RANCHI: Expressing dissatisfaction over the charge sheet filed by the CBI in the Dhanbad hit-and-run case, the Jharkhand High Court observed that the investigation agency is working like 'babus' in the secretariat. While hearing the case, the division bench of Chief Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad also reprimanded the CBI for not taking it into confidence before filing the charge sheet despite the fact that the Jharkhand High Court is monitoring the case. The court also observed that there is no progress in the probe as the agency has failed to reach any conclusion despite three months of investigations.

“If the case is being monitored by the Jharkhand High Court, how could the CBI file a charge sheet without taking it into confidence. What is the meaning of monitoring if the charge sheet is filed without taking the court into confidence?” said Jharkhand High Court Advocate Association Treasurer Dheeraj Kumar. The court observed that the CBI is working like babus, he added. According to Kumar, “The court further observed that it appears that the CBI is taking the case lightly, despite the fact that the court has been taking it seriously.”

The court further observed that the CBI has destroyed the case completely as the motive of the killing has not been mentioned in the charge sheet. “As the motive is not known, the course of the case will be changed to another direction, diverting it towards section 304 instead of section 302 and the accused will get away easily in the name of an accident,” the court observed. It also alleged that the CBI has been keeping the court in the dark by filing stereotype progress reports.

According to the court, despite three months of investigations, the CBI has not been able to reach any conclusion, which is really unfortunate. The case will be heard next on October 29.

CCTV footage showing an auto-rickshaw intentionally hitting the judge from behind on a deserted road has raised doubts over his death while he was on his morning walk on July 28. The incident took place near Golf Ground less than 500 metres from his house at Judge Colony of Hirapur. Hours after the CCTV footage surfaced indicating that the incident was ‘intentional’ rather than an ‘accidental’, the Jharkhand High Court took suo moto cognizance into the matter calling the incident a direct attack on the judiciary.