SC summons Nageswara Rao, pulls up CBI for transfer of probe officer

BIHAR SHELTER HOME CASE

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked former interim CBI director M Nageswara Rao to appear before the court on February 12 to explain the transfer of A K Sharma, who was probing the Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case, in violation of the court’s order.

The top court said that M Nageswara Rao has committed contempt of court by shifting CBI officer A K Sharma from Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case without taking court’s prior approval.

The court said it will initiate contempt proceedings against all CBI officials who were involved in transferring Sharma.

“We are going to take it very very seriously. You played with our order. God help you,” SC said when CBI counsel informed the court that two officials, including Nageswara Rao, were involved in transferring the officer.

SC also directed Bashu Ram, who is in charge of Director Prosecution in CBI, to appear before it. It directed CBI director to give a list of other officers who processed the file to transfer A K Sharma and directed all of them to appear before it on Tuesday.

Earlier Thursday, the court came down heavily on the Bihar government and ordered the case to be shunted out of Bihar to Delhi for “a free and fair trial”.

“Enough is enough. Children cannot be treated like this. You cannot let your officers treat children this way. Spare the children,” an SC bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi told the Bihar government.

The top court further ordered the trial to be shifted from Bihar to Saket district court in the capital and asked the judge to complete the trial within six months.

“The transfer of trial in Muzaffarpur shelter home out of Bihar is needed to ensure a free and fair trial in the case,” the court said.

The SC warned the state government that it would summon the chief secretary if the state fails to give all information related to the case.

In the beginning, the hearing saw CJI Gogoi asking the lawyer appearing for the Bihar government to give the details of the number of inmates and staff in the shelter homes in the state, the money spent on their management and so on.

When the lawyer was not able to respond to queries, the CJI said, “We want the presence of a person who is conversant with the matter.”

MPOST BUREAU