Muzaffarpur shelter home case: SC seeks action taken report from Bihar govt

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Bihar government to file the action taken report in the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual assault case.

Advocate Shoeb Alam, representing the petitioner, submitted before a bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana that the CBI had recommended action against certain officers and there is no clarity, whether any action has been taken so far.

He said: "I am only asking for an action taken report. The government has not taken action".

The top court was considering a petition filed by Bihar-based journalist Nivedita Jha, challenging the blanket ban imposed by the Patna High Court on media reporting of the Muzaffarpur shelter home case.

The bench, also comprising Justice Krishna Murari, observed that investigation is complete in the matter and some accused have been convicted. The Bihar government counsel submitted that conviction has happened in one matter and now appeal is pending before the Delhi High Court. The counsel also informed the top court that action has been taken against officers concerned.

Additional Solicitor General Madhavi Divan, representing the CBI, submitted that investigation is complete in the matter and some officers were repatriated to parent cadre, after taking court's permission. Divan added that there is no investigation which is pending and the trial has taken place in the main case.

The bench noted, "CBI has also filed an application regarding repatriation of officers to the parent cadre. Investigation was done by CBI regarding one shelter home and then against others too."

After hearing arguments in the matter, the bench said: "State is directed to file an action taken report. It is open to CBI to take assistance from counsels who appeared before trial court. List after two weeks".

Several girls were allegedly raped and sexually abused at an NGO-run shelter home in Muzaffarpur. A report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), had brought out the issue. The matter was probed by the CBI.

The top court had also directed the CBI to probe the allegations of unnatural sexual assault in the Muzaffarpur case.