As many as 97 pending cases involving murder and other serious offenses have been 'recalled' from the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar in Muzaffarnagar district, days after he awarded 22 death sentences in 10 different cases over a 4-month period.

The cases were recalled through an administrative order issued by Muzaffarnagar District & Sessions Judge Virendra Kumar Singh. The cases include offences punishable with death or life imprisonment.

The development comes shortly after Diwakar's recent judgments awarding record capital punishments made to headlines. Between April and August 2026, he awarded death sentences to 22 convicts in 10 separate cases.

The administrative order pertains to 97 pending files relating to murder and other heinous offences. Now, the matters will be dealt with by District & Sessions Judge Virendra Kumar Singh himself.

Though the administrative order does not state any reason for the recall of the cases, the timing of the development is crucial as it comes amidst reports highlighting the unusually high number of death sentences awarded by Judge Diwakar.

It may be noted that the first of these judgments was pronounced on April 6, when 3 accused were sentenced to death in connection with the murder of lawyer Sameer Saifi. 4 more death sentences were awarded on April 28 in another murder case pertaining to the year 2019.

On May 30, he awarded the death penalty to a 50-year-old man for killing a woman and her six-year-old son in a case dating back nearly 15 years.

Thereafter, on June 20, he sentenced 2 persons to death in connection with the murder of one Rajendra Saini. On July 2, he convicted a man of murdering a home guard on duty and awarded him the death sentence.

On July 6, he sentenced a former village head and his associate to death in a 2010 murder case over panchayat elections' enmity. Then, on July 17, he sentenced 4 other men to death for the murder of a farmer in 2011 during an attempted robbery in the Shamli district.

On August 12, he awarded the death penalty to a man for kidnapping and killing a wood trader for ransom nearly 27 years ago. On August 13, 4 people were sentenced to death in a 12-year-old murder case.

By August 13, the number of death sentences awarded by Judge Diwakar's court (since April) had reached 22.

It is important to note, however, that a death sentence imposed by a Sessions Court is not final and the same must be confirmed by the High Court before it can be executed, as per Sections 407 to 412 of the BNSS.

Judge Diwakar has been posted in Muzaffarnagar since November 2025. He first came into the spotlight in 2022 while serving as a civil judge in Varanasi when he ordered a videographic survey of the Gyanvapi Mosque premises in Varanasi.

Judge Diwakar came back into the spotlight in March 2024 when he hailed Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as a prime example of a “religious person” holding a seat of power in the State. He also likened CM Adityanath to the idea of a 'Philosopher King' as outlined by Plato in his Socratic dialogue, Republic.

These observations were made by Judge Diwakar while summoning a Muslim cleric and politician, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, to face the trial for serious criminal charges, including 'attempt to murder', in connection with the communal violence that took place in Bareilly in the year 2010. He added that in India, rarely has the mastermind who instigated a riot been punished.

Judge Diwakar further underscored that accused Maulana Tauqeer would have incited yet another riot in Bareilly if there were no Yogi Adityanath Government in the state.

However, just days later, the Allahabad High Court EXPUNGED these remarks by observing that it is not expected of the judicial officer to express or depict his personal or preconceived notions or inclinations in the matter.

"The judicial order is meant for public consumption and such type of order is likely to be misconstrued by the masses. It is expected from judicial officer that he should use a very guarded expression while focusing upon the issue in hand and should not use any observation which are tangent or alien to the core issue," the HC had remarked adding that his unwarranted remarks contained Political over-tones.

In June 2024, a Special Judge of the NIA Court wrote to the Registrar General of the Allahabad High Court, seeking security for Additional District Judge (Fast Track Court), Bareilly, Ravi Kumar Diwakar.

"...from the investigation so far (in the FIR against Khan), the fact is coming to light that a conspiracy is being hatched by Islamic fundamentalist forces to kill the Additional District Judge, Mr. Ravi Kumar Diwakar by declaring him an infidel, which is a very sensitive matter”, the letter stated.

In December 2024, Judge Diwakar, as Additional Sessions Judge (FTC), Bareilly, sentenced a father-son duo to death for killing the father's brother over a property dispute by referring to the selfless love between Lord Rama and Bharata in the Hindu epic Ramayana.

The court observed that while Lord Rama's brothers Lakshman and Bharata fulfilled their duties as brothers, setting an example of great sacrifice and devotion, the actions of the accused, on the other hand, starkly contrast with this ideal.