Muzaffarpur Shelter Home Sexual Assault Case: Defendants Acquitted Due to Insufficient Evidence
Click to start listening
Patna, Jan 2 (NationPress) In a major turn of events regarding the alleged incidents of sexual assault at the Muzaffarpur girls' shelter home, the district court in Muzaffarpur has acquitted all three remaining defendants on Thursday.
The ruling was handed down by Judge Ajay Kumar Mall, who determined that there was insufficient evidence to convict the defendants.
The individuals who were acquitted include Brijesh Thakur, Shaista Parveen (also known as Madhu), and Krishna. They were escorted to the Special SC/ST Court under tight police security for the verdict.
After the court's ruling, they were returned to Tihar Jail in Delhi.
This case dates back to 2018 and involved serious allegations of abuse and exploitation at a girls' shelter home in Muzaffarpur, Bihar.
The shelter home, overseen by Brijesh Thakur, came under fire following alarming reports of misconduct and abuse involving its residents.
Initially, four individuals faced charges in this case; however, one accused, Ramanuj Thakur, passed away during the trial, leaving three defendants for the proceedings.
The court had initially set the verdict date for January 2, 2025.
The Muzaffarpur shelter home case has garnered extensive attention and outrage, shedding light on systemic problems in the management and oversight of shelter homes throughout the country.
In the Balika Grih case, allegations arose concerning the disappearance of 11 women and their four children from the Muzaffarpur shelter home in 2018.
Among those acquitted are Brijesh Thakur, Shaista Parveen (alias Madhu), and Krishna, all of whom were previously serving life sentences in Tihar Jail related to this case.
Advocate Annu Babu, representing Shaista Parveen, mentioned that the court, after carefully examining the evidence, determined it was inadequate to substantiate the charges against the defendants.
Public Prosecutor Jai Mangal Prasad attributed the acquittal to deficiencies in the police investigation.
"The improper handling of the case by investigative authorities compromised the prosecution's ability to build a compelling case in court. Consequently, the court has acquitted all three defendants," Prasad stated.
