The Supreme Court held CBI Interim Director M Nageswara Rao guilty of contempt of court for transferring the investigating officer AK Sharma heading the investigation in Muzaffarpur shelter home case in violation of the Supreme Court orders.
The bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi have enforced a fine of Rs 1 lakh and Rao was directed to sit in one corner of the court.
The Supreme Court found that the investigating officer AK Sharma was transferred by Rao, despite knowing about the Supreme Court's directions. Investigating officer, AK Sharma who was investigating the horrific incidents of sexually assaulted woman in sixteen shelter homes in Bihar, was transferred to the Central Police Reserve Force (CRPF) on Rao orders.
Attorney General K K Venugopal, urged the Apex Court to be lenient with Rao by explaining that the transfer order was issued by mistake and offered an unconditional and unqualified apology.
However, his words did not convinced the judge from dropping action against M Nageswara Rao.
CJI asked, “Was the Cabinet Committee which transferred him informed of the Supreme Court embargo?” The case was postponed by the bench for hearing at 2:00 pm, when the CBI was expected to give an explanation.
The NGO, run by Brajesh Thakur, where more than 40 minor girls were allegedly sexually assaulted, was blacklisted and the girls were shifted to other shelter homes in Patna and Madhubani.