Chandrashekhar Verma, the husband of former Social Welfare Minister in Nitish Kumar's Cabinet, Manju Verma, surrendered in a Begusarai court on Monday.
Chandrashekhar was booked in an Arms Act case after police recovered 50 live cartridges from his house during a raid carried out in August this year in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case.
Manju’s husband’s name figured during the investigation of the shelter home case in which he was charged with having access to the girls’ hostel due to his proximity with the main accused Brajesh Thakur.
The Begusarai court on Monday remanded Chandrashekhar, a former MLC, to 14 days of judicial custody.
Last week, the Supreme Court had expressed its anguish and annoyance over absconding Chandrashekhar and asked the Bihar Government and the CBI, probing the shelter home rape case, to submit a reply in this matter.
The CBI, during its investigation, found that Manju’s husband was in regular touch with Brajesh Thakur. The call details record (CDR) showed Thakur, currently in jail, talked to Chandrashekhar 17 times between January and May 2018.
During the investigation, it also came to light that Brajesh met Chandrashekhar several times and even travelled with him to New Delhi.
Rise and Fall of Chandrashekhar
Chandrashekhar’s father Sukhdeo Mahto was a CPI MLA from Cheria Bariarpur in Bihar’s Begusarai district. Chandrashekhar, however, joined Janata Dal (United) in 2007. One year prior to joining the ruling party, Chandrashekhar fielded his wife Manju Verma in the panchayat poll in 2006. However, Manju lost the election.
Later, using his clout, Chandrashekhar managed to get JD (U) ticket for Manju from Cheria Bariarpur Assembly constituency in 2010. This time she won. She again won from this constituency in 2015 and was made Social Welfare Minister.
She quit Nitish Cabinet after the CBI found her husband was in regular touch with Brajesh Thakur.