Take steps to trace JNU student: HC directs CBI

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the CBI to take necessary steps to trace JNU student Najeeb Ahmad, who has been missing since October last year.

The high court gave its direction after examining the status report filed by the CBI. The agency, in its report, gave details of the steps taken by it to trace the student and sought time to conclude the probe.

"We direct 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 asked the CBI its reason for placing the status report in a sealed cover.

The CBI counsel responded by saying that they do not want the names of witnesses to be revealed. The agency's counsel informed the bench that they had examined 26 persons, including JNU officials, staff, Najeeb's friends, colleagues and those who had any issue with him, during the investigation.

The court was hearing a plea from Najeeb's mother, Fatima Nafees, who moved the court on November 25 last year to trace her son, a first-year MSc Biotechnology student who went missing from the Mahi Mandavi hostel in JNU. The counsel, appearing for his mother, also gave suggestions to the CBI to be included in its probe.

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

The student went missing after an altercation with some students belonging to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on the campus, where students who belong to the ABVP are said to have attacked him after he slapped one of them who came to campaign in his room.

What exactly happened remains unclear- different versions have been provided by eyewitnesses, the accused, others who say they were also beaten up and the hostel warden. Later, the students of the RSS-affiliated ABVP denied any involvement in his disappearance.