Changing probe team midway detrimental to probe, says SC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Tuesday stayed a Patna High Court order to set up a fresh CBI team to probe the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual abuse case, saying such a move would not only be detrimental to the ongoing investigation but also to the interests of the victims.

The apex court, while staying the high court’s order directing the CBI’S special director to put in place a fresh team to probe the case, said there was no reason now to change the existing investigating team which was set up the CBI Director.

The high court had on August 29 ordered that a fresh team of investigators be constituted by the CBI’S special director in the case in which incidents of alleged rape and sexual assault of women inmates over a period of time had come to light in an Ngo-run shelter home at Muzaffarpur in Bihar.

A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta also noted that no allegations were made against the team probing the case with regard to the manner in which the investigation was being conducted.

“We do not see any reason why this team should be changed at this stage... it will be detrimental to the ongoing investigation and also to the interest of children who have been sexually abused in Muzaffarpur shelter home,” the bench said.

The apex court directed that the investigation should continue under the same team which was set up by the CBI Director on July 30.

The bench also asked the CBI to place before it in a sealed cover the two status reports of probe in the case which were filed before the high court and listed the matter for further hearing on September 20.