Patna: The investigation into the alleged rape and death of a NEET aspirant in Patna came under judicial scrutiny on Tuesday, with Special Pocso Judge Rajiv Ranjan Raman expressing displeasure over alleged lapses in evidence collection and questioning the investigating officers after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a closure report in the case.The court has scheduled the next hearing for Nov 6.According to Patna high court lawyer Rajesh Kumar Sharma, who argued the case, the court questioned the CBI investigating officer and Secretariat SDPO-I Anu Kumari, who headed the Patna police Special Investigation Team (SIT), over the failure to collect CCTV footage and other technical evidence. The court was not satisfied with the explanations given by the officers, Sharma said.The court also raised questions about the direction and methodology of the investigation, expressing concern that the allegations had not been adequately examined. Sharma said the circumstances cited to support the conclusion that the student died by suicide remained unclear in view of the available facts.The CBI, in its closure report, stated that the investigation had not yielded sufficient evidence to prosecute anyone in the case. However, the court’s observations during Tuesday’s hearing brought the inadequacy of the investigation into focus.Secretariat SDPO was present in court during the proceedings.The case dates back to Jan 6, 2026, when the student was found unconscious in her room at a girls’ hostel in Patna. She was taken to hospital, where she died during treatment on Jan 11. The post-mortem report indicated sexual assault, while the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report allegedly detected sperm in her undergarments.The initial investigation by Bihar Police focused on the possibility that the student had died after consuming sleeping pills. The forensic findings subsequently raised questions about the probe, prompting the state govt to recommend a CBI investigation.During the investigation, the then Chitragupta Nagar station house officer Roshni Kumari and Kadamkuan officer in charge Hemant Jha were suspended over alleged negligence. Their suspensions were later revoked, and both returned to duty.The court will continue examining the CBI’s closure report as the case proceeds to its next hearing.
