RANCHI: Expressing strong displeasure over the prolonged delay in investigating the disappearance of a girl from Bokaro, the Jharkhand High Court observed that the state government has a primary responsibility to uphold public trust in the government and police administration.
The court stressed the need to uncover the truth and take appropriate action against officials found guilty of negligence, observing that accountability was essential to restoring public confidence in the system.
In its order passed on October 13, the court also voiced concern over the fact that it took nearly four months to order an inquiry into the role of senior officers.
“In the aforesaid context, this Court is of the view that it is the primary accountability of the State to inspire confidence in its citizens. To secure such confidence, it is incumbent upon the State to bring the true facts to light and to take deterrent action against the erring officials. Only by such measures, the confidence of the citizenry be restored, particularly in the aftermath of a crime of the present nature as alleged in the First Information Report,” the court order stated.
During the hearing, the Division Bench of Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Akhil Kumar remarked that the delay in ordering an investigation to fix responsibility on senior police officers raised questions about the seriousness of the state government. The court observed that in such cases, taking action only against lower-level police personnel was insufficient; it must also be examined how the concerned senior officers were fulfilling their own responsibilities.
The court emphasised the necessity of conducting an impartial investigation to uncover the true facts of the case. Furthermore, it directed that effective action, in accordance with the rules, must be taken against any officials found to have been negligent. This, the court noted, was essential for preserving public confidence in the police system.
Advocate Vincent Rohit, appearing on behalf of the petitioner, informed the court that the High Court had directed the state government to submit an affidavit detailing the action taken against the senior police officers. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for October 27.
An 18-year-old girl from the Pindrajorah police station area of Bokaro went missing in July 2025. After repeated appeals to the police failed, her mother approached the Jharkhand High Court. Following the court’s intervention, police recovered the girl’s skeletal remains from a forest based on information provided by the accused, her former boyfriend, who is suspected of murdering her.
The court ordered DNA matching with her parents to confirm her identity. The initial probe reportedly found negligence among all 28 personnel at the police station, prompting a decision to suspend them. However, the court questioned why senior district police officials were not being investigated.
The High Court had sought the state government's stand on June 25, 2026, on an inquiry into alleged negligence by senior Bokaro police officials. After the government failed to file affidavits on August 3, August 17 and September 17, the DGP finally ordered a detailed probe on October 7.
