Bihar minister quits over shelter case
Patna/Muzaffarpur, Aug. 8: In the first major political casualty of the Muzaffarpur shelter home scandal, Bihar social welfare minister Manju Verma resigned on Wednesday after days of resistance as opposition stepped up its attack citing purported telephonic conversations her husband had with the key accused Brajesh Thakur.
After handing over her resignation to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Verma tried to put a brave face saying she was confident her husband would come out clean after investigation and demanded that call records of Thakur with other influential people should also be made public.
Speaking to reporters, Verma said she has quit following a hue and cry made by the opposition in the matter.
Battling a major political crisis amid repeated attacks from the opposition over the case involving alleged rape of 34 inmates at a governmentfunded girl shelter home in Muzaffarpur run by Thakur’s NGO, the chief minister had said earlier this week Verma would quit only if investigations prove that she had facilitated any wrongdoing and not on the basis of “noises” being made by the opposition leaders.
She said her husband was a social and political person and was dutybound to receive phone calls from people.
Earlier, Thakur told media from a prison van and admitted that he had been speaking to Verma's husband but it was on political issues.