CBI internal mayhem might effect children home rape case investigation

PATNA: The investigation into the Bihar shelter home rapes might take a hit following the CBI's decision to transfer joint director Arun Kumar Sharma, who was monitoring the case, amid an ongoing feud within the agency.

Earlier, a DSP rank officer Devender Kumar was arrested after a raid inside the CBI headquarters in Delhi which was followed by sending of director Alok Verma and second in command Rakesh Asthana on indefinite leave.

The CBI earlier also drew flak from the high court after JP Mishra, the SP of special crime branch (SCB) was transferred within a fortnight of initiation of investigation.

Devendra Singh, SP of SCB of Lucknow, is presently holding the additional charge of SCB in Patna.

"Not only the post for SCB SP, but, Abhay Singh, who is DIG for Kolkata zone, is also holding the additional charge of DIG for Patna zone which covers entire Bihar and Jharkhand," sources said adding several top officials have rushed to Delhi after the mayhem.

The sensitivity and importance of the case could be gauged from the fact that first Patna high court was monitoring the case but later Supreme Court took over the monitoring in the case

In addition, the rape case has already claimed the chair of Kumari Manju Verma who was forced to resign from the position of social welfare minister after her husband Chandra Shekhar Verma’s name also surfaced during CBI investigation for close connection with prime accused Brajesh Thakur.

Even Union home minister Rajnath Singh had to give a statement in parliament on the issue that if the state government of Bihar sends a recommendation, then the case would be handed over to the CBI for investigation.

CBI initiated a probe in the case after lodging an FIR on July 28,2018 after which the agency had arrested altogether seven suspects.

Sources said that CBI, till Wednesday, had arrested altogether seven persons in the children home case rape case including Thakur’s maternal uncle Ramanuj Thakur who worked as a guard for his printing press in Muzafffarpur. Altogether seven persons, including Brajesh Thakur, are behind bar in the case.

CBI at present is looking for Madhu alias Shahishta Parveen, a close aid of Barjesh who is yet to be arrested.