Uttar Pradesh judicial officer Vibhanshu Sudheer, who had recently ordered registration of an FIR against cops accused of shooting a youth during the 2024 Sambhal violence, has been transferred thrice since May 2025.

Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Sudheer's transfer from Sambhal to Sultanpur as Civil Judge (Senior Division) was criticized by the opposition parties for allegedly being politically motivated. This week, lawyers in Uttar Pradesh also staged a protest against the transfer.

On January 9, CJM Sudheer had allowed a complaint moved by a man, who alleged that his son Alam was shot by the cops outside the Sambhal Jama Masjid. The Court had opined that a criminal investigation was necessary in the matter. However, Uttar Pradesh police has announced that it will challenge the order.

Sudheer was one of the 14 judges transferred on January 20 by Allahabad High Court. More judges were transferred on January 22.

Interestingly, he had been ordered to be replaced by judicial officer Aditya Singh, who in 2024 had directed an advocate commissioner to conduct a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal.

However, in the transfers ordered on January 22, the High Court announced that Singh will continue to be Civil Judge (Senior Division) in Sambhal at Chandausi. Instead, judge Deepak Kumar Jaiswal has been made the new CJM.

Following the order by judge Singh, violence had broken out in Chandausi when a team of surveyors had reached there to conduct the survey. At least five people died in the violence. Alam was among the injured and is reported to have undergone multiple surgeries since the incident.

Sudheer was Chief Judicial Magistrate Lalitpur between November 2023 and May 2025. He was then transferred to Agra where he remained till September 2025. From there, he was transferred to Sambhal where he remained posted till January 20 this year.