The case was handed over to the CBI last July.The Supreme Court Thursday directed the Bihar government to reunite eight of the 44 girls — who were allegedly sexually assaulted at a shelter home in Muzaffarpur — with their families after all necessary clearances.
A bench headed by Justice N V Ramana also asked the Nitish Kumar-led government to provide all necessary financial and medical assistance to these eight girls. It also asked the government to assess the compensation liable to be paid to such victims under the scheme and submit a report to the court.
The apex court’s decision comes after Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) filed its action project ‘Koshish’ before it in a sealed cover, saying the eight girls were fit to be handed over to their families.
The bench also comprising justices M M Shantanagoudar and Ajay Rastogi directed TISS to prepare a status report with respect to the remaining girls and submit it before the court in eight weeks.
Several girls were sexually assaulted at the NGO-run shelter home in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, and the issue had come to light following a report by TISS, which had conducted a social audit.
Manju Verma, one of the accused in the case, stepped down from the Nitish Kumar Cabinet after allegations of close links between her husband Brajesh Thakur – the prime accused in the case. The case was handed over to the CBI last July.
