PATNA: The CBI on Saturday swung into action soon after taking over the investigation into the suspicious death of a NEET aspirant in Patna last month. A team of officers visited the hostel in which the victim was staying to prepare for a medical entrance examination.
The CBI officers, along with members of the SIT earlier constituted to probe the case, began carrying out an inspection of the hostel premises, capturing photographs and collecting visual evidence both inside and outside the building. A heavy police deployment, including women police personnel, was present during the investigation to maintain security.
The arrival of CBI vehicles and officials drew a large crowd of local residents, who gathered near the hostel to learn about the latest developments in the case. The deceased student, a resident of Jehanabad district, had been staying at the hostel under Chitragupta Nagar police stations in Patna while preparing for the NEET.
She died under suspicious circumstances, triggering outrage and demands for a thorough investigation. Initially, police claimed that the 17-year-old girl died by suicide, as sleeping pills were found in her room. However, the postmortem report did not rule out sexual assault.
The case was handed over to CBI after outcry over the incident. The agency registered a fresh case and collected files relating to the investigation by district police. The investigating officers also contacted the members of the SIT to get feedback on its investigation.
Meanwhile, the case took a U-turn when a police team reached the residence of a former IPS officer, Amitabh Kumar Das, with a search warrant. Das, a 1994-batch IPS officer, had earlier claimed that he had evidence to substantiate the involvement of a top politician’s son in the incident.
A high-voltage drama followed during Das’ house search in Patliputra Colony. Das later claimed that he was illegally being arrested by the police for exposing political links.
He was admitted to a private hospital as he complained of uneasiness. Earlier, an FIR was lodged at Chitragupta Nagar police station accusing a former IPS officer and some YouTubers of making attempts to divert the investigation into the case.