'CBI diluted charges in Muzaffarpur shelter home case'

The Supreme Court was on Thursday told that the CBI has merely charge sheeted management, staff and less influential persons in the Muzaffarpur shelter home case, related to sexual exploitation of young girls, without ascertaining the identity of outsiders involved in the heinous crime.

The CBI failed to identify "uncle with paunch" and "uncle with a moustache" who was referred to by the victims as frequent visitors to the shelter home, in their statements, it was claimed.

"The CBI investigation is not only incomplete but appears to be hogwash as it excluded the crucial leads given by the victims on the real perpetrators," the plea stated.

There is a deliberate attempt by the CBI at diluting the case even against the named accused as it did not invoke grave charges, it added

The petitioner claimed the CBI did not file the charge sheet for serious offences like multiple murders, gang rapes, prostitution, trafficking and attempt to murder in the case.

Advocate Shoeb Alam mentioned a fresh plea filed by Patna-based journalist, Nivedita Jha, before a bench of Justices S A Bobde and S Abdul Nazeer for immediate consideration.

The counsel contended the CBI is trying to "shield real perpetrators" and intentionally avoided to investigate "friends" of the prime accused Brijesh Thakur, despite the leads given by the victims.

The CBI has taken over the investigation on July 28, 2018, after the issue came to light on audit report by TISS, causing widespread outrage across the country and a huge embarrassment to the Nitish Kumar government. The case was subsequently transferred to a Delhi court here for trial by the apex court on December 12, 2018.

The court, however, put the application for consideration after two weeks.