Patna, July 26 (PTI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday ordered that the CBI be called in to investigate the alleged sexual exploitation of girls at a state-funded shelter home in Muzaffarpur district.

An official release said the decision to call in the Central Bureau of Investigation was taken to prevent rumour-mongering.

Medical examination of 29 of the 42 inmates of the shelter home had confirmed that they were sexually exploited, according to the state’s police chief, K.S. Dwivedi.

”Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has directed the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and Principal Secretary (Home) to immediately hand over the case to the CBI,” the release said said.

”A deplorable incident has taken place in Muzaffarpur, where the police has been carrying out a diligent investigation”, it said.

“Although the government was committed to conducting an impartial probe, the decision for handing over the probe to the CBI has been taken to dispel the 'bhram ka vatavaran' (environment of rumours) that was being created,” the release said.

Opposition parties, while demanding a CBI inquiry, had alleged that the state government was not calling in the federal police as it wanted to ”shield” some of the key accused said to be close to the ruling dispensation.