COURT CRACKS DOWN ON CBI AFTER 20 DAYS OF SILENCE

COURT CRACKS DOWN ON CBI AFTER 20 DAYS OF SILENCE

28-MARCH-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA-----------------------A major turn of events has occurred in the case involving the suspicious death of a student from Jehanabad—who was preparing for the NEET exam—at the Shambhu Girls' Hostel in Patna. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Delhi, has taken over the monitoring of the investigation. Following a stern rebuke from the court, provisions of the POCSO Act have also been invoked.

The handling of Bihar's high-profile case regarding the death of a NEET aspirant has now been subjected to increased rigor. The CBI, Delhi, has assumed direct oversight of the investigation into the suspicious death of the minor student—a resident of Jehanabad—at the Shambhu Girls' Hostel in Patna. According to the latest information, senior officials from the CBI's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Delhi have camped in Patna to closely monitor the entire investigative process.

According to sources, this decision was taken after the POCSO Court within the Patna Civil Court expressed strong displeasure regarding the sluggish pace and lack of seriousness demonstrated in the investigation. It was only after this judicial reprimand that officials from the Delhi headquarters were mobilized to expedite the inquiry and prevent any potential negligence. Currently, the investigation is proceeding with 'Attempted Murder' and the 'POCSO Act' serving as its primary legal foundations.

The court has directed the CBI to submit an updated status report on the entire matter by March 30. However, there have been no changes to the fundamental structure of the investigation. Vibha Kumari continues to serve as the Investigating Officer (IO) for the case, and her team remains at the helm of the inquiry. Previously, the investigation of this case had been entrusted to ASP Pawan Srivastava, but the responsibility was subsequently transferred to Vibha Kumari.

It is noteworthy that the investigation was initially being conducted by the Bihar Police; however, following mounting public pressure and protests, the case was transferred to the CBI. Despite this transfer, persistent questions continued to be raised regarding the direction of the investigation. The court itself questioned why the CBI appeared inactive during the initial 20 days following the transfer of the case.

Regarding the student's death, the investigative agency is now conducting a thorough and in-depth examination into both the aspects of murder and sexual assault. A significant aspect of this case was that the POCSO Act was not initially invoked—a lapse regarding which the court adopted a stern stance. It was only after this intervention that this serious legal provision was added to the case.

In this matter, the victim's family also appears dissatisfied with the ongoing investigation. Raising questions about the CBI itself, the family members have alleged that the probe is not proceeding in the right direction and that they, in fact, are being targeted. The family's counsel has also raised doubts regarding the investigative agency's methodology. The situation escalated to such an extent that, during the interrogation, the student's maternal uncle abruptly walked out of the CBI office midway through the session.

Meanwhile, a CBI team recently visited the student's village in Jehanabad. The team sought to interact with the family to ascertain the facts; however, the family members refused to cooperate. They even went so far as to bar the team from entering their home. The student's mother declined to speak with the officials, a refusal that has further complicated the investigation.

Looking at the background of the case, the student was found unconscious on January 6 at the Shambhu Girls' Hostel in Patna. She was immediately rushed to a hospital, from where she was subsequently referred to another facility for advanced medical treatment. After undergoing treatment for approximately five days, she passed away on January 11. This incident sparked widespread outrage across the state and mounted significant pressure on the government.

Now that the CBI headquarters in Delhi has assumed direct oversight of the case—and with the court also continuously monitoring the proceedings—it is anticipated that the investigation will gain momentum, and the truth behind this mysterious death will soon come to light.