Patna: The Patna High Court on Monday heard a criminal writ petition filed by the father of a NEET aspirant who died under suspicious circumstances at a girls’ hostel in Patna and disposed of the matter after being informed that the Bihar government has transferred the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
A single Judge Bench of Justice Arun Kumar Jha, while hearing the petition, observed that since the case has now been handed over to the CBI, there is no need for further intervention at this stage.
The court clarified that if any shortcomings are found in the CBI investigation, the petitioner would be at liberty to approach the court again.
During the hearing, the Bihar government informed the court that the CBI has taken over the probe and is expected to conduct a detailed investigation and submit its report in due course.
Earlier, a plea for an urgent hearing had been moved before Justice Arun Kumar Jha, following which the matter was taken up today.
In the petition, the Principal Secretaries of the Home and Health Departments, the Director General of Police (DGP), Patna SSP, and the Station House Officer of Chitragupta Nagar police station were made respondents.
The owner of Shambhu Girls’ Hostel and three private hospitals were also named as respondents.
The deceased girl’s father, a resident of Jehanabad, approached the High Court seeking justice, stating that his daughter died under suspicious circumstances on January 11, 2026, while preparing for the NEET examination.
In his petition, he claimed that despite making repeated efforts, no effective action was taken to identify and punish those responsible for his daughter’s death.
He demanded that the investigation be conducted under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge, or alternatively, be handed over to an independent agency like the CBI.
The petition was filed as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by advocate Alka Verma, who argued that the police investigation had failed to reach any concrete conclusion, leading to confusion and mistrust.
The PIL also urged the High Court to strictly enforce security norms in hostels, particularly women’s hostels, and ensure compliance with all prescribed rules and regulations.
According to the petition, the student arrived at Shambhu Girls’ Hostel on January 5, 2026.
She was found unconscious on January 6 and admitted to a hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries on January 11.
Initially, the police treated the case as a suspected drug overdose, but following the post-mortem report, the investigation shifted to the angle of rape and coercion.
However, no conclusive findings have been made so far.
(IANS)
