Bihar Polls: Muzaffarpur Shelter Home Accused Finds Place In JD-U’s List

Former Bihar Minister Manju Verma who had to resign after her husband’s name had come up in the Muzaffarpur shelter home abuse case, was among the 115 candidates fielded by the ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) for the upcoming Assembly Polls.

Manju was the social welfare minister in Nitish’s cabinet and was forced to resign. She was also expelled from the party after her husband Chandrasekhar's name figured, who had close ties with the main accused Brijesh Thakur in the shelter home scandal involving sexual and physical abuse of 34 minor girls.

But once again, JD-U has offered Manju Verma a ticket from Cheria-Bariyarpur Assembly seat of Begusarai district.

During the investigation of the case, the CBI raided Manju Verma's residence from where a large number of weapons and more than 50 illegal cartridges were recovered. A case under the Arms Act was registered against Manju Verma and her husband Chandrashekhar Verma at the Cheria-Bariarpur police station in Begusarai on charges of possessing illegal weapons. Later in November 2018, her husband along with Manju Verma were sent to jail. However, the Patna High Court later granted them bail.

Meanwhile, the prime accused, Brijesh Thakur is serving a life sentence in jail along with 11 other convicts which include District Child Protection Officer Dilip Kumar Verma, Vikas Kumar, Member of Child Welfare Committee. Two of the accused — Ram Shankar Singh and Ashwani were convicted of criminal conspiracy and rape.

Besides, eight women were also convicted in the case — Shaista Praveen, Indu Kumari, Meenu Devi, Manju Devi, Chanda Devi, Neha Kumari, Hema Christ, Kiran Kumari.