Guilty in shelter home case won't be spared, says Nitish Kumar

Patna: Facing stiff criticism over the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual abuse case, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday slammed the Opposition parties for “taking political mileage” over the issue.

He said that political leaders who have been raising the issue were not “concerned about girls who have suffered. The  incident is sensitive but most of the leaders who participated in the protest at the Jantar Mantar were seen smiling. They are doing this only to divert attention from the corruption issue”.

Opposition parties have been blaming Nitish Kumar of shielding political leaders including social welfare minister Manju Verma whose husband’s name had surfaced in the case.

Besides RJD, two prominent BJP leaders from Bihar — C.P. Thakur and Gopal Narayan Singh — have also started raising their demands for the resignation of Manju Verma for her links with the shelter home case.

On Monday, while clarifying his stand on the issue, chief minister Nitish Kumar said, “Nobody involved in the case will be spared. Even if someone closely related to the social welfare minister is involved they won’t be spared.

The investigation in the Bihar shelter home case is on and let the truth come out first. We spoke to the minister but she has denied any involvement. It is not justified to level baseless allegations on her”.

The name of minister’s husband had surfaced last month after Sheeba Kumari Singh wife of child protection officer Ravi Raushan who was arrested for his involvement in the case claimed that he used to visit the shelter home frequently.