Ranchi court challenges CBI closure report in Vinay Mahto school murder case
Synopsis
Nearly a decade after a 12-year-old was found dead in a Ranchi school hostel, the CBI has closed the case calling it an accident — and the boy's father is fighting back in court. The protest petition now before a special CBI court puts the agency's own findings under judicial scrutiny, in a case that has already seen police arrests, acquittals, and a High Court-ordered transfer.
Key Takeaways
A special CBI court in Ranchi heard a protest petition on 12 June challenging the agency's closure report in the Vinay Mahto school death case.
Vinay Mahto , aged 12 , was found dead inside Sapphire International School 's hostel premises on 5 February 2016 .
The CBI submitted a closure report last month, terming the death an accident and rejecting murder and criminal conspiracy angles.
Manbahal Mahto , the deceased's father, has challenged the CBI's findings through advocate Khushboo Kataruka .
The Juvenile Justice Board had acquitted both minor accused in July 2018 due to lack of evidence.
The court has fixed a date next week for further arguments on the protest petition.
A special CBI court in Ranchi on Friday, 12 June heard a protest petition filed by Manbahal Mahto, father of deceased school student Vinay Mahto, challenging the agency's closure report that termed his son's death an accident rather than murder. The court conducted partial arguments before fixing a fresh date next week for further proceedings.
What the Court Heard
Advocate Khushboo Kataruka, appearing for the petitioner, raised pointed questions over the CBI's findings and contested the basis on which the closure report was submitted. The court is yet to rule on whether to accept or reject the report, keeping the matter live for continued scrutiny.
Background: The 2016 Hostel Death
Vinay Mahto, a 12-year-old Class 7 student of Sapphire International School in Ranchi, was allegedly murdered on the night of 4-5 February 2016 inside the school hostel premises. His blood-soaked body was discovered the following morning near the corridor of the teachers' staff quarters on the campus along Ranchi-Khunti Road.
Ranchi police initially labelled the incident an 'honour killing', alleging that Vinay had developed an inclination towards the daughter of Hindi teacher Naseeya Hussain. According to the police theory, the teacher's Class 11 son allegedly attacked Vinay and threw him from the first floor. Police arrested four persons — Naseeya Hussain, her husband Mohammad Arif, and their two minor children — and sent them to jail.
Acquittals, High Court, and CBI Transfer
In July 2018, the Juvenile Justice Board acquitted both minors due to lack of evidence, after which a district court ordered fresh proceedings. Alleging serious lapses in the police investigation — including the alleged destruction of forensic evidence — Vinay's father approached the Jharkhand High Court, which transferred the case to the CBI in July 2022.
Notably, the case had remained unresolved for over six years before the CBI took charge, reflecting the prolonged institutional struggle the family has faced in seeking accountability.
CBI Closure Report Contested
Last month, the CBI submitted a closure report before the court, rejecting both the murder and criminal conspiracy angles and classifying Vinay Mahto's death as an accident. The finding has drawn sharp dissatisfaction from the family. Manbahal Mahto has now challenged those conclusions through the protest petition currently under the court's consideration.
What Happens Next
The special CBI court will resume hearing arguments next week. The court's decision on whether to accept the closure report or order further investigation will be a critical juncture in a case that has already spanned nearly a decade. The outcome will also test the accountability mechanisms available to families when investigative agencies close cases without reaching trial.
Point of View
If true, is the central failure here: it is precisely what makes definitive findings impossible nine years on. The case also highlights a structural gap — families who distrust local police have no effective remedy short of High Court intervention, and even CBI transfer offers no guarantee of outcome.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Vinay Mahto school death case?
Vinay Mahto was a 12-year-old Class 7 student of Sapphire International School in Ranchi who was found dead inside the school hostel on 5 February 2016. The case has since gone through police arrests, juvenile acquittals, a Jharkhand High Court order transferring it to the CBI, and most recently a CBI closure report classifying the death as an accident.
What did the CBI conclude in its closure report?
The CBI submitted a closure report rejecting both the murder and criminal conspiracy angles, and termed Vinay Mahto's death an accident. The report was filed before the special CBI court last month and has been contested by the deceased's father.
What is a protest petition and why has it been filed?
A protest petition is a legal mechanism that allows a complainant to challenge a closure or final report filed by an investigating agency before a court. Vinay's father, Manbahal Mahto, filed the petition because he is dissatisfied with the CBI's finding that his son's death was accidental rather than a homicide.
Who were the accused in the original police case?
Ranchi police arrested four persons — Hindi teacher Naseeya Hussain, her husband Mohammad Arif, and their two minor children. The Juvenile Justice Board acquitted both minors in July 2018 due to lack of evidence, after which a district court ordered fresh proceedings.
What happens next in the case?
The special CBI court has fixed a date next week for further arguments on the protest petition. The court will then decide whether to accept the closure report or direct further investigation, a decision that could determine whether the case ever goes to trial.
