Justice delayed is justice denied, believes the bereaved father of an aspiring engineering student who was brutally murdered at her Booty Bustee home here on December 16 two years ago.

A CMPDI employee posted in Barkakana, Ramgarh, he let hope drift away as he observed his daughter’s second death anniversary at their ancestral home in Silli, around 60km from the state capital, on Sunday.

“Meri beti ko kabhi bhi mukti nahin milegi. Uski atma aise hi nayay ke liye bhatakti rahegi. Ab mere paas kisi ko kuch batane ke liye kuch bhi nahin hai. Ishwar sab dekh raha hai (My daughter’s soul will never rest in peace because justice is being denied. I have nothing more to share with people. God is watching everything),” he said.

The 19-year-old girl, studying BTech (electrical and electronics) at RTC Institute of Technology in Ormanjhi, was stripped naked, strangulated with a wire and her face and torso burnt beyond recognition. Blood in her private parts had suggested rape or its attempt before murder.

Forensics lifted fingerprints, collected clothes, nails and other purported evidence from the crime scene, and gave an indication that more than one person were involved. The dog squad was also involved.

Ranchi police investigated the case for a few months and even announced a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh for anyone offering leads. Nothing came of it. The CID took over investigations; quizzed over 100 people for a year; and apparently analysed call details and forensic reports. But, it remained equally clueless.

In January 2017, the state government recommended a CBI probe. The central agency lodged a case only in March this year and formally took over from the CID.

In the past nine months, the CBI is accused of having made little progress. In October, sleuths visited the Booty Bustee house to reconstruct the crime sequence.

“They also questioned me about my daughter, but that was about all they did. They didn’t say anything after that. Nowadays, I don’t even ask them (CBI officers) whether they have made any lead or not,” the father said.

Former Silli MLA Amit Mahto, a neighbour of the family, said he was utterly disappointed in the agency. “Two years have lapsed since she was brutally murdered. If the CBI is unable to make a breakthrough, what now?”

Sources said the CBI had assigned the probe to DSP-rank officer Rajesh Singh Solanki. But, a month ago, Solanki was replaced by another DSP-rank officer, Parvej Akthar.

“The CBI was called in 15 months after the murder. There are challenges. The investigations done by police and CID, including forensic evidence collected, didn’t help us nail any suspect. In fact, they were of little use to us. We plan to send the phone of the deceased for examination once more. Let’s see what we get,” said a CBI source.

At RTC Institute of Technology, the student’s death is still fresh in memory.

“December is the cruellest month every year since she died. She was bright girl who was also humble to the core. Those who killed her must hang till death,” said a friend.