New Delhi, December 28: Union Minister Maneka Gandhi on Friday informed the Lok Sabha the Ministry of Women and Child Development had told the Bihar government that something was not right with the shelter home in Muzaffarpur six months ago, but its warnings were ignored. She added that the ministry has got all the institutions related to children shelter homes registered and those proved to be bad, have been shut.

Answering to the question raised by Shiv Sena MP Anandrao Adsul in Lok Sabha, Gandhi stated her Ministry is working day and night to ensure the safety of children in the school hostels and looking after their well being, Gandhi stated that not only the ministry by the lawmakers will also have to take proactive roles and do spot checks. Muzaffarpur Shelter Case: CBI Interrogates DCWC Workers.

She said, "We need feet on the ground. I have written again and again to every Member of Parliament. They should be going to the institutions in their constituencies and do spot checks." The Minister also stated that after the case, the hostels are treated as child care institutions.

Earlier, a session court in Muzaffarpur sent Dilip Verma to five days in CBI custody. Verma is also an accused in the shelter home sex scandal who surrendered after absconding for a long time. Verma - formerly chairman of the Child Welfare Committee - was accused by the inmates of the shelter home of sexual misconduct, in their statements recorded by the probe agency.

The court acquitted two others - Gaurav Kumar alias Motu and Santosh Kumar - in the shelter home case, as their name did not figure in the charge sheet filed by the CBI. Prime accused - Brajesh Thakur - was arrested by the police in May, is currently lodged in jail at Patiala in Punjab a direction from the Supreme Court. All the accused were arrested after the CBI took over the probe five months ago.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 28, 2018 01:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).