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PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday recommended CBI enquiry into the alleged sexual exploitation of minor girls at state-funded children home at Muzaffarpur. A statement from the CM said the recommendation has been made to prevent the spread of misinformation on the ongoing investigation by the state police.

“A deplorable incident has happened at the Muzaffarpur children home and state police is conducting investigation in the matter with all promptness. Stet government is committed for an impartial investigation but an environment of confusion is being created. In order to prevent the environment of confusion, CM Nitish Kumar has directed chief secretary, director general of Police (DGP) and home department’s principal secretary to immediately hand over the entire investigation in the matter to the CBI,” a statement released by state information and public relations department on Thursday morning stated.

Medical reports of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) have confirmed rape of at least 29 of 44 minor girls at the shelter home. The issue was highlighted through a social audit report of Tata Institute of Social Science in April.

Earlier on Tuesday, Union minister Rajnath Singh had said in the Lok Sabha that the Centre will consider CBI enquiry into Muzaffarpur children home case if the state government makes a corresponding recommendation.

Rajnath’s statement came in reply of demand for CBI probe in the case by several parliamentarians from Bihar including Madhepura MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, his wife and Congress MP from Ranjeet Ranjan RJD’s Banka MP Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav.

The state government had, however, initially ruled out CBI enquiry into the matter. Within a few hours of Rajnath’s statement, Bihar DGP KS Dwivedi had said in a presser on Tuesday that Bihar police was competent to carry out the investigation.

However, the opposition led by RJD continued making the demand of the CBI probe in the matter, accusing the state government of “protecting officials and leaders of ruling parties” in denying the same.

Even after the CM recommended the CBI probe on Thursday, the opposition asserted that the probe is done upon monitoring by Patna high court.

Leader of opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav told reporters on the sidelines of the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly here that the CBI probe be monitored by the court as the central agency may act under the influence of the ruling coalition at the Centre as well as state.

Meanwhile, Bihar deputy CM and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi (SuMo) lauded Nitish for recommending the CBI probe. “Thanks to Nitish Kumar for recommending CBI inquiry in Muzaffarpur rape case. Nobody will be spared,” he tweeted.

Taking a dig at RJD and its president Lalu Prasad, Sushil Kumar Modi stated in another tweet: “I am happy that Lalu Co Pvt Ltd have shown full faith in CBI. Fst in Srijan scam and now in Muzaffarpur girl’s home case. Now they can’t blame CBI for charge- sheeting them in IRCTC. No turnaround allowed?”

