Nobody will be spared, even minister: Nitish Kumar on Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case

Patna, Aug 6: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar assured that nobody will be spared even if any minister is involved in the Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case. Nitish Kumar was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of his weekly public interaction programme "Lok Samvad".

Nitish Kumar, in a press conference held in Patna, said, "if Social Welfare Minister Manju Verma is found involved or if anything is found against her in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal, she may be asked, "to go".

"But why is this issue being raised only now. We had called her&she denied any involvement. How is it justified to level baseless allegations?," asked Nitish Kumar.

On the investigation into the case, Nitish Kumar said, "The matter should be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the High Court should monitor their investigation."

"NGO's should not be engaged in the system. Why should we use an NGO? The government should spend money to build houses and hire people to take care of these children, he said about NGOs role in the welfare of children in the state.

About people who are raising their voice in the case, he said, "Who knew about the Muzaffarpur case before our investigation, why did they not open their mouth?."

"When Bihar police was investigating the case there was an illusionary environment being created, which is why we asked the CBI to get involved and even the High Court is overseeing the investigation," he added.

Six officials of Bihar's social welfare department have been placed under suspension on account of "negligence and dereliction of duty". All the officials, suspended with immediate effect, have been charged with "failure to take adequate legal action" with regard to "assault, indecent behaviour and other undesirable activities" at shelter homes within their respective areas of jurisdiction.