Uttar Pradesh judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar, who awarded 23 d*ath sentences in 11 cases in six months, has been transferred from a fast-track court to a family court in Muzaffarnagar. He awarded these sentences between April and September 2026 in cases involving serious crimes. D*ath sentences are awarded in the “rarest of rare” cases under Indian law.
One of his notable verdicts was in the 2011 m*rder case of Shahzadi, a 23-year-old woman who was unalived by her husband, Nadeem. On September 7, the judge sentenced Nadeem to d*ath after finding him guilty of b*rning his wife alive. The case highlights the severity of violence faced by women within their own homes and the importance of accountability for such crimes. The d*ath sentence must still be confirmed by the Allahabad High Court.
The judge’s transfer comes after he raised concerns about the withdrawal of 97 pending criminal cases, including m*rder cases, from his court through administrative orders in August. However, no official link has been established between these concerns and his transfer. His reassignment has brought attention to his recent record of d*ath penalty verdicts in serious criminal cases.
