Patna: A POCSO court on Monday rejected the bail plea of hostel owner Manish Kumar Ranjan in connection with the case involving a NEET aspirant, refusing to grant him regular bail.
The order was passed by Special Judge Rajeev Ranjan Raman after hearing the bail application for three days. The court had earlier reserved its decision on March 12 after completing arguments from both sides. Manish Kumar Ranjan is currently lodged in Beur Jail.
In its order, the court cited the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Amar Mani Tripathi case while explaining the grounds for rejecting the bail plea. The court observed that the matter involves allegations of sexual assault against a minor student and that the investigation in the case is still ongoing. Therefore, granting bail at this stage would not be appropriate.
According to the case details presented in court, the minor student was residing in the hostel owned by Manish Kumar Ranjan. The lawyer representing the victim’s family alleged that the incident took place within the hostel premises.
However, the court clarified that the accused may apply for bail again at a later stage if circumstances change during the course of the trial.
The court also directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to continue the investigation under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. It instructed the agency to record the statements of the victim’s parents and to question Manish Kumar Ranjan in custody if required.
The court further said that the alleged incident occurred within the hostel premises, which is owned by the accused, and therefore investigators must examine the chain of custody related to Manish Ranjan as part of the probe. The process of collecting and seizing evidence in the case is still underway.
During the hearing, the court noted several aspects of the investigation that are yet to be clarified. These include proper examination of blister packs of tablets recovered from the student’s room, statements of the student’s hostel roommate and a staff member, and verification of CCTV footage from the premises.
The court also observed that the exact cause of the student’s death has not yet been conclusively established. Given these pending aspects of the investigation, the court said granting bail to the accused at this stage could adversely affect the probe.
The case continues to be under investigation, and the court indicated that further developments in the probe may influence future legal proceedings, including any fresh bail application by the accused.
