The CBI, others "do not help at all" when lower court judges complain, said CJI Ramana (File)
Highlights
- Two arrested by CBI for allegedly defaming Andhra judges
- Five have been arrested in the case so far
- The first arrest was made by the central probe agency on July 9
Two people have been arrested for allegedly posting defamatory content against Andhra Pradesh High Court judges by the CBI, days after the Chief Justice of India said that the agencies "do not respond" when lower court judges complain about threats.
Altogether, five people have been arrested in the case for allegedly defaming judges. The first arrest in the case was made by the central agency on July 9 last month. The latest arrests were made on August 7.
It was alleged that the accused, by intentionally targeting the judiciary, made derogatory posts on social media platform against the judges and judiciary after some Court verdicts delivered by them.
After registration of the case, the CBI traced 13 of the 16 accused named in FIR in the case on various digital platforms. Three out of them were found to be abroad. The CBI has so far examined 11 out of the 13 accused persons and arrested 5 out of them. Searches were also conducted by CBI at the premises of accused persons which led to recovery of several incriminating documents.
The CBI registered the case in November last year under various section of the IPC, including section 506 (criminal intimidation), and section 67 of the IT Act.
Chief Justice NV Ramana made the remarks against the investigating agencies on Friday when the court took up the recent murder of a Jharkhand district judge.
"The CBI has done nothing. We have expected some change in the CBI's attitude but there is no change. Sorry to say, this is the situation," said the top judge, asking the centre to respond within a week on a pending petition for protecting judges.
When judges complain to the CBI and the Intelligence Bureau on threats, they do not respond, Chief Justice Ramana said.
"Investigating agencies do not help at all and I am making this statement with some sense of responsibility. I am not divulging more. Something has to be done," Chief Justice Ramana said.
"The CBI has done nothing. We have expected some change in the CBI's attitude but there is no change. Sorry to say, this is the situation," the Chief Justice added.
Jharkhand District judge Uttam Anand, 49, was killed on July 28 when an auto rammed him while he was on his morning run.
What was first believed to be a hit-and-run turned out to be far more sinister as CCTV footage that emerged online showed the auto going straight for the judge along a deserted stretch of road and knocking him down.
Judge Anand, who had been handling many cases of mafia killings in Dhanbad, had rejected bail requests from two gangsters.