The chief judicial magistrate, Imphal West on Wednesday directed SP, CBI-SCB, Kolkata to submit the status report of the reinvestigation into the mysterious death of Ningthoujam Babysana on or before May 30. Following the court's direction for re-investigation into the cases, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had sought permission to unseal the sealed box received from the director, FSL Pangei and the court gave permission on March 28.
On March 31, 2021, the additional SP of Police CBI, SCB, Kolkata had filed the final report under section 173 CrPC in connection with the Babysana death case. In the final report, the IO submitted that chargesheet could not be submitted against the accused persons as no evidence emerged during investigation.
However, on April 28, 2021, an objection was filed by the father of the deceased protesting the final report submitted by the IO of the case along with a prayer and to direct the IO to further investigate the case especially by identifying the perpetrator of the crime by DNA profiling of the AB blood group found in the left middle finger of the deceased and to ascertain whether the Boarding owned by the accused, Ph Landhoni could be legally registered under Manipur Shop & Commercial Establishment Act, 1972.
The court on November 16, 2021 rejected the final report submitted by the CBI and directed the CBI to re-investigate the case.
“It is assumed that some substantive progress would have been made by now in the re-investigation as more than five months has lapsed since the direction for re-investigation was issued”, the court stated.
Since then, no further status report has been submitted before the court. However, the court, following the Supreme Court of India in Sakiri Vasu -Vs- State of UP [MANU/ SC/8179/2007] after giving direction to the magistrate concerned to ensure proper investigation into the alleged offence under Section 156 (3) CrPC, further observed that the magistrate can monitor the investigation though he himself cannot investigate and directed the CBI to submit the status report.
Thirteen-year-old Babysana of Thangmeiband Imphal West, a hosteller of Standard Robarth School, Canchipur Imphal, was found hanging inside the hostel on July 18, 2019. Her death sparked controversy with family suspecting foul play in the girl’s death though post mortem suggests the cause of death due to asphyxia by hanging.
The JAC formed in the case had launched a series of agitation, including shutdowns, demanding the arrest of culprits involved in the alleged murder, bringing the state to a standstill on several occasions. The agitation stopped only after the government assured CBI inquiry into the incident.
