Taking a serious note of violation of its order by the CBI in transferring the officer who was probing the Bihar shelter home sexual abuse case, the Supreme Court on Thursday, 7 February, issued a contempt notice to then interim CBI Director M Nageshwar Rao.
SC also asked Rao to appear before the court on 12 February along with another official – S Bhasu Ram, in-charge, director of prosecution.
“We are going to take it very very seriously. You have played with order of Supreme Court of India. God help you. Never play with the SC’s order,” Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was quoted as saying by ANI after the CBI counsel informed the court that two officials, including Rao, were involved in transferring AK Sharma to CRPF.
“Law is the only master you serve. Not any bureaucrat, not any politician. Keep that in mind.”CJI Gogoi, as quoted by The Indian Express
The apex court said that the former CBI interim chief has prima facie committed contempt of court by transferring Sharma without taking SC’s consent. Sharma was probing the cases of alleged sexual assault in Muzaffarpur shelter home.
SC also referred to its earlier orders, asking CBI not to remove Sharma from the team probing the shelter home cases.
On Thursday, SC also pulled up the Bihar government for its management of the Muzaffarpur shelter home case and transferred it to a Delhi court.
“Enough is enough. Children cannot be treated like this. You cannot let your officers treat children this way. Spare the children,” the apex court said, slamming the Bihar government.
The bench said the cases should be transferred from the Bihar CBI court to a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Saket trial court within two weeks.
The CJI-led bench has also ordered the Saket court to conclude the trial within six months.
The bench said the court will summon the Bihar chief secretary if the state fails to provide all information.
Several girls were allegedly raped and sexually abused at an NGO-run shelter home in Muzaffarpur. The issue came to light in May last year following a report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
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