Details of Muzaffarpur Shelter Home Case ‘Scary, Horrible’: SC

At least 30 girls were allegedly raped at the Muzaffarpur shelter home in Bihar.

Image used for representational purposes only.

(Photo: The Quint)

The Supreme Court said on Thursday, 25 October, that the details of the investigation into the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual assault case were “horrible and scary.”

At least 30 girls were allegedly raped at the Muzaffarpur shelter home run by a state-funded NGO in Bihar. The incident was first highlighted in an audit report submitted by Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) to the state's social welfare department.

Reading a status report filed by the CBI, The Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur remarked, "What is this going on? This is horrible.”

The top court took note of allegations referred by the CBI against shelter home owner Brajesh Thakur, issuing a notice to him to explain why he should not be transferred to a jail outside the state.

In its report, the CBI has alleged that Thakur was an influential person and a mobile phone was recovered from him inside the jail where he is currently lodged under judicial custody.

The bench – also comprising Justices S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta – asked the Bihar government and the CBI to explain the delay in tracing whereabouts of ex-minister Manju Verma’s husband Chandrashekhar Verma.

The court had asked the Bihar Police to investigate the former minister and her husband in connection with the recovery of huge quantity of ammunition from them.

Verma had to resign as the minister of Social Welfare from the Bihar government in the wake of the Muzzafarpur shelter home sexual abuse case.

The bench said the CBI team investigating the case should not be changed and posted the matter for hearing on 30 October.