Police raids across Bihar to nab ex-Minister’s husband

Arrest warrant obtained from a court against Chandrashekhar Verma: SP

September 22, 2018 07:35 am | Updated 07:35 am IST - Begusarai

 Manju Verma

Manju Verma

Police on Friday conducted several raids across the State to nab Chandrashekhar Verma, the husband of former Bihar Social Welfare Minister Manju Verma, for illegal possession of cartridges, a senior officer said.

An FIR was registered against the former Minister and her husband in August under the Arms Act, 1959, following the recovery of 50 cartridges from her in-law’s house at Begusarai district during a CBI raid in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal.

The central probe agency had last month raided nearly 12 places in Bihar, including residences of Manju Verma in Patna and her in-law’s house at Arjun Tola village in Begusarai, as part of its investigation into the scandal.

“A four-member team, headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police Suryadeo Kumar, was constituted to carry out raids across Bihar after obtaining an arrest warrant order from the court against Chandrashekhar Verma,” Superintendent of Police Aditya Kumar said.

The team will be conducting searches at all possible hideouts of the accused, he told reporters.

Distant relatives

“Some of his distant relatives are currently residing at Verma’s Begusarai residence. His entire family is absconding,” the SP said, adding that raids have been already carried out at his possible hideouts in Begusarai, Khagaria and other adjoining districts.

Sources said the SP has not issued orders to nab the former Minister in the case as the court did not issue arrest warrant against her.

Resigned as Minister

Manju Verma had resigned as the Social Welfare Minister in August following a disclosure that her husband Chandrashekhar Verma had spoken to prime accused in the sex scandal, Brajesh Thakur, 17 times between January and June.

An audit report by the Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences blew the lid over the sexual abuse case in Muzaffarpur two months ago, triggering a political storm in Bihar and prompting the Nitish Kumar government to seek a CBI inquiry into the case.

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