High Court Sets Six-Month Deadline for CBI to Finish Jesna Maria James Case

Judicial Mandate to Resolve Six-Year Cold Case

The Kerala High Court has imposed a six-month deadline on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to finalize its probe into the disappearance of Jesna Maria James. Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan issued the directive, noting that the search for the student has now spanned eight years since she vanished in March 2018. The court emphasized that a perpetual investigation serves no legal purpose and must reach a definitive conclusion within the newly established timeframe.

The Petitioner’s Allegations and Court Findings

The ruling came during the hearing of a petition filed by T.U. Arun, an Idukki resident who accused the CBI of persistent harassment. Arun claimed that despite his cooperation with polygraph and brain mapping tests, the agency continued to treat him as a suspect. He alleged that repeated summons and visits to his home resulted in the loss of two jobs and severe social stigma. However, the High Court refused to exonerate Arun at this stage. After reviewing a CBI report detailing specific circumstances linked to the petitioner, the court stated:

• Arun must continue to cooperate with the ongoing federal investigation.
• The CBI maintains a legal obligation to conduct its inquiries within the bounds of the law.
• The court cannot grant a 'clean chit' to the petitioner based on the current evidence and circumstances presented by the agency.

Timeline of the Jesna Missing Case

Jesna Maria James, a second-year BCom student at St. Dominic’s College, Kanjirapally, disappeared on March 22, 2018. She was last seen leaving her home at Kunnathveedu, Kollamula, in Kottayam district. The trajectory of the case has seen several legal shifts:

• Initial Closure: The CBI previously submitted a closure report to the jurisdictional court, categorizing the case as 'undetected'.
• Reopening: The investigation resumed following a petition by the student’s father, James Joseph, which led to orders from the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Thiruvananthapuram.
• Current Status: The CBI is now under a strict judicial mandate to provide a final resolution by early 2027.

Source: The Hindu — National