UP Court Transfers 100 Murder Cases After Judge Hands Down 22 Death Sentences In Four Months

Around 100 murder cases pending before Additional District and Sessions Judge Ravikumar Diwakar in Uttar Pradesh have been transferred to the court of District and Sessions Judge Virendra Kumar Singh following an administrative order, officials said on Wednesday. Diwakar’s court had awarded death sentences to 22 people in 10 cases over the past four months.

Cases transferred to district judge’s court

Government counsel Kuldeep Kumar said the cases involved offences punishable by death or life imprisonment. They were pending before the fast-track court headed by Diwakar and have now been moved to the court of District and Sessions Judge Virendra Kumar Singh.

The transfer was carried out through an administrative order issued on Tuesday, District Bar Association president Pramod Tyagi said.

Lawyers, litigants had raised concerns

Tyagi said there were apprehensions among lawyers and litigants over the possibility of the court awarding capital punishment in the cases pending before Diwakar.

Following these concerns, the district judge decided to recall the cases to his own court through the administrative order, Tyagi said.

Judge awarded 22 death sentences in 10 cases

In the last four months, Diwakar’s court delivered judgments in 10 cases, resulting in 22 people being sentenced to death.

The transfer of around 100 pending murder cases means they will now be heard by the District and Sessions Judge’s court.