RJD seeks judge-monitored CBI probe in Bihar’s NEET aspirant death case
Patna: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Saturday demanded that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the suspicious death of a NEET aspirant be conducted under the supervision of a Supreme Court or High Court judge.
RJD spokesperson Ejaz Ahmad questioned the handling of the case by the Bihar Police and the Special Investigation Team (SIT), saying that investigators have made no breakthrough even after 18 days.
“The manner in which the Bihar Police and the SIT have failed to make any progress, and the way the DGP allegedly termed the case a suicide despite objections from the family, shows that the chances of justice are very slim,” Ahmad said.
He added that although the Bihar government has recommended a CBI inquiry, the state is under a “double-engine government,” raising doubts about the independence of the probe. “Justice through the CBI also appears uncertain. It would be wiser to conduct the investigation under the supervision of a Supreme Court or High Court judge,” he said.
On Friday, family members of the deceased met Bihar Director General of Police Vinay Kumar, but later claimed they were given no assurance of justice. According to the family, the DGP reportedly maintained that the student had committed suicide.
The family subsequently met Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Samrat Choudhary, but expressed dissatisfaction with the assurances provided.
The mother of the deceased levelled serious allegations against the Bihar Police, claiming that officials had been “bought off.” The victim’s brother alleged that the police and the SIT were treating the family like criminals.
“They are showing no intention of solving the case. Instead, they are behaving as if we are the accused,” he said.
The NEET aspirant was found unconscious in her hostel room on January 6 and later succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital on January 11.
Initially, the Patna Senior Superintendent of Police ruled out sexual assault. However, the post-mortem report by Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report contradicted this claim, stating that sexual assault could not be ruled out. The FSL report further confirmed the presence of semen on the clothes of the deceased.
The Patna Police had constituted a high-level SIT under the supervision of an IG-rank officer, but the investigation has made little progress. The SIT has collected blood samples from over 15 individuals, including family members.
The case has now been handed over to the CBI, even as political pressure intensifies for a court-monitored probe to ensure transparency and justice.