A local court in Panchkula has rejected the closure report presented by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the mysterious death of 19-year-old teacher Manisha from Bhiwani, Haryana, ordering officials to conduct a comprehensive reinvestigation. The judicial directive has rekindled hopes of justice for the victim's grieving father, Sanjay, who maintained that true accountability can only be achieved if every single piece of evidence is scrutinized thoroughly and impartially.
Missing Teacher Found Dead Near Canal After Two Days
The tragedy dates back to August 11 of last year, when 19-year-old Manisha, a resident of Dhani Laxman village, disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Two days later, on August 13, her body was discovered lying along the banks of a canal inside an agricultural field in Singhani village. The gruesome condition of the recovered body indicated a brutal, heinous homicide, prompting outrage and an extensive public agitation demanding answers. Bowing to public anger and mounting demonstrations, the Haryana state government transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation on August 20, following which the family performed her cremation on August 21.
Central Agency Faces Severe Scrutiny Over Incomplete Inquiries
The central agency formally launched its investigation on September 5. However, within two months, the family began voicing serious dissatisfaction, noting that the pace of the inquiry had slowed down dramatically without unearthing any meaningful facts or credible clues. When the agency eventually submitted a closure report before the Panchkula court, Manisha's family challenged the move by filing an official petition, prompting the judicial bench to discard the findings and mandate a fresh probe.
Following the pronouncement of the order, Manisha's father Sanjay assembled alongside community members at the Swami Dharamshala in Bhiwani. Addressing the gathering, Sanjay highlighted that the court rejected the agency's attempt to close the file and instructed a renewed inquiry. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the local khaps and all 36 communities, remarking that without their sustained solidarity, the investigating agency would have delayed filing its paperwork for years. The rejection of the report by the judiciary, he stated, makes it clear that the agency's paperwork lacked fundamental truth and substance.
Allegations of Ignored Leads, Tampered Records, and Questionable Notes
Sanjay leveled grave accusations against the investigating officers, alleging that the central agency merely repackaged and presented the initial findings recorded by the local police without carrying out any independent, thorough probe. He stated that vital leads were ignored entirely, with officials failing to interrogate the administration of the college or conduct a detailed technical examination of Manisha's mobile phone records.
The role of the police was also placed under intense scrutiny. Sanjay pointed out that the local police held the digital video recorder containing the college's surveillance footage for 40 days, casting deep suspicion over the integrity of the collected material. Additionally, the purported suicide note tied to the case has encountered serious doubt, as the handwriting samples failed to match. The document will now be dispatched to two separate forensic laboratories for independent verification.
Discrepancies in Autopsy Findings and Missing 36 Hours
Highlighting critical gaps in the medical reports, Sanjay referenced the post-mortem conducted in Bhiwani, which placed the time of death roughly 36 hours prior to the examination. Yet, neither the police nor the central agency could account for where the body had been kept during that 36-hour interval. Furthermore, the findings failed to clarify what caused the lacerations on her neck, nor did they confirm any allegations concerning poison consumption.
The father firmly alleged that the events leading to the tragedy unfolded within the premises of Ideal College in Singhani village. Demanding accountability, he accused the management of Ideal College of masterminding the incident while criticizing the investigative agencies for failing to act against the institution. With the court now ordering a comprehensive fresh probe, the family insists that every overlooked angle must be brought to light.
