SC grants CBI 3 months to complete its probe into Muzaffarpur shelter home case

Source:- livemint.com

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the CBI to complete within three months its investigation into the Muzaffarpur shelter home case.

A report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences had in May 2018 brought to light cases of sexual and physical assault on several girls living in shelter home in Muzaffarpur. After submission of the report an FIR was registered on 31 May, 2018. On 28 November the Supreme Court directed the CBI to conduct a probe into the allegations.

Today, the Supreme Court vacation bench comprising Justices Indu Malhotra and M R Shah directed the CBI to investigate allegations of sexual abuses under section 377 of the Indian Penal Code and probe offences under the Information Technology Act for allegations of video recordings of the abuse. A probe was aslo directed as to who were the outsiders involved in sexual abuse of the girls, the aspect of human trafficking and how the girls were brought to the shelter home.

Additional Solicitor General Madhavi Divan, appearing for the CBI, had approached the top court requesting an extension of six months for completion of the inquiry. An interim report was submitted to the court in a sealed cover today entailing the status of the inquiry so far.

Advocate Aparna Bhat, the amicus curiae in the case, submitted before the bench that the investigation is very slow and there are certain serious offences related to the case that are not being adequately investigated.

The CBI argued that it was not slow with the probe for it had charged the accused persons with serious crimes. It also argued that it was employing adequate time, resources and manpower to ensure trial. The agency asserted that it should not be rushed because the names given by the girls are not in consonance with the records and it is making full efforts in tracing all the girls.

The apex court had earlier directed the agency to complete by June 3 its probe into the alleged murder of 11 girls at the shelter home and asked the agency to file a status report.

The CBI had said that 11 girls were murdered and according to its recent affidavit filed in the apex court, it was found that there were a total of 35 girls with identical names who at one time or the other had stayed there. In the affidavit, the probe agency had told the court that 11 girls were allegedly murdered by key accused Brajesh Thakur and his accomplices and a “bundle of bones” was recovered from a burial ground in Muzaffarpur as reported by PTI.