The counsel for the accused told the court they required the details for examination of witnesses
A Delhi court on Tuesday directed the CBI to provide documents, including a list of survivors, to the accused in the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual assault case. Additional sessions judge Saurabh Kulshreshtha directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to provide the name of victims, CDs containing information of the case and other relevant documents to the counsels of the accused for their examination and cross-examination.
However, the court asked the probe agency not to reveal photographs of the survivors and their present addresses to the defence advocates or the accused.
The court passed the order after the CBI's special public prosecutor contended that it was not possible to disclose the identities and personal files of the survivors as it contained photographs and information of their current whereabouts.
The counsel for the accused told the court they required the details for examination of witnesses and would not disclose identities of the survivors to any third person.
The court had on March 30 framed various charges against 21 accused and put them on trial. Besides rape and criminal conspiracy, the court also framed charges under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and other charges. Brajesh Thakur, the alleged mastermind, was also charged.
The offence carries punishment of minimum 10 years and maximum of life imprisonment. Thakur and employees of his shelter home, as well as Bihar Department of Social Welfare officials were charged with criminal conspiracy, neglect of duty and failure to report assault on the girls.