Patna High court on Monday started monitoring the Muzaffarpur shelter home case.A bench comprising Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, taking on its own based on media reports, sent a notice to the CBI, asking it to give a detailed reply in two weeks on the progress made in the investigation into the alleged sexual abuse of girls at a state-funded Muzaffarpur shelter home.

“We will appoint a single-judge court in which hearing of all matters related to this case will take place,” Chief Justice Menon said, stressing that the designated court will listen to all matters related to the bail and invalidate the case too as per local news.

Advocate-general Lalit Kishore represented the state. He informed the court that the state government had already taken action against 12 officials of the social welfare department and it had been monitoring the case.

Kishore said the government was eager to accelerate the case and ensure all those involved in the crime are punished. He pointed out that cases had been lodged in other districts over irregularities at shelter homes.

There were other lawyers during the hearing. Advocate Deenu Kumar stressed that how the Muzaffarpur NGO managed to get massive funds from the state government should also be investigated.

Another lawyer called for an investigation into the political connections of the alleged kingpin, Brajesh Thakur.

The court did not comment on the statements made by the lawyers.

When the shelter home horrors came to light, the Opposition had demanded a CBI investigation, which the government accepted. Later, the Opposition demanded a high court-monitored CBI investigation. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar acknowledged the demands and agreed to them.

Governor Satya Pal Malik had also written a letter to Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Chief Justice Rajendra Menon, asking them to help in the constitution of a designated court for the speedy trial of the accused in the Muzaffarpur shelter home incident, calling the crime “a blot to humanity”.

Priyanka

Newsnet Intern

  Bihar, Patna, Patna High Court, shelter home