Bihar CM Nitish Kumar recommended CBI probe on Muzzafarpur shelter home cases

Patna, July 26: As parties came at loggerheads over sexual exploitation of girls at a state-funded shelter home in Muzaffarpur district, CM Nitish Kumar recommended a CBI inquiry on the matter. Terming the incident "disgraceful", the decision to hand over the case to the CBI was taken to prevent rumor-mongering in the state.

Medical examinations of 29 of the 42 shelter home inmates confirmed that they were sexually exploited state Director General of Police K S Dwivedi had said. "Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has directed the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and Principal Secretary (Home) to immediately hand over the case to the CBI," it said.

"A deplorable incident has taken place in Muzaffarpur, where the police have been carrying out a diligent investigation. Although the government was committed to conducting an impartial probe, the decision for handing over the probe to the CBI has been taken to dispel the 'bhram ka vatavaran' (environment of rumors) that was being created," the release said.

Opposition parties in the state, while demanding a CBI inquiry, had alleged that the state government was hesitating at handing over the matter to the central agency as it wanted to "shield" some of the key accused who were said to be close to the ruling dispensation.

Dismissing the allegations by the opposition, Deputy Chief Minister on Wednesday during the Assembly said that the government is taking steps regarding the Muzzafarpur incident and are not trying to shield any culprit.

The shelter home had been sealed after the alleged sexual abuse of the girls came to light during a social audit conducted by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. The report of the audit was submitted to the state Social Welfare Department, which directed officials to lodge a complaint.

Last week, a medical examination of 44 girls of the home had revealed that 21 of them were raped. The district police have arrested an official of the home but the main accused is still absconding.