District and session judge Uttam Anand, who died under suspicious circumatances after being knocked down by a speeding auto while he was on his morning walk on Wednesday, was hearing a case concerning UP gangsters, a fact cited by a lawyer to the Supreme Court on Thursday to appeal for a thorough investigation into what the legal fraternity has alleged was murder.

Anand was hearing the January 29, 2017 case on the murder of Ranjay Singh, a close aide of former Dhanbad MLA Sanjeev Singh, who is languishing in jail as the main conspirator in the murder of Niraj Singh. Recently, Anand cancelled the bail application of UP- based shooters Abhinav Singh and Ravi Thakur, two members of a gang headed by Aman Singh, who is under arrest for firing the first bullet on Niraj Singh.

Aman Singh, was shifted to Hotwar Jail of Ranchi from Dhanbad Divisional jail earlier this year, is also accused of running extortion rackets and attacking over 30 traders, real state players, politicians, private mine excavators and mining officials.

Abhinav Singh is a sharp shooter belonging to the Aman Singh gang. He was arrested from Lucknow on February 10, 2021. During the course of his interrogation by Dhanbad police after he was brought here, he admitted his involvement in a number of attacks against businessman, private miners and politicians on the instruction of Aman Singh.

Abhinav also claimed tha they had plans to kill Rajesh Gupta, a close aide of Baghmara MLA Dhullu Mahto.

Police had also taken Aman Singh on remand for three days from February 10 to 12. Aman was questioned about Abhinav's claims, but he said he did not know Abhinav.

Dhanbad police have arrested a number Aman Singh gang members on several occasions, including Manjit Singh, a resident of Govindpur; Javed Akhtar, a resident of Gajuatand; Ravi Kumar Thakur, a resident of Tetulmari; Bablu Kumar Mishra, a resident of Putki; and Sheikh Mohammad a resident of Luby Circular Road.

Bhola Sao, a resident of Chouthai Kulhi locality of Jharia and member of Aman Singh gang was also arrested by police on May 31 from Ranchi in connection with the murder of Ashraful Hasan, a property dealer of Wasseypur, who was killed near Jabbar Masjid on May 12 in connection with an exotrtion demand of Aman Singh.