The Muzaffarpur police and CBI have taken strong action against the lazy approach of district welfare officials and the social welfare department in the case of 11 missing inmates from Swadhar Grih, which is another shelter home run by the main accused of the Muzaffarpur shelter home, where 34 girls were raped.
The district welfare officials and the social welfare department are likely to be questioned for the delay in filing FIR and pursuing the investigation on the case, a welfare official blamed the state headquarters for delaying the sanctions.
The district police raided Swadhar Grih on Wednesday, which is another shelter home run by Brajesh Thakur, they had seized several objectionable items, including sex stimulating medicines, condoms, and empty liquor bottles, raising suspicion that the girls who live at this home were also a victim of sexual abuse.
District police was accompanied by a forensic team that has collected samples of the objectionable items recovered from Swadhar Grih for examination. Some documents along with computers, have also been seized by the district police.
Harpreet Kaur, Muzaffarpur SSP, said that police is investigating the case from many different angles. She, however, did not comment on whether the inmates were subjected to sexual abuse or not.
She said that the premises was also used as Seva Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti’s headquarters promoted by Thakur, who managed NGOs with the help of his close associate Madhu Kumari, who is on the run.
During their inspection of Swadhar Grih on March 20 the welfare department officials noted the presence of 11 inmates being provided skill development training at the facility. On June 9, the officials had found all of them missing and the shelter home locked.
Muzzafarpur, assistant welfare director, Divesh Chandra Sharma said that the FIR was delayed due to the time involved in getting the go-ahead from state headquarters. “I sought direction from state headquarters on June 22. The permission came on July 20,” he said.
Department Trying to Evade: Women’s Commission
The State Women’s Commission has also stepped in. seeking a reply from the social welfare department on how the inmates abandoned girls and how they had gone missing, since June 9, and what actions had been taken to recover them.
“We have asked the department to report to the commission. Initially, it asked for time to collect details, assuring to get back within a couple of days. Now, it has stopped receiving our phone calls. It appears there is an attempt to avoid and evade,” said Nikki Hembram, a member of the commission, adding, “We are serious to get answers.”
District welfare officials were not available for an immediate comment. The CBI is very keen to find the ‘racket’ behind the allotment of funds for running shelter homes and other welfare schemes.
The operations using government funds, has come under surveillance following the FIR against ‘Seva, Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti’ and Swadhaar Grih, just 200 meters way from the shelter home at Muzaffarpur where medical reports have suggested rape of 34 out the 44 inmates.
A senior investigating officer said that the role of a departmental and district officers will be inspected.
“They have not provided specific reasons for the 52-day delay in instituting FIR. It smacks of an attempt to extend undue favour to the accused aimed at providing ample time for destroying evidences,” he said, requesting not to be quoted.