SC shocked as cops can’t trace exmin

SHELTER HOME CASE Asks police to explain failure in investigation

NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday said it was “shocked” by the Bihar police’s inability to arrest former social welfare minister Manju Verma in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual abuse case, and asked the state’s director general of police to explain the force’s failure in a hearing on November 27.

Verma is an accused in a case related to the recovery of ammunition from her home during a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raid in connection with a scandal at the shelter home that was exposed on May 31 this year following social audit report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).

“It’s fantastic that an ex-cabinet minister is untraceable. How is it possible? We are shocked that a former Cabinet minister cannot be traced by Bihar police for more than a month. It’s difficult to believe this. The state DGP should explain this and be

resent in the court on the next date of hearing,” a bench of justices Madan Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

This bench was responding to a submission by the Bihar government counsel, who said that despite a non-bailable warrant against her, Bihar police were not been able to trace the former minister.

Verma resigned as the social welfare minister in the Nitish Kumar government in August after reports suggested links between her husband Chandrashekhar Verma and prime accused Brajesh Thakur in the

Muzaffarpur shelter home case.

The court also took cognisance of the large-scale mismanagement of shelter homes in the state, and summoned the state’s chief secretary to explain the reasons for this.

Bihar government’s social welfare director Rajkumar said on Monday that the department had been complying with all the directions of the Supreme Court.

“Whatever new direction will come, we will comply promptly. I have not seen today’s order. As soon as it comes, we will study it and do whatever is required,” he said.