High Court to monitor CBI investigation into Bihar homes of horror

Patna High Court on Monday agreed to monitor the CBI investigation into the Muzaffarpur homes of horror. A division bench passed the order while hearing a PIL filed by social activist Santosh Kumar. The PIL had prayed for a court-monitored investigation.

The HC ordered for notice to be served on the CBI to keep the high court posted about developments.

The High Court also directed the Registrar of the High Court to constitute a special bench to hear all matters, including bail petitions, related to the case. All appeals from the lower court, for ratifying or quashing orders, would be placed before this special bench.

The HC also directed the state government to ensure the safety of the victims of rape and trafficking during the investigation.

Advocate Shyama Sinha told National Herald that the HC also called for a report from the state government on the action taken by the state government against officials found negligent and those whose lack of supervision led the sexual exploitation of the inmates in the women’s homes in Muzaffarpur.

As reported earlier, 34 of the 42 inmates of a short-stay home for women, all of them minors and aged between 10 years and 15, were found to have been victims of rape after medical examination.

The petitioner Santosh Kumar told NH, “I am satisfied with the state Government’s stand in court today. On earlier hearings, the state government had taken an obdurate stand but on Monday it was far more amenable to reason.” He was hopeful that the nexus between NGOs, bureaucrats and politicians would be broken soon.

Bihar Government meanwhile has placed several Assistant Directors in the social welfare department under suspension. They are Divesh Kumar Sharma ( Muzaffarpur), Seema Kumari ( Munger), Ghanshyam Ravidas (Araria), Kumar Satyakam(Madhubani), Gitanjali Prasad(Bhagalpur), Alok Ranjan (Bhojpur) and Neha Kapoor ( Gaya).