Muzaffarpur Shelter Home Case: Main Accused Brajesh Thakur To Be Sent To Patiala Jail

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the shifting of Brajesh Thakur -- the main accused in Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case -- to Patiala prison from Bihar's Bhagalpur jail.

A bench headed by Justice Madan B. Lokur ordered Thakur's shifting to the high security prison in Punjab, despite the defence counsel suggesting Delhi.

"No, no, Delhi is already polluted (overcrowded)," Justice Lokur said.

The court also asked the Bihar police why former state minister Manju Verma, who resigned in the wake of the Muzaffarpur shelter home scandal, has not been arrested in a case related to the recovery of ammunition from her residence. 

"Her bail was rejected on October 9. Why have you not arrested her... because she was a cabinet minister. No body could trace her. Why was she not arrested," Justice Lokur asked, brushing aside all explanations by senior counsel Ranjit Kumar appearing for the State.

The alleged sexual exploitation of the girls was first highlighted in an audit report submitted by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) to the state's social welfare department.

Earlier,  the Supreme Court  had pointed out that the Bihar shelter home case 'horrible' and 'scary' the Supreme Court on Thursday said that it will not be appropriate to keep Brajesh Thakur (the main accused in the incident) in Bihar jail as he is a very influential person.

"Its very scary and terrible. What is the Bihar government doing? Brajesh Thakur (main accused) is a very influential man," said the apex court.

The case:

An FIR was registered against Brijesh Thakur, the main accused in the Muzaffarpur shelter home case, following the "disappearance" of 11 women from the premises of a self-help group run by his NGO.

Thakur is in currently under judicial custody in connection with mental, physical and sexual exploitation of the girls residing at Balika Grih, Muzaffarpur.

(With inputs from PTI)