The Jharkhand High Court criticized the state police for their handling of a case involving a missing 18-year-old girl from Bokaro. The court expressed concerns over delays and lack of progress in the investigation. During a hearing of a habeas corpus petition filed by the girl’s mother, a Division Bench led by Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad questioned the Bokaro Superintendent of Police about the possibility of transferring the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The Court emphasized that negligence in sensitive cases like this cannot be tolerated. It expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace and direction of the probe, noting the lack of tangible progress despite several months having passed since the girl went missing. The girl has been missing since July 31, 2025, as per the information provided by the petitioner’s counsel, Vincent Rohit Marqui. An FIR was registered at Pindrajora Police Station in Bokaro in connection with her disappearance.
The family received a phone call on December 11, 2025, suggesting that the girl was in Pune. Subsequently, the police detained the caller, who revealed during interrogation that the girl was staying with an acquaintance in the city. However, a significant setback occurred when the detained individual managed to escape while being taken to Pune by train, derailing a crucial lead in the case.
The Bokaro SP, appearing virtually before the court, mentioned that multiple raids have been conducted in Pune and nearby areas to locate the missing girl. Another suspect has been detained, and preparations are underway to conduct a narco-analysis test to gather more leads. Despite these efforts, the Bench remained skeptical. Referring to a previous case from 2020 where a missing woman was found murdered, the court emphasized the importance of urgency, accountability, and sensitivity in such investigations. The court is still deliberating on the matter, indicating a potential transfer of the probe to the CBI if progress continues to be unsatisfactory.
