Former Bihar social welfare minister Manju Verma who was absconding in an Arms Act case linked with Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case, for over a month surrendered in a local court in Begusarai on Tuesday.
Ms. Manju Verma surrendered in Majhaul local court of Begusarai district. She came in a car to the local court on Tuesday morning and quietly surrendered in the court even when the Begusarai police had launched manhunt and conducting raid at several places to arrest her for long.
Recently, following a stern observation by the Supreme Court which is monitoring the Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case, the Begusarai police had attached property of Ms Manju Verma recently. She was earlier suspended from the primary membership of the ruling party JD(U).
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While expressing “shock” over delay in arrest of Ms. Manju Verma, Supreme Court had summoned the Bihar chief secretary and Director General of Police to appear in court on November 27 in person.
The former Bihar Minister had to step down in August after media reported that her husband Chandrashekhar Verma had made several phone calls to the main accused of Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case, Brajesh Thakur. Mr. Thakur is currently lodged in Patiala court jail in Punjab.
Mr. Chandrashekhar Verma too had surrendered in the same Majhaul court of Begusarai and was sent to jail recently.
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In a police raid in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home as many as 50 illegal live cartridges were recovered from the residence of the Vermas.
Madhu Verma too surrenders
Meanwhile, another absconding accused in the Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case, Madhu Verma too has surrendered in a local court in Muzaffarpur.
She was said to be wearing burqa to cover her face while entering into the court to surrender. Ms. Madhu Verma was absconding since the Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case was exposed in a social audit report prepared by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).
The report had revealed that as many as 34 minor girls were sexually exploited at the State-run shelter home in Muzaffarpur managed by an NGO owned by Brajesh Thakur.
Recently, the Muzaffarpur municipal corporation had taken steps to demolish the illegal parts of the shelter home.