Jharkhand High Court Issues Ultimatum in Prolonged Missing Girl Case
The Jharkhand High Court has taken a firm stance on a distressing case involving a minor girl from Gumla district who has been missing for over seven years. On Monday, a division bench comprising Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Sanjay Prasad set a strict deadline of two weeks for the state government to furnish detailed information regarding the girl's whereabouts.
Court Expresses Dissatisfaction with Police Probe
The bench was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Chandramuni Urain, the father of the girl who disappeared in September 2018 when she was just six years old. The court expressed deep concern over the lack of progress in the investigation, noting that despite years of efforts by the police, the girl's location remains unknown. The court also issued a cautionary warning, indicating that the case might be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) if no fruitful results emerge within the stipulated timeframe.
During the proceedings, the Gumla superintendent of police was questioned about the status of the investigation. The bench highlighted its dissatisfaction with the tardy pace of the probe, emphasizing that such delays are unacceptable in matters involving missing children.
Previous Efforts and Broader Context
Earlier, the court was informed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been formed to locate the girl. The team traveled to Delhi in an attempt to trace her, but despite their best efforts, they have been unsuccessful so far. Police have circulated pictures of the girl on various portals, but these measures have yielded no leads.
In a silver lining, the investigation did lead to the recovery of nine other missing children from different parts of Jharkhand, showcasing some positive outcomes amid the ongoing challenges.
Parallel Case Highlights Systemic Issues
The high court's scrutiny extends beyond this case. In a similar incident, the court criticized the state police while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by the mother of an 18-year-old girl from Bokaro district. The girl went missing near Chas College in July 2025, and her mother accused the Bokaro police of laxity in the investigation.
Following the court's expression of dissatisfaction, Bokaro police claimed to have solved the case by recovering a skeleton and arresting the victim's ex-boyfriend for alleged murder. However, the court later raised questions about whether the skeleton belonged to the missing girl and ordered a DNA probe, which is currently underway.
This parallel case underscores broader concerns about the efficiency and diligence of police investigations in missing persons cases in Jharkhand, prompting judicial intervention to ensure accountability and justice.
