Jharkhand Court Demands Update On Missing Gumla Girl Case

The Jharkhand High Court has demanded an update on the case of a missing minor girl from Gumla, threatening a CBI investigation if the state government fails to provide significant progress within two weeks.

Photograph: Mansi Thapliyal/Reuters

Key Points

Jharkhand High Court sets two-week deadline for state government to provide information on missing Gumla girl.
The court warns of a potential CBI probe if no concrete progress is made in the missing person case.
A habeas corpus petition was filed by the mother of the six-year-old girl, who has been missing since September 2018.
The court expressed concern over the slow pace of the police investigation into the missing girl case.

Jharkhand High Court on Monday set a two-week deadline for the state government to furnish information on the whereabouts of a missing minor girl from Gumla, and cautioned that the case may be handed over to the CBI if no concrete progress is made.

Court Expresses Concern Over Investigation Pace

A division bench of Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Sanjay Prasad was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Chandramuni Urain, whose six-year-old daughter has been missing since September 2018.

The court observed that despite seven years of investigation, police have not been able to trace the victim and questioned the Gumla SP on the current status of the probe, expressing concern over the "tardy pace" of probe.

SIT Efforts To Locate Missing Girl

Earlier, the court was informed that a special investigating team was formed to find the girl, which had gone to Delhi to locate her.

However, despite trying their best, the SIT has not been able to locate her as yet.

Pictures of the victim had been circulated and uploaded on various portals by police, but to no avail.

The court was also informed that in the course of the investigation, police were successful in finding nine other missing children from different parts of the state.

The HC in another matter pertaining to a missing girl from Bokaro has passed strict orders directing the government and police to ensure that the victim is traced.

Habeas corpus petitions are typically filed when a person is believed to be detained unlawfully. Under Indian law, kidnapping and abduction can carry significant prison sentences, depending on the age of the victim and the intent of the perpetrator. The CBI often takes over cases where state police investigations have stalled or are suspected of being compromised.

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