CBI to file 21 charge sheets in Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court to have prepared as many as 21 charge sheets against the accused in Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case. "We are in the process of filing 21 charge sheets for every girl who was subjected to abuse and rape," the Central investigating agency informed the apex court.

The apex court bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur also asked the CBI whether the Income Tax (I-T) Department is investigating the assets of Brajesh Thakur, the main accused in Muzaffarpur home shelter rape case. In response, the CBI stated that the I-T Department is carrying out an investigation in this regard.

The apex court had earlier questioned how Thakur received Rs 4.5 crore from Bihar government in a span of 10 years to "finance the activities" of his NGO called 'Sewa Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti.' The apex court had ordered the CBI to look into antecedents, connections, and influence of Thakur and his NGO.

The Supreme Court on November 28 issued an order to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government to hand over all the investigation report against 17 shelter homes of Muzaffarpur and their owners to the CBI. The decision to hand over the case to CBI was taken by the apex court after the state government failed to file a correct FIR in the alleged rape of shelter homegirls.

More than 40 minor girls were allegedly sexually assaulted over a period of time in the shelter home which was run by Brajesh Thakur's state-funded NGO. Subsequently, the NGO was blacklisted and the girls were shifted to other shelter homes in Patna and Madhubani.