The legal fraternity in Bihar was left in shock on Friday morning following the sudden death of Shilpee Soniraj, the Principal District and Sessions Judge of Nawada. The senior judicial officer was found unresponsive at her official residence and was later declared brought dead at a local hospital.
Police have initiated inquest proceedings, though officials have refrained from commenting on potential causes pending medical reports.
Timeline of Events
According to preliminary information provided by local authorities, Judge Soniraj had been active the previous evening. Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Nishu Malik confirmed that on Thursday night, the judge had traveled to the Rajauli check post on the highway to have tea.
Nawada Superintendent of Police Abhinav Dhiman stated that after returning from the check post, she went to sleep. The alarm was raised early Friday morning when her residential staff tried to wake her.
Superintendent of Police Dhiman informed the media that the judge’s residential staff discovered her in an unresponsive state in the morning and immediately rushed her to the hospital, where doctors declared her dead on arrival. He also noted that a statement had been recorded from the caretaker regarding the incident.
DSP Malik added that the authorities were alerted from the judicial side around early morning regarding the judge’s condition.
Investigation and Medical Examination
Questions regarding potential foul play have surfaced given the sudden nature of the death. When questioned by the press, DSP Malik maintained a cautious stance, emphasizing that the post-mortem results are crucial to the investigation.
Addressing the media, Malik confirmed that an inquest had begun and the body had been sent to IGIMS (Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences) Patna for a post-mortem examination. He emphasized that no further conclusions could be drawn until the medical report was received.
The body has been transferred to IGIMS Patna for a detailed medical examination. Officials expect the autopsy report to be available within two to three days, which is expected to clarify the cause of death.
A Distinguished Legal Career Cut Short
Born in 1973, Judge Soniraj had a distinguished career in the Bihar Superior Judicial Service, which she joined in 2016 as an Additional District & Sessions Judge. Over the years, she held significant responsibilities across the state, starting with her first posting in Gaya.
Her career trajectory included tenures at the Patna High Court and postings in Jehanabad and Lakhisarai. Before taking charge in Nawada in November 2023, she served as the Member Secretary of the Bihar State Legal Services Authority.
Her passing is a significant loss to the judiciary; she was the 14th senior-most judicial officer in the cadre and was eligible for elevation to the High Court. She was scheduled to retire in December 2033.
Judge Soniraj was an alumna of the prestigious Notre Dame Academy (NDA) in Patna, belonging to the Batch of 1987. The school’s alumni association expressed deep grief over the loss.
The association shared a statement on social media expressing their profound sorrow at the passing of their alumna, stating she would always be remembered as a valued member of the Notre Dame Academy family.
