The incident left the judiciary and Bar across the country aghast. While Jharkhand High Court termed it a brutal murder the Supreme Court started a suo moto hearing named as ‘safeguarding courts and protecting judges.’
Chief Justice of India NV Ramana had even observed that Dhanbad case has wider ramifications on the independence of the judiciary. CJI had revealed that the SC has been getting reports that across the country judicial officers are under attack.
In the further hearing the Supreme Court had charged the central agencies namely CBI and IB have not responded and acted upon whenever the matter related to intimidation of the judge was sent to them. The Supreme Court has asked all states including Jharkhand to submit a report on the scale of security provided to judges at their residence and court.
Sources in the police said that while state police are committed for the safeguard of judges but in the current situation security has been enhanced. As part of security measures, a security audit of the judges’ colony has been undertaken as the broken and low-scale boundary walls have to be repaired along with fencing. Additional security will be deployed at the entry point of the colony.
There will be regular threat assessment of judges by the special branch in coordination with the concerned district police.
The local police station too have been asked to tighten security on the court premises and keep a tab on suspicious elements.