Manju Verma, husband booked under Arms Act in Bihar shelter home rapes

An FIR was registered against Manju Verma, Bihar's ex-social welfare minister, and her husband under the Arms Act after 50 cartridges from her in-law's house during a CBI raid in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal, police said.

The FIR was registered against the couple by a CBI official, SHO Rajak said, but declined to name him.

The search began on August 17. In addition to five locations, search operations are also underway at seven premises of Brajesh Thakur, who ran the NGO, his friends and relatives. 

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The searches were spread across three residences of former Social Welfare Minister Verma in Patna and one each in Motihari and Bhagalpur, they said. Verma had resigned last week following allegations that her husband was a regular visitor to the girls’ shelter home where minor girls were facing sexual abuse.

The FIR was registered on Saturday against Manju Verma and her husband Chandrashekhar for recovery of 50 live cartridges from her in-law's house at Arjun Tola village during a raid, Cheria Bariarpur police station SHO Ranjit Kumar Rajak said.

Police said the live cartridges are of different firearms.

It was alleged by the wife of an arrested accused from the department that Verma’s husband was a frequent visitor to the Muzaffarpur shelter home, where 34 girls were allegedly raped over a period of time. 

Verma had given her resignation last week due to agitation by media and the opposition, and hopes that the CBI and judiciary give a clean chit to her husband. 

Talking to ANI, Verma said, "I resigned because media and opposition had created a furore, but I have full faith in CBI and Judiciary, I am sure truth will be out and my husband will come out clean."

What appears to have precipitated her resignation was media reports that examination of mobile phone details of key accused Brajesh Thakur showed that he had spoken to her husband 17 times from January to June this year.