Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar transferred to Muzaffarnagar family court
The Uttar Pradesh judicial officer who handed down 36 death sentences in 16 months takes up a new role as additional principal judge.
Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar has been transferred from fast track court-3 to the family court in Muzaffarnagar, where he will serve as additional principal judge.
The judicial transfer reshuffles assignments in Uttar Pradesh, with additional sessions judge Shiv Kumari moving from fast track court-2 to take over Diwakar's former role presiding over criminal cases from Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts.
Record of capital sentences and judicial career
Diwakar, 46, joined the Uttar Pradesh judicial service in 2009. During his recent tenure in fast track court-3, his court handed down 23 death sentences across 11 cases between April and September, including a September 7 verdict convicting a man for burning his wife alive.
Prior to his posting in Muzaffarnagar, he served in Bareilly as an additional district and sessions judge, where he awarded 13 death sentences.
| Location | Previous Role | Death Sentences Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Bareilly | Fast Track Court | 13 |
| Muzaffarnagar | Fast Track Court-3 | 23 |
| Muzaffarnagar | Family Court | Not applicable |
Gyanvapi survey and administrative background
In May 2022, while serving as civil judge in Varanasi, Diwakar ordered a court-monitored videographic survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in response to a petition filed by five Hindu women seeking worship rights at the Shringar Gauri site. The survey led to claims regarding a structure in the wuzu khana area, after which the Supreme Court reassigned the trial to the Varanasi district judge's court.
In August, administrative directives under then district judge Birendra Kumar Singh led to the recall of 97 pending case files from Diwakar's court, a decision Diwakar noted in a subsequent judgment concerning procedure and recorded administrative reasoning.
Diwakar's judicial career spans postings in Azamgarh, Sultanpur, Budaun, Varanasi, Bareilly, and Chitrakoot.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total death sentences awarded in 16 months | 36 | Uttar Pradesh judicial assignment records |
| Death sentences awarded in Muzaffarnagar | 23 across 11 cases | Fast track court-3 records |
| Death sentences awarded in Bareilly | 13 | Fast track court records |
| Pending cases recalled in August | 97 | Muzaffarnagar district court administrative order |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Muzaffarnagar | District in Uttar Pradesh where the transfer took place |
| Ravi Kumar Diwakar | Judicial officer transferred to Muzaffarnagar family court |
