The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is yet to file a chargesheet and has just one arrest to show in the sensational Navruna Chakraborty murder case, which completed five years on Monday.
Bihar’s land mafia had on September 18, 2012 kidnapped 14-year-old Navruna, a student of class 7, from her residence on Jawaharlal Road in Muzaffarpur, and subsequently killed her. A skeleton recovered from the drain near her house on November 26 was believed to be hers. The land sharks were eyeing a chunk of six kathas land, which Navruna’s father, Atulya Chakraborty, wanted to sell and had even taken advance money of Rs 21 lakh for it from a property dealer.
Having zeroed in on 10 accused, the CBI had on September 4 arrested Rakesh Kumar Sinha ‘Pappu’, a councillor of ward number 23 of the Muzaffarpur Municipal Corporation. Both Pappu and property dealer Brajesh Kumar have been evading brain mapping test, which the CBI has requested for.
- Sept 18, 2012 Navruna,14, kidnapped from her home in Muzaffarpur while asleep
- Nov 21, 2012 Law student Abhishek Ranjan files case in Supreme Court
- Nov 26, 2012 Skeleton recovered from a drain near Navruna’s house
- Jan 16, 2013 State government hands over case to CID
- Sept 18, 2013 State government recommends CBI probe
- Nov 21, 2013 SC asks CBI to expedite process for taking up the case
- Feb 14, 2014 CBI takes up the case
- Mar 25, 2014 Navruna parents give blood sample for DNA test
- Sept 4, 2014 SC grants permission for polygraph test of 10 accused
- April 6, 2016 SC asks CBI to complete probe by Oct 31
- Nov 25, 2016 SC grants CBI time till March 31 to complete investigations in the case
- April 14, 2017 SC extends deadline, asks CBI to complete probe by Sept 30
- Sept 4, 2017 CBI arrests Rakesh Kumar Sinha ‘Pappu’, councillor of ward number 23 of Muzaffarpur municipal corporation
Of the 10 accused, four have undergone polygraph test, also called narco or lie detector test in common parlance, while four others have refused it. Though Pappu and Kumar have undergone the polygraph test, they have failed to respond to CBI summons for brain mapping.
Having missed two previous deadlines — October 31, 2016 and March 31, 2017 — for completing investigations in the case, the CBI is now racing against time to meet the September 30 deadline — the third — fixed by the Supreme Court hearing the case.
Peeved over the tardy progress of the probe, Navruna’s parents have questioned the motive of the CBI. They alleged that it was trying to shield some politicians and senior administrative and police officials who were involved in the case.
“When it has not done anything in the last three-and-a-half-years since it took up the case, what will the CBI do in the next 12 days,” wondered Atulya Chakraborty. Her mother Maitree Chakraborty, however, exuded full confidence in the Supreme Court.
Though Navruna’s body has still not been recovered, the investigating agency has unofficially told Navruna’s parents that the skeleton recovered from the drain near their house was that of their daughter. The CBI has submitted the DNA test report, in a sealed cover, to the special CBI court in Muzaffarpur. The parents, who refused to buy the CBI theory, have been demanding a copy of their DNA test findings along with that of the skeleton.
