Muzaffarpur Shelter Home Case: Brajesh Thakur Among 19 Convicted by Delhi Court; Arguments on Quantum of Sentence on Jan 28

Over 30 girls were allegedly raped at the shelter home run by Brajesh Thakur, the chief of a state-funded NGO.

New Delhi: A court here on Monday convicted 19 accused including NGO owner Brajesh Thakur in connection with sexual and physical assault of girls at a shelter home in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district. However one accused Vicky, has been acquitted by additional sessions judge Dr Saurabh Kulshreshtha.

As per the reports, all the accused have been convicted under Section 6 of the POCSO Act, and offences under Juvenile Justice Act. The court has listed the matter for argument on quantum of sentence on January 28.

Bihar's Muzaffarpur shelter home case: The court has listed the matter for argument on quantum of sentence on January 28 https://t.co/pVbhtj1vu6

— ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2020

Over 30 girls were allegedly raped at the shelter home run by Brajesh Thakur, the chief of a state-funded NGO. The alleged sexual exploitation of the girls was first highlighted in an audit report submitted by TISS to the state’s social welfare department.

An FIR was lodged against 11 people, including Thakur, on May 31, 2018. The state government had on July 26, 2018, handed over the case to the CBI.

On February 7, 2019, the Supreme Court ordered authorities to transfer the case from Bihar to a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court in Saket District Court complex in Delhi, which would conclude the trial within six months by holding a preferably day-to-day hearing.