Jharkhand High Court Demands Answers on Missing Minor Case

In a significant development, the Jharkhand High Court has mandated the state government to respond within two weeks regarding the unresolved disappearance of a young girl from Gumla. The court issued a caveat that the case might be taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should no substantial progress be achieved.

During the hearing of a habeas corpus petition submitted by Chandramuni Urain, the father of the missing six-year-old, a division bench comprising Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Sanjay Prasad expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation's sluggish pace. The court's impatience stems from the fact that, despite seven years of investigative effort, the local police have failed to locate the child.

The special investigating team, which had extended their search to Delhi, was unable to find her. The court was, however, apprised that the police's efforts resulted in finding nine other missing children from various regions. The state has also been urged to expedite efforts in a similar case from Bokaro.