The CBI informed a Delhi court on Wednesday that it has appointed two Special Public Prosecutors in the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual assault case, after which both sides were directed to “positively commence” arguments on framing of charges from March 2.
Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Kulshreshtha told the CBI that if the agency wanted to file a supplementary charge sheet in the matter, it has to be done within 15 days.
The court was informed that advocates Amit Jindal and R.N. Sinha have been appointed as SPPs by the agency.
Mr. Jindal told the court that he received the notification for his appointment from the CBI on Tuesday night and sought time to prepare arguments. The court then said, “Both the parties are directed to positively commence arguments on March 2.” The CBI would advance the arguments first on Saturday, the next date of hearing.
On Monday, the court had rapped the CBI for the delay in notifying the SPP in the case and warned it that any laxity to comply with the order will amount to contempt and action would be taken against the agency. “Do not expect the court to wait for one week for the notification to come. You are as much bound by the Supreme Court order as I am. Do not take me to that stage that I should write to the SC that the CBI is in contempt of the order initiated by the court. Already once you have suffered contempt,” the judge had said.
The apex court had on February 7 ordered that the case be transferred to a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences court at Saket district court complex here, which would conclude the trial within six months by preferably holding a “day-to-day” trial.
Several girls were allegedly raped and sexually abused at an NGO-run shelter home in Muzaffarpur in Bihar. The issue had come to light following a report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
