Muzaffarpur shelter home case: SC gives 3 months to CBI

The Supreme Court on Monday granted six-month time to the CBI to complete its ongoing investigation into alleged murders of 11 girls at infamous Muzaffarpur Shelter home where young girls were sexually exploited.

A bench of Justices Indu Malhotra and M R Shah also directed the CBI to look into aspects of other offences related to unnatural sexual acts and other provisions under the Information Technology Act and the role of outsiders.

The CBI, led by Additional Solicitor General Madhavi Divan, furnished a status report as per the direction of the court. The agency sought further six months to complete its investigations relating to the murder of the girls.

Advocate Aparna Bhat, appearing as amicus curiae, contended that six months period to complete the probe was too long and unreasonable. She submitted besides the murder charge, the CBI was required to probe other aspects as well.

In view of the submission, the court gave three months time to the CBI and asked it to furnish a report before it.

The CBI had earlier admitted before the court that 11 girls were supposed to have been murdered, further investigation was already one.

It said the allegations of murder were being investigated in right earnest by scrutinising the master register of 'Balika Grih', and conducting field verification to locate dead bodies.

The CBI has taken over the investigation in the case on July 28, 2018 after issue of sexual exploitation of young girls came to light on an audit report by TISS, causing widespread outrage across the country and a huge embarrassment to the Nitish Kumar government. The case was subsequently transferred for trial in a Delhi court.

In a response to a plea by journalist Nivedita Jha alleging no murder charge was invoked against the prime accused, Brijesh Thakur, the CBI said the further investigation in the matter was already on. "To contend that allegations of murders have not been looked into or graver provision was not invoked was "entirely misconceived and premature".