SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, April 26: The Supreme Court has upheld the Jharkhand High Court’s directions in the Bokaro horror case, reinforcing the push for a thorough investigation into the disappearance of a woman.
While refusing to interfere with the High Court’s order, the top court extended the deadline for fresh DNA testing from 48 hours to one week, giving investigators more time to complete crucial forensic steps amid serious concerns over earlier lapses in the probe.
A bench of Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh, in its order on April 24, observed that there was no ground to interfere with the High Court’s order. It also clarified that the High Court had not made any adverse remarks against the Special Investigation Team (SIT), but was focused on ensuring a fair and proper investigation.
With these observations, the Supreme Court disposed of the petition and all pending applications.
Jharkhand HC: Court is a “Search Engine of Truth”
Earlier, on April 16, the Jharkhand High Court made strong observations on the role of courts in criminal justice while hearing a habeas corpus petition in the Bokaro case.
The division bench of Justices Sujit Narayan Prasad and Sanjay Prasad stated that courts must act as a “search engine of truth” and actively seek out facts, rather than remain passive. The bench emphasised that the judiciary’s primary duty is to discover the truth and ensure justice.
Referring to Supreme Court precedents, the High Court said that the legal system exists to “find out the real truth,” and courts must use both procedural and substantive law as tools to achieve this goal.
Police Lapses and Fresh DNA Testing Order
The High Court flagged several lapses in the investigation, including: a delay in FIR registration despite a missing complaint, a late arrest of the main suspect, and contradictions in the police submissions.
The Court noted that the probe gained momentum only after judicial intervention and described the conduct of the police as “gross negligence.” It was informed that 28 police personnel, including members of the earlier SIT, had been suspended.
To resolve doubts about the identity of skeletal remains recovered in the case, the Court ordered fresh DNA profiling. It directed that parents’ samples be collected by the Military Hospital in Namkum and sent along with skeletal remains to CFSL Kolkata. The report is to be submitted in a sealed envelope.
The Court also directed RIMS Ranchi to conduct a priority postmortem and asked the Director General of Police (DGP) to personally monitor the investigation.
Case Background: Bokaro Missing Woman Case
The case relates to the disappearance of a woman in 2025 under the Pindrajora police station in Bokaro, Jharkhand. Although a missing complaint was filed in July 2025, the FIR was registered after a delay, and the investigation initially showed little progress.
Following High Court intervention, a new SIT was formed. On April 11, 2026, skeletal remains were recovered based on an accused person’s confession. However, doubts over the identity of the remains led to the order for fresh forensic verification.
The matter is scheduled for further hearing on May 7.