Woman Dy. SP Rank Officer To Probe Gaighat Shelter Home Case: State Govt Informs Patna High Court

Last week, the Patna High Court was informed by the Bihar Government that the Gaighat Shelter Home case will be investigated by a female officer, not below the rank of Dy. S.P and it was also submitted that the investigation is presently in progress.

It may be noted that earlier this month, the Patna High Court had taken a suo moto cognizance in the Gaighat Shelter Home case, wherein an inmate of the shelter home had alleged that women inmates were forced to submit themselves to "immoral acts" after being sedated.

On February 3, the Bench of Chief Justice Sanjoy Karol and Justice S. Kumar had taken a suo moto cognizance of this matter, on the basis of recommendation made by the Juvenile Justice Monitoring Committee, Patna High Court, and had sought the reply of Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Social Welfare, Government of Bihar.

Further, when this matter was taken up for further hearing on February 11, the Court was informed that FIRs in the matter have been registered and the investigation is presently under progress. To this, the Court asked the State to file an affidavit indicating the progress of the investigation within a period of ten days.

The State was also directed to respond to Interlocutory Application No. 1 of 2022, filed on behalf of an NGO, namely Mahila Vikash Manch through its National President Ms. Veena Manvi @ Veena Choudhary. This has been directed to be done before February 25, the next date of the hearing.

Importantly, opining that the victims must be provided with legal aid, the Court directed the Member Secretary, Bihar State Legal Services Authority to ensure that proper legal laid is provided to these victims, notwithstanding the fact that in this regard they are being supported by an NGO.

The background of the case

Earlier this month, a report was published in the newspaper of the state of Bihar regarding a destitute woman, who had alleged that she and her likes, who were residing in the After Care Home, Gaighat, Patna, were being forced, after being sedated, to submit themselves to immoral acts of the wrong-doers.