Patna Civil Court Reserves Bail Decision in NEET Student Death Case
The Patna civil court on Thursday reserved its order on the bail plea of Manish Ranjan, the owner of a building housing a girls' hostel, who remains incarcerated in Beur Central Jail. Ranjan is implicated in the alleged rape and subsequent tragic death of a NEET aspirant, a case that has drawn significant public attention and scrutiny.
Extended Hearing and Legal Arguments
The court proceedings, which extended for nearly four hours over two consecutive days, included approximately two hours of discussions held privately within the judge's chamber. Manish Ranjan was produced from judicial custody to participate in the hearing. During the session, the victim's legal counsel strongly opposed the bail application, citing a full-bench judgment from the Patna High Court as precedent. In response, Ranjan's defense lawyer contested the applicability of this legal precedent to the current case. Following extensive and detailed arguments from all involved parties, the court opted to reserve its final decision on the bail plea.
Judicial Scrutiny of Investigation Lapses
During the open court session, the presiding judge directed pointed questions at the initial investigating officer and former Chitragupta Nagar police station in-charge, Roshni Kumari. The court inquired why the statement of the victim's classmate, who entered the room alongside the maid, was not video-recorded as part of the evidence collection process. Additionally, the judge questioned why Manish Ranjan, who voluntarily appeared at the police station on January 10, was neither formally interrogated nor his role thoroughly investigated at that time, despite his eventual arrest in connection with the case.
The special public prosecutor characterized Ranjan as the "mastermind" behind the alleged crime, emphasizing that beyond owning the building, he also functioned as a co-manager of the girls' hostel, thereby implicating him directly in the operational aspects of the facility.
CBI's Admission of Oversights
The court further questioned the investigating officer of the case and CBI assistant superintendent of police, Pawan Srivastava, regarding the non-examination of crucial digital evidence. Specifically, the court highlighted the failure to forensically examine the victim's seized mobile phone and Ranjan's phone. The CBI conceded that a total of eight cellphones were seized during the investigation, yet none underwent forensic analysis and all remain stored in the malkhana (evidence room).
The judge expressed strong disapproval over multiple investigative shortcomings, including the initial FIR being registered only under attempt-to-murder sections despite the girl's subsequent death, the failure to ascertain the exact cause of death through thorough medical and forensic procedures, and the lack of investigation into other residents of the hostel who might possess relevant information.
Emotional Outcry and Allegations of Cover-Up
Outside the courtroom, the victim's mother, visibly distraught and emotional, publicly accused the Bihar Police, the Special Investigation Team (SIT), and the CBI of orchestrating a deliberate cover-up in the case. She alleged that Ranjan's name was intentionally kept out of the initial investigations and claimed that sons of ministers and MLAs frequently visited the hostel in luxury cars, implying potential political interference.
"They destroyed my daughter's life," she asserted, before fainting while addressing the media. Despite her anguish, she reiterated her faith in the judiciary while lamenting what she described as systemic neglect and injustice faced by poor girls striving for education in the region. The case continues to underscore deep-seated issues in the handling of sensitive criminal investigations and the pursuit of justice for vulnerable victims.
