Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said the state government has decided to hand over the alleged sexual assault case of Deoria shelter home to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate into the matter, two days after 24 girls were rescued on Sunday. The chief minister also added that under an ADG Crime a SIT is also being set up.
Addressing a press conference, CM Adityanath said that after coming to power in 2017 the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh had ordered the closure of the shelter home but the Deoria District Magistrate, Sujit Kumar didn't act on time. Kumar has been transferred and also chargesheeted on Tuesday. In 2015-16 the CBI had informed of financial irregularities, added Adityanath.
The Deoria incident came to light after a girl escaped from the shelter home and informed the police how they were all treated like servants. The Deoria Police also arrested a man and his wife, who were managers at the shelter home.
Women and Child Welfare Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi said, "After CBI inspection last year, it was established that Deoria shelter home centre was running illegally. A direction was issued to shift the inmates and shut it. But this order was not followed."
She had further said, "On August 1, an FIR was lodged to shut it immediately as illegal acts were being carried on a number of children enrolled at centre as per records are not present. One child was rescued yesterday who has filed a complaint. An investigation is underway."
ADG (law and order) said, "It will be investigated. The concerned district admin is already taking action in this regard. Women and child development ministry is also looking into the matter. The children will be sent for medical examination. The truth will be brought out."
The Deoria scandal surfaced within a month into the Muzaffarpur shelter home case in which more than 40 girls had been lodged at the shelter home and medical reports suggest that over half of them may have had sexual intercourse at some point of time. The alleged sex scandal surfaced in a social audit conducted by Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
