Patna: November 20: Former Bihar Minister Manju Verma, who had been absconding for nearly three months in an arms case related to the Muzaffarpur shelter home horror, surrendered at a court on Tuesday. She has been sent to 14 days’ judicial custody.
Manju Verma surrendered in the Manjhaul sub-division court of Begusarai district after a lower court and the Patna High Court rejected her interim bail petition. The Supreme Court had slammed Bihar Police for its failure to arrest her.
According to the police, Manju Verma covered her face while reaching the court and fainted twice in the court room.
“After her surrender, the court has sent her to 14 days’ judicial custody till December 1. She has been lodged in Begusarai jail,” a district police official said.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Police Headquarters, S.K. Singhal said the police are likely to take Manju Verma on police remand to interrogate her.
The Bihar Police on Saturday started attaching the properties of Manju Verma after a court order in an arms case connected to the Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case.
Of the 42 girls lodged at the short-stay home run by main accused Brajesh Thakur’s NGO, 34 were found to have been sexually assaulted. Thakur had links with the former Minister’s husband.
The crime came to light following a social audit by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.
Verma faces arrest under the Arms Act after 50 live cartridges were recovered from her residences in Patna and Begusarai during a Central Bureau of Investigation raid.
Last month, a court in Begusarai had issed an arrest warrant against her.
Her husband Chandrasekhar Verma, who had been absconding for a month, last month surrendered before a court after which he was sent to judicial custody.
Manju Verma resigned on August 8 following allegations of Thakur having links with her husband. Thakur is currently lodged in Muzaffarpur jail. (IANS)
