Has the Jharkhand HC Halted the CBI Inquiry into Dhanbad Institute of Technology Exam Controversy?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Ranchi, Jan 22 (NationPress) The Jharkhand High Court has issued a stay on the CBI investigation concerning students from the Dhanbad Institute of Technology (DIT) who were barred from taking their examinations, pending further directives.
A division bench, which included Chief Justice M.S. Sonak and Justice Rajesh Shankar, made this ruling while considering an appeal from the state government and the Jharkhand University of Technology (JUT).
The case is scheduled for another hearing on January 29.
During the session, the CBI disclosed to the court that a preliminary inquiry was initiated in accordance with a previous High Court order.
Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan, representing the state, noted that DIT was only authorized to admit 60 students as of September 9, 2025, yet had enrolled 138 students, breaching established guidelines.
Ranjan argued that despite these infractions, the institute sought legal relief from the High Court.
The court learned that the writ petition from DIT was reviewed on January 12 and 13, leading to a decision on January 13 that called for a CBI investigation.
In response to this ruling, the state government and JUT filed an appeal before the division bench of the Jharkhand High Court.
Significantly, the single bench had described the situation of engineering students being prevented from taking exams as “grave,” asserting that it jeopardized the students' futures.
It had mandated a CBI investigation into the involvement of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and JUT.
The single bench also pointed out that while AICTE approved DIT’s intake for the academic year 2025-26 on April 30, 2025, students were subsequently denied permission to sit their exams.
Drawing a parallel, the court likened the situation to removing a “No Entry” sign only to ensnare individuals, indicating that the case revealed serious irregularities rather than a mere administrative error.
Under the ruling from January 13, the CBI was instructed to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a detailed report.