Court frames charges against 21 in Muzaffarpur shelter home case

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Saturday framed various charges under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and Indian Penal Code (IPC) against main accused Brajesh Thakur and 20 others in Bihar's Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual assault case.
A prima facie case of sexual assault and other offences was made out against the 21 accused, observed the court of additional sessions judge Saurabh Kulshreshtha as it put them on trial.
A detailed order attributing specific charges to each accused would be made available later.
Advocate Pramod Kumar Dubey, who appeared for Thakur, opposed the charges of the prosecution and denied his client's role in the crime. He submitted that his client had been framed. Sources privy to the development said that the court has specified offences with respect to the survivors. Various other charges of IPC and Pocso Act, apart from Juvenile Justice Act, have been framed against the accused, which they would contest during the trial. The next date of hearing is on April 3.