Muzaffarpur shelter home case: Another accused Dilip Verma surrenders before court

Patna: An accused in the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal case has surrendered before the court on Thursday. Former chairman of the District Child Welfare Committee (DCWC), Dilip Verma was evading arrest for long.

The accused was interrogated by CBI officials in the court lock-up and the investigating agency is expected to seek his remand from the court on Friday.

Verma, whom inmates of the shelter home had reportedly accused of sexual misconduct in their statements, is said to be among those named in the voluminous charge sheet filed by the CBI before the court on Wednesday.

Raids were conducted at several places in Muzaffarpur, Vaishali and Patna districts first by the police which handled the investigation until August and later by the CBI in search of Verma.

On Wednesday, the CBI filed the chargesheet in special POCSO court against all the accused while the Enforcement Directorate Patna summoned prime accused Brajesh Thakur's wife Asha Thakur on December 26 and son Rahul Anand on December 24.

The infamous shelter home, where 34 girls were assaulted over a period of time, was demolished last week. The demolition work began after the Supreme Court refused to entertain a petition for a stay filed by Thakur, who is currently lodged in Patiala Jail in Punjab.

Several girls were allegedly raped and sexually abused at an NGO-run shelter home in Muzaffarpur and the issue had come to light following a report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).

(With inputs from agencies)