Patna, Feb 12 (IANS) The investigation into the suspicious death of a NEET aspirant in Patna took a significant turn on Thursday, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) formally taking over the probe.

The agency has registered the matter as a special case (Case No. 7S/26), marking the official transfer of the investigation from the Bihar Police to the central agency.

With the CBI stepping in, the probe is expected to gather further momentum.

According to sources, senior CBI officials from its Bihar unit have left for the agency’s headquarters in Delhi carrying crucial documents and evidence related to the case.

The CBI is expected to examine all unresolved angles and piece together links that earlier investigations had failed to conclusively establish.

There had been sustained public and political pressure in Bihar demanding a CBI inquiry to ensure an impartial and transparent investigation into the sensitive case.

Responding to public outrage and repeated demands from the victim’s family, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had earlier formally recommended a CBI probe to the Government of India.

The Centre subsequently approved the request, paving the way for the handover of the case.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary was the first to publicly confirm the state government’s recommendation for a CBI investigation through a social media post, assuring that no effort would be spared to ensure justice.

Following the student’s death, tension had gripped Patna, with serious questions being raised over the local police investigation.

Many had alleged murder or a well-planned conspiracy. With the CBI now in charge, expectations have risen that the truth behind the NEET aspirant’s death and the role of those involved will be brought to light.

The NEET aspirant was found unconscious under suspicious circumstances at a hostel in Patna on January 6 and succumbed to injuries on January 11, triggering widespread outrage and political uproar across Bihar.

The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and post-mortem reports have stated that sexual assault cannot be ruled out.

The FSL report confirmed the presence of male semen on the undergarments of the deceased, further intensifying demands for a thorough and impartial investigation.

–IANS

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