Additional District and Sessions Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar (Img: Pinterest)
Muzaffarnagar: A fast-track court judge in Uttar Pradesh has become the centre of attention after delivering a series of strict verdicts in serious criminal cases. Additional District and Sessions Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar has awarded death sentences to 22 convicts in 10 cases within the last four months, making headlines across the state.
The judge, who is currently posted at the fast-track court in Muzaffarnagar, has delivered capital punishment verdicts in cases involving murder, kidnapping, ransom killings and attacks on public servants.
Ravi Kumar Diwakar, a resident of Lucknow, began his judicial career in 2009 as an Additional Civil Judge in Azamgarh. He later served as a Civil Judge in Sultanpur and was promoted as a Judicial Magistrate.
A law graduate with BCom and LLM degrees, Diwakar has been serving as Additional District and Sessions Judge in Muzaffarnagar since November 2025.
He had earlier gained national attention in 2022 after passing an order related to the videography survey of the Gyanvapi complex in Varanasi.
On August 13, four accused — Ramvir, Rajiv, Rahul and Harender Kumar — were awarded the death penalty in connection with the murder of Pawan Kumar.
The case related to a 2014 attack in Shamli district, where the victim was shot dead following an alleged old rivalry. His brother was also injured during the incident.
On August 12, the court sentenced Shahnawaz to death for kidnapping and murdering wood trader Saleem in 1999.
According to the prosecution, Saleem was abducted for a ransom of Rs 5 lakh and later killed.
On July 17, four men were awarded capital punishment for the murder of farmer Raj Singh in Shamli district.
The case involved an attempted robbery in 2011, during which Raj Singh was shot dead after resisting the attackers.
On July 6, a former village head, Pramod, and his associate Sahdev were sentenced to death in a 2010 murder case.
The court observed that the crime fell under the category of “rarest of rare” cases.
On July 2, Judge Diwakar awarded the death penalty to Deepak for murdering home guard Ratiram.
The incident took place in 2020 when the home guard allegedly intervened during a dispute involving the accused’s mother. The court held that the crime deserved the maximum punishment.
Apart from these cases, Judge Diwakar’s court also awarded death sentences in several other matters:
The repeated death penalty judgments from the Muzaffarnagar fast-track court have sparked discussions about speedy justice in serious criminal cases.
However, death sentences in India remain subject to confirmation by higher courts, and convicts have legal options including appeals before the High Court and Supreme Court.
Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar’s recent rulings have placed him among the most discussed judicial figures in Uttar Pradesh, with his court continuing to deliver strict verdicts in high-profile criminal cases.
