Take all steps to trace Najeeb, HC directs CBI

Gives order after examining status report filed by agency

de20 Najeeb Ahmad

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to take all steps to trace JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, who has been missing since October last. The court gave its direction after examining the status report filed by the CBI.

The agency has in its report given details of the steps taken by it to trace the student and sought time to conclude the probe.

Sealed cover

“We direct the CBI to take all necessary steps to trace the missing person who is missing since October 15, 2016,” a Bench of Justices G. S. Sistani and Chander Shekhar said.

The court also asked the CBI the reason for placing the status report in a sealed cover. The CBI counsel replied that the agency did not want to reveal the names of the witnesses. The agency’s counsel informed the Bench that the CBI had examined during its investigation 26 persons, including JNU officials, the staff, Najeeb’s friends, colleagues and those who had any issue with him.

The court was hearing a plea by Najeeb’s mother Fatima Nafees, who had moved the court on November 25 last to trace her son, a first-year M.Sc. Biotechnology student, who went missing from JNU’s Mahi-Mandavi hostel.

The CBI counsel informed the court that wide publicity was given to the case in 12 cities and several mortuaries carefully examined. He added that Railway records of the past year of persons with the same name and age were also called for.

Suggestions

The counsel for Ms. Nafees gave suggestions to the CBI to be included in its probe. The complainant sought analysis of the WhatsApp records by the crime branch to be brought before the court and also the location details of the nine accused persons through their mobiles, dating from the day before the assault to the next 15 days. To this, the CBI said these aspects can be looked into.

The court had on August 8 pulled up the CBI saying the case was “not transferred to the agency for fun”. It had filed the same report regarding its probe that was placed on record in the previous hearing.

The court had on May 16 ordered the CBI to take over the probe into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the student.