Police have arrested an auto driver, his accomplice and seized the vehicle that was used to hit Dhanbad judicial officer Uttam Anand while he was on a morning walk on Wednesday, stepping up investigations into his death that has led to a nationwide outrage among the legal fraternity which believes he was murdered.

The Supreme Court, which was informed of the circumstances of Anand’s death on Thursday morning and told that he was hearing a case concerning sharpshooters allegedly working at the behest of a UP ganglord, has taken cognizance. Chief Justice N.V. Ramana said the Jharkhand High Court would be monitoring the investigations and that he had also spoken to the Jharkhand Chief Justice.

Uttam Anand File picture

Later, Jharkhand High Court took suo motu cognisance of Anand’s death on Thursday and rapped the state government for poor law and order in the state.

A bench of Chief Justice Ravi Ranjan and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad observed that even in states such as those of the northeast known for insurgencies, judicial officers and advocates were safe, but in Jharkhand the situation seemed different.

Members of Bank More Chamber of Commerce take out a candle light march to condemn the 'killing' of judge Uttam Anand in Dhanbad on Thursday. Shabbir Hussain

“The incident was an attack on the justice system,” the bench said, and maintained that the murder of advocate Manoj Jha on July 26 in Ranchi and that of Anand were indicative that the fourth pillar of democracy was under attack as never before.

Dhanbad police, that had set up a special investigation team headed by city SP R Ramkumar on Wednesday, revealed that the two were arrested in the wee hours of Thursday.

A forensic team search for evidence inside the auto recover by the police at Dhanbad Police station on Thursday. Shabbir Hussain

"Based on all available evidence and CCTV footage, police launched a search operation for the auto-rickshaw and its driver. Finally, we were able to arrest the driver, Lakhan Verma of Sonarpatti, and another person, Rahul Verma of Jorapokhar," said Dhanbad SSP Kumar.

Dhanbad police have, however, refused to divulge further details of their investigations. They have also indicated their unwillingness to comment on the motive of the killing given the sensitive nature of the case.

Kumar said, “We are investigating the case from all angles. But as the case is sensitive we are not in a position to share any details with regard to our findings until the investigation is completed."

He said Coal Belt DIG Mayur Patel had also inspected the site of the incident and had issued necessary instructions to a local forensics team that is also part of the investigations.

The arrested duo at Dhanbad Police headquarters on Thursday. Shabbir Hussain

Asked if the arrested duo had criminal antecedents, Kumar said they may have been involved in a theft earlier, but that police were still collecting details. "We are collecting details as a theft case seems to have been lodged in their names,” he said.

Uttam Anand was additional district sessions judge (VIII) of Dhanbad. CCTV footage shows an autorickshaw speeding towards Anand while he was walking on the left side of the road and then hitting him.

Anand’s family members had lodged an FIR on Wednesday, calling his death an act of murder. But Kumar has clarified that his family had not named any suspect. "A case under section 302 IPC has been registered, but nobody has been named in the case,” he said.

The auto rickshaw was recovered by police from Giridih district on Thursday and brought to Dhanbad police station where the forensics team conducted a thorough scan. The forensics team visited the site of the accident on Thursday morning once again and collected more evidence.

The auto, police said, bears a route sticker (Dhanbad to Patherdih) on the windscreen and has a heart hologram.

Under the aegis of Bank More Chamber of Commerce, traders of Dhanbad district took out a candle light march on Thursday to demand an urgent investigation into the judicial officer’s death so that the culprits could be booked immediately.

Members of the BJP youth wing burnt an effigy of chief minister Hemant Soren near the Dhanbad district headquarters, blaming him for the deteriorating law and order situation in the coal belt.