CBI starts Muzaffarpur shelter home probe, 5 more rapes confirmed

The CBI has taken over the probe into the alleged abuse of minor girls at a shelter home in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district even as fresh medical reports confirmed rape of five more girls. With this the number of minor girls sexually abused at the shelter home has increased to 34.

On July 24, Director General of Police KS Dwivedi had said 29 inmates of the State-funded home were raped.

“It is alleged that officials/employees of girls children home run by Seva Sankalp Evam Vikash Samiti used to mentality, physically and sexually exploit the children residing there,” a CBI spokesperson said, confirming that the agency has taken over the probe.

Muzaffarpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harpreet Kaur said fresh medical reports of 13 girl inmates have confirmed that five of them were sexually abused.

Two of the 44 shelter home inmates were not presented before the medical board as one of them, a four-year-old mentally challenged girl, was at Madhubani, while the other, who had been shifted to Mokama in Patna, was unwell, the SSP said.

The issue  was first highlighted in an audit report submitted by the Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS), Mumbai, to the State’s Social Welfare Department in April.

An FIR was lodged on May 31 against 11 people, including Brajesh Thakur, the owner of the NGO which ran the Government-funded shelter home.

On July 26, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar recommended a CBI inquiry into the matter.

The Opposition — RJD, Congress and CPI(ML) — had sought a probe into the case by the CBI with the High Court monitoring it.

SSP Harpreet Kaur said a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team, which had already visited the place earlier, was called again to visit the shelter home on Saturday.

A magistrate, videographers and a team of doctors accompanied the FSL team in light of allegations levelled by the inmates that they were administered drugs at the shelter home, Kaur said.

The doctors have seized some drugs from the room where the girls had their weekly check-ups.

The doctors’ team is likely to submit its report in this regard on Monday, she said, adding that Muzaffarpur Zone Inspector General Sunil Kumar and Muzaffarpur Range Deputy Inspector General Anil Kumar Singh also visited the place on Saturday.

Police have already submitted a chargesheet against 10 accused persons on July 26 before a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Court, the SSP said.

A proclamation notice issued by the special court has been pasted at the house of another accused, Dilip Kumar Verma, who has been evading arrest. Ten out of 11 accused have been arrested till now.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi has made it clear that the State Government, during the next hearing, would itself request the High Court to monitor the CBI inquiry into the matter.