Facing heat over Muzaffarpur shelter rapes, CM Nitish Kumar asks oppn to stop levelling ‘baseless allegations’

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday promised to take action against any relative of Bihar minister Manju Verma found guilty of sexually exploiting inmates of a girls shelter in Muzaffarpur, but asked the Opposition to stop levelling “baseless allegations” in this regard.

“If someone related to the minister is involved, they won’t be spared. But why is this issue being raised only now? We called her, and she denied any involvement. How is levelling baseless allegations (against her) justified?” asked Kumar, who has come under intense political pressure to take action in this regard.

The chief minister also wanted the probe into the incident, which was taken over by the CBI, to be monitored by the high court.

The minister’s husband – Chandeshwar Verma – has been accused of frequenting the shelter home, where many girls were allegedly raped in connivance with main accused Brajesh Thakur, without anybody accompanying him. Manju strongly defended her husband on Saturday, stating that she would personally hang him if he’s found guilty of the crime.

“Some people are busy levelling baseless charges against me and my husband with ulterior, political motives. My husband has absolutely no role in what has happened… If he is found guilty, I will have no qualms in hanging him at a public square,” the minister had said at an event in Begusarai.

Calls for Manju’s sacking have been growing steadily ever since his name cropped up in the scandal.

The Bihar government had earlier suspended six officials of the state social welfare department in connection with the case. More heads are likely to roll in the days to come.

Investigators suggested that 34 of the 42 girls examined so far were found to have been sexually exploited. Two other girls were not subjected to medical examination because of their poor mental health.

First Published: Aug 06, 2018 13:42 IST