Deoria shelter home abuse: HC to monitor CBI probe

Taking a tough stand on the alleged ''sexual exploitation'' of inmates in women's shelter home in Uttar Pradesh's Deoria district, the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday said it would monitor the CBI probe in the matter.

The UP government has recommended a CBI probe into the allegations that a ''sex racket'' was being operated from the shelter home. It has also constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the matter and asked the special task force (STF) to assist in the same.

A division bench comprising chief justice D. B. Bhonsle and justice Yashvant Verma sought to know if the shelter home had the backing of some politician or a VIP and directed the CBI to file a status report by August 13.

The court also sought to know from the state government as to why it had not acted against the police officials, who continued to send girls to the shelter home despite cancellation of its license.

The bench passed the order on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a social activist.

The newly appointed district magistrate of Deoria Amit Kishore said on Wednesday that seven inmates of the shelter home were yet to be accounted for. ''We have been able to account for 41 inmates out of 48... we are trying to trace the remaining,'' Kishore told reporters in Deoria.