NEET aspirant death case: Patna’s Shambhu hostel owner gets bail

The owner of a Patna hostel, accused in the rape-murder of NEET aspirant Manish Ranjan, was granted bail due to the CBI's failure to file a charge sheet in 90 days.

The accused in alleged rape-murder of a NEET aspirant Manish Ranjan was on Thursday granted bail by the special judge, POCSO, Rajeev Ranjan Raman. The accused is the owner of Patna’s Shambhu Girls’ Hostel in Chirtagupta Nagar where the alleged rape of the girl took place on January 6.

Students of Patna University taking out 'Beti Bachao Nyay March' for demanding a CBI inquiry into the ‘rape and death’ of the NEET aspirant outside the Patna University on January 30, 2026. (Santosh Kumar/ HT)

The accused Manish Ranjan was in judicial custody since January 15, 2026. The court had rejected default bail on April 15 as it was prematurely filed.

The counsel on behalf of Manish submitted that the statutory period of 90 days has now expired and he is entitled to get default bail as no charge sheet has been filed till date.

The special PP Suresh Chandra Prasad said that taking note of the delay, the court granted default bail upon furnishing bail bond of ₹25,000 only with two securities. “The bail plea was filed under section 187 of the BNSS with defence arguing that the accused had been in custody since January 15 and the CBI had failed to file a charge sheet within stipulated 90 days period, he added

Krishna Deo Mishra, child rights activist cum senior advocate said, “It is a serious negligence and a major mistake by the agency for not filing charge-sheet within 90 days related to one of the most serious and sensitive cases related to the POCSO case.

After his bail plea was rejected on March 16, Ranjan had moved to the Patna high court for bail. The court also directed the accused to withdraw the petition from the HC and submit compliance before the trial court within a week.

The NEET aspirant, a resident of Jehanabad district, was found unconscious in her hostel room, where she had been staying to prepare for the medical entrance examination, on January 6. She died at a private hospital five days later.

The government had recommended a CBI probe after the family members accused the police of being hand-in-glove with the accused. Police had initially claimed that the girl died after consuming an excessive dose of sleeping pills.

The CBI had taken up the case on February 13.

The case had turned after a forensic report found evidence of human sperm on the girl’s undergarments. The post-mortem examination had also not ruled out sexual assault. An FIR was lodged at Chitragupta Nagar police station on January 9, and the family’s statements were recorded. Earlier, SHO of Chitragupt Nagar Roshani Kumari and SHO of Kadamkuan police station Hemant Jha were suspended because of alleged negligence on their parts in the investigation of the case.