india

Updated: May 04, 2019 00:41 IST

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday informed the Supreme Court that 11 girls were allegedly murdered by key accused Brajesh Thakur and his accomplices and that a “bundle of bones” was recovered from a burial ground in the Muzaffarpur shelter home case.

In its affidavit filed in the apex court, the agency said, from the statement of victims recorded during the probe, names of 11 girls have emerged, who were allegedly murdered by Thakur and his accomplices. It also said that one of the accused had pointed out a particular spot in a burial ground from where a bundle of bones was recovered.

Several girls were sexually abused at a shelter home, run by a non-government organisation, in Muzaffarpur. The issue come to light following a Tata Institute of Social Sciences report.

The CBI took over the case in July 2018 in compliance with the Patna high court order. Since September 2018, the top court has been monitoring the case. On Friday, the agency filed the response to an application claiming that the agency had not conducted the probe properly. The application was filed by activist Nivedita Jha, following which the SC sought status report of the probe.

Jha has sought a thorough and scientific probe. One of the main grievances raised is that the CBI has not invoked murder charges against the accused. In February, the case trial was transferred from Muzaffarpur to Saket district court in Delhi. In its charge sheet, the CBI named 21 persons, including some government officials. The court framed charges against 20 accused.

The CBI said it conducted a thorough and impartial investigation and had recorded statements of victims in the presence of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences officials. With regard to murder charges, CBI said, they were awaiting the forensic report of bundles of bones recovered.

(With agency inputs)