Brajesh Thakur, Muzaffarpur shelter home case main accused, to be transferred to Patiala jail: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court ordered shifting of Muzaffarpur shelter homes case’s prime accused Brajesh Thakur to the high security jail Punjab’s Patiala on Tuesday.

The order comes after the CBI informed the top court that Thakur was influencing other accused in the case by using a mobile phone inside jail. At present, Thakur is lodged in Bhagalpur jail. 

CBI's Special Public Prosecutor had informed the top court that Thakur was tutoring other accused to not divulge details and that he was in touch with 44 persons on his mobile phone. He exerted considerable influence even on the Jail Superintendent, and added that his continuance there was a hindrance to the probe.

Earlier, during a hearing in the case, the apex court was told that the shelter home constructed by Thakur was worse than a jail. Reacting to this, the bench of Justices Madan B Lokur, S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta had told Bihar government, "If officials in the state are permitting such child welfare homes, then sack them." Shelter homes need to be spacious, ventilated and cannot be a 50-feet mutli-storeyed structure. Amicus curiae Aparna Bhatt pointed out that this construction violated the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Rules.

The bench directed the state government to initiate demolition process of the building by issuing show cause notice to Thakur. His NGO Seva Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti used to run the shelter home known as Balika Grih.

The bench directed the state government to initiate demolition process of the building by issuing show cause notice to Thakur. His NGO Seva Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti used to run the shelter home known as Balika Grih.

The alleged rapes of inmates for months at the government shelter home had come to light after a social audit report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.