Begusarai, Bihar: A non-bailable warrant has been issued against former Bihar minister Manju Verma, who is absconding since Wednesday.

The Supreme Court, yesterday, pulled up the Bihar government and said, "It's very strange.

The government doesn't know where its former minister is.

Has she gone into hiding" The state government admitted in court that the minister wasn't traceable.A manhunt has been launched to arrest the former minister, said the police.The top court also slammed the state for not arresting the Ms Verma, who has close links with the Muzzafarpur shelter home rapes as indicated by the CBI, investigating the case.

Ms Verma's husband, Chandrashekhar Verma, a close aide of the key accused Brajesh Sharma, has surrendered on Monday.

 The warrant, against the former minister, was issued for a case under the Arms Act.

In August, the police had raided Ms Verma in connection with the shelter home rapes and seized 50 live cartridges from one of her houses. Ms Verma had resigned as the Social Welfare Minister of Bihar in August after her husband, Chandrashekhar Verma, came under fire for allegedly visiting the Muzzafarnager shelter home several times.Over 40 young girls were sexually abused in the Muzaffarpur shelter home.

The sexual exploitation of the girls was first highlighted in an audit report submitted by the Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) to the state's social welfare department in April.

The first case was filed on May 31 against 11 people, including Brajesh Thakur.