PATNA: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday conducted a massive raids in four districts including at official and private residences of former social welfare department minister Kumari Manju Verma in Patna and at Sripur village in Cheria Bariyarpur area of Begusarai respectively, in connection with the alleged mass rape of minor girls at Muzaffarpur government children home.

Other than the official residence, raids were also conducted at two more locations in Patna, at least ten locations in Muzaffarpur including residences of two journalists namely Ritesh Anupam and Manoj Kumar who were close aides of Brajesh Thakur. Both were associated with national TV news channels. Ritesh is also the brother-in-law of Brajesh.

CBI had lodged an FIR in the case on July 28 after the state government recommended the case for investigation to the central government on July 26. Looking at the seriousness of the issue, even Supreme Court had to intervene in the matter which simultaneously ordered media and state government not to air or print even blurred picture or videos of minor rape victims by media and put the social audit report of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in public domain through which the entire horrific incident surfaced. Later, Patna high court initiated monitoring of CBI’s investigation.

Soon after initial CBI investigation, it surfaced that Manju’s husband Chandreswar Verma was in constant touch with Brajesh and had even visited the children home. Manju, JD(U) MLA representing Cheria Bariyarpur state assembly seat, was forced to resign on August 8.

In Patna alone, raids were conducted at the office of a newspaper named ‘Pratah Kamal’ which is located inside premises of Indian Institute of Business Management and opposite to museum. The newspaper is owned by Brajesh, the proprietor of NGO named Seva Sanklap Ewam Vikas Samiti which was running the children home.

“Huge amount of condoms and other pornographic materials were recovered from the newspaper office in Patna,” a CBI official said adding raids are aimed for seizing relevant documents from all the places.

CBI sources said that another raid was carried out near Kanodia Bhawan in Patliputra Colony locality where a social welfare department official Sunil Kumar Jha resides.

“At Motihari , the raid was carried out at the paternal residence of incarcerated child protection officer (CPO) Ravi Raushan who was earlier posted at Muzaffarpur,” sources said.

“At Muzaffarpur, separate teams of the federal investigative agency conducted raids at Brajesh’s residence and his hotel named RM Palace at Sahu Road, his paternal residence at Pachdahi, CPO Raushan’s rented accommodation at Khabra and at Purani Bazaar locality where Brajesh’s close associate Madhu Kumari alias Shahista Parveen lived,” sources said adding raid was also carried out at Bawan Bigha, Sikandarpur, Nand Vihar Colony and Baruraj in the district.

Sources said Brajesh’s another close aide Suman Sahi had his residences at Nand Vihar Colony and Baruraj. “Sahi along with the two journalists were detained for interrogation,” sources said.

Sources said several files, documents, CDs and cheque books, passbooks were seized from Manju’s official residence and in-laws’ residence at Begusarai. “Manju was also quizzed over her official orders favouring Brajesh. She was also asked to identify her signature,” sources said.

“Files and documents were also seized from Brajesh’s residence and hotel and from Ritesh and Shahista’s place,” they said adding a computer was also seized from Ritesh’s residence.

