CBI focus on Chandeshwar

Patna: The CBI is likely to interrogate Chandeshwar Verma, the husband of former social welfare minister Kumari Manju Verma, in connection with the case related to sexual exploitation and physical torture of girls living at Balika Grih, a short stay home for minor girls in Muzaffarpur.

Highly placed sources said on Wednesday that the investigating agency has decided to quiz him based on the call detail records (CDR) of three mobile phones of the alleged kingpin of the scandal, Brajesh Thakur, who is at present in judicial custody. The call detail records had purportedly showed that both Brajesh and Chandeshwar were constantly in touch with each other.

Sources said Chandeshwar, a former Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), has gone into hiding after his alleged involvement in the scandal came to the fore. A resident of Begusarai, Chandeshwar has been accused of frequently visiting the shelter home run by Brajesh’s NGO Seva Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti.

The role of the former minister’s husband came under the scanner after Sibha Singh, wife of arrested child protection officer of Muzaffarpur, Ravi Kumar Raushan, alleged that Chandeshwar had close links with Brajesh Thakur and he frequently visited the shelter home. Sibha had also demanded a CBI probe into the whole episode.

On the other hand the Muzaffarpur district administration has initiated the process to confiscate the ill-gotten property of Brajesh Thakur. His bank accounts as well as that of his NGO’s have also been frozen on the directive of the senior officials of the district administration, sources said, adding that the investigation carried out by the district police revealed Brajesh has properties in Muzaffarpur, Patna, Samastipur, Darbhanga, West Champaran and Delhi.

One of the 11 missing woman of Swadhar Grih, meanwhile, was found in Purani Bazar of Muzaffarpur town. She was produced in the local court to record her statement under Section 164 of the CrPC on Wednesday. Sources said the woman, along with her two minor children, had escaped from the Swadhar Grih, a shelter home for destitute women, before the scandal came to the fore on May 31 this year.

The investigating officer of the case related to the missing of 11 women from Swadhar Grih, run by an NGO Vama Shakti Vahini, interrogated the woman before she was sent to judicial custody on Wednesday.

Courtesy: The Telegraph