Delhi Court Allows CBI to Close Najeeb Ahmed Disappearance Case

New Delhi, Jun 30 (PTI) — A Delhi court has permitted the CBI to close the investigation into the disappearance of Najeeb Ahmed, a first-year JNU student who went missing on October 15, 2016. The court acknowledged that the agency had "exhausted all options" in its search for Ahmed.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Jyoti Maheshwari expressed hope that Najeeb would be found soon.

"This court expresses its regret that while the proceedings in the present case end with this closure report, closure for Najeeb’s mother and other loved ones still eludes us," the court's order stated.

The court accepted the agency's closure report but allowed the CBI the liberty to reopen the investigation should any credible information come to light regarding Ahmed's whereabouts, and to inform the court accordingly.

The judge noted that there was no evidence of any altercation involving Najeeb on the day he disappeared after he returned to the hostel, which would suggest that any individual at JNU was responsible for his disappearance. "An analysis of the discussion shows that CBI has undertaken a holistic investigation and exhausted all options," the court remarked.

She further observed that when Najeeb left his hostel room, his cell phone and laptop were left behind, indicating no signs suggesting otherwise.

"It is evident that all conceivable aspects that could have been investigated have been thoroughly covered by CBI, but no credible information could be received regarding Najeeb Ahmed's whereabouts. An analysis of the above discussion shows that CBI has undertaken a holistic investigation and exhausted all options," the court said.

The protest petition filed by Ahmed's mother, which alleged investigative lapses by the CBI, was examined thoroughly but rejected, according to the judge.

The order stated, "This court is cognizant of the plight of an anxious mother, who has been on a quest to find out about her missing son since 2016. But the investigating agency in the present case, i.e., CBI, cannot be faulted for the investigation carried out. The quest for truth is the foundation of every criminal investigation, yet there are cases where the investigation conducted cannot achieve its logical conclusion, despite the best efforts of the investigating machinery."

In October 2018, the CBI closed its investigation into the case after efforts to trace Ahmed, a first-year master's student at JNU, resulted in no findings. The agency submitted its closure report to the court after receiving permission from the Delhi High Court.

Ahmed vanished from JNU's Mahi-Mandvi hostel on October 15, 2016, following an alleged scuffle with students claimed to be affiliated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.

Nafees' counsel previously described the situation as a "political case" in which the "CBI has succumbed to the pressure of its masters." Initially, the Delhi Police investigated the case before it was transferred to the CBI.

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