34 minor girls raped: Muzaffarpur shelter home becomes a house of horror
The case was brought to light earlier this year
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) booked officers and employees of the shelter home where several minor girls were raped.
The matter had come to light earlier this year when the Bihar Social Welfare Department filed an FIR based on a social audit of the shelter home conducted by a Mumbai-based institute.
The audit report stated that many girls at the shelter home had complained of sexual abuse. A special investigation team was formed to probe the complaints.
The NGO running the shelter home in Muzaffarpur was blacklisted and the girls were shifted to shelter homes in Patna and Madhubani.
The probe agency took over the investigation from Muzaffarpur's Mahila Police Station where the case was registered on May 31, under Section 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), 376 (outraging the modesty of a woman), 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 4, 6, 8,10,12 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO).
On July 28, the police claimed that 34 of 40 girls, who were rescued from the state-funded shelter home, were raped or molested. 11employees of the shelter home were also arrested in this regard.
Taking cognizance of the matter, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had earlier directed the state officials to conduct a CBI inquiry in the matter.