The Patna High Court has transferred the case of a missing youth to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), citing inaction by the local police.

The case concerns the alleged unlawful detention of Sanoj Kumar by Excise Police officials in Bhojpur district, under the Bihiya police station, on August 13, 2025. His father, Gauri Shankar Ram, moved the High Court and filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus on May 17, 2026, seeking a CBI inquiry.

Justice Rajeev Ranjan Prasad and Justice Alok Kumar Sinha ordered the transfer of the case to the CBI on August 7, 2026.

Sanoj Kumar, a construction worker, went to work as usual on August 13, 2025. In the evening, at about 6.35 p.m., he called his younger brother, Rakesh Kumar, and informed him that he had been apprehended by the police on allegations of consuming liquor near Kali Mandir at Dharahara Musahar Toli.

He called again to state that the police were beating him mercilessly, after which the call was disconnected. Subsequent attempts by the family to contact him failed as his phone was switched off. The family approached the Bihiya and Jagdishpur police stations. His father was informed that several persons were detained and later released after interrogation, but no satisfactory information was provided regarding Sanoj. He has been missing since then.

On August 14, 2025, his father lodged a complaint with the Bihiya police station to trace his son.

Inaction and bias

The court order stated, “On going through the entire materials available on the record, this Court has no iota of doubt that since lodging of the FIR, the State investigating agency did not show any urgency to investigate the matter. This Court is, therefore, of the considered opinion that in this case, the very credibility of the State investigating agency is at stake”.

The order further said, “Inaction writ large and the submission of learned counsel for the petitioner that because Excise Police Officials were involved in the case, therefore, the investigation of the case has been compromised, and it has suffered bias, is based on reasons to believe; therefore, this Court is persuaded to agree with the submissions on behalf of the petitioner. The petitioner is himself present in Court and has submitted that a fair investigation into this matter may only be possible through an independent agency such as CBI

”“This Court is of the considered opinion that the present case would fall in the category of those rare and exceptional cases in which the lack of confidence in the State investigating agency has arisen for the obvious, tangible reasons,” the court order stated.

The court observed that two of the accused, being ASIs, were in a position to influence the investigation. As they were posted at the same place, they were well connected with police officials of the Bihiya and Jagdishpur stations and did not allow the investigation to proceed.

The CBI has been directed to take charge of the investigation with utmost urgency, keeping in mind that the youth has been missing since the evening of August 13, 2025.

“The allegations are that of his having been brutally assaulted by the Excise Police officials, after which he was not seen. The petitioner apprehends that his son has been done to death and his dead body has been made to disappear,” the court added.

Published - August 09, 2026 08:25 pm IST