Ryan Murder: Bus Conductor Ashok Kumar Released on Bail
The juvenile accused in the murder of 7-year-old Pradyumn was sent to a custody home for 14 days, on 22 November.
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The owners of the chain of Ryan International Schools, the Pinto family, are granted anticipatory bail by the Punjab & Haryana High Court
Bus conductor Ashok Kumar, who was accused of murdering 7-year-old Pradyumn Thakur, has been granted bail by a Gurugram court on 21 November.
On 21 November, when the case came up for hearing again, the CBI failed to provide evidence, says conductor Ashok’s lawyer.
The Police apprehended a Class XI student from Ryan International School in connection with the murder of Pradyumn.
- Ashok Kumar, the conductor accused of the murder, has been released from Gurugram’s Bhondsi jail on bail
- The Pinto family, the owners of Ryan International School, are granted anticipatory bail
- Police apprehended a Class XI student of the school, in connection with Pradyumn’s murder
- Pradyumn’s father asked the Juvenile Justice Board to try the Class XI student as an adult
- 7-year-old Pradyumn Thakur was found dead in a washroom of Ryan International School on 8 September
Bus Conductor Ashok Kumar Released on Bail
Bus conductor Ashok Kumar, who was accused of Pradyumn’s murder was released from Gurugram's Bhondsi jail on the evening of Wednesday, 22 November. He was granted bail by a Gurugram court on Tuesday.
Juvenile Accused Sent to Custody For 14 Days
Juvenile accused sent to a custody home for 14 days by Juvenile Justice Board, on 22 November. The arguments on finger prints to take place is scheduled to take place on 29 November.
Juvenile to be Produced in Court Today
The juvenile accused in the murder of 7-year-old Pradyumn Thakur will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board on Wednesday.
Pinto Family Granted Anticipatory Bail
The owners of the Ryan International chain of schools, the Pinto family, is granted anticipatory bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
CNN News-18 reported that the anticipatory bail was granted based on the following conditions:
- The Pintos cannot leave the country without prior permission from the court
- They shouldn't tamper with evidence
- They shouldn't influence witnesses
- They will present themselves when called for interrogation
Accused Conductor Ashok Kumar Granted Bail
The Gurugram dstrict court granted bail to accused bus conductor Ashok Kumar, in the murder of 7-year-old Pradyumn Thakur.
CBI Failed to Produce Evidence Against Ashok: Lawyer
Mohit Verma, Ashok's lawyer in the Pradyumn Murder Case, said that CBI was not able to present any evidence against the conductor.
Gurugram Court Reserves Order on Bail Plea
A Gurugram District Court on Monday, reserved order on bail plea of bus conductor Ashok for 3 pm on 21 November, Tuesday.
Bus Conductor's Lawyer Speaks on The CCTV Footage
Mohit Verma, the lawyer for the accused bus conductor Ashok Kumar, spoke to The Quint about the CCTV footage recovered from Ryan International School.
It has now been revealed that there was a CCTV camera installed next to the gallery close to the toilet where the murder took place.
No Incriminating Details Found in Connection With Ashok's Involvement: CBI
The CBI has asserted that no incriminating details have been found in connection with the involvement of bus conductor Ashok Kumar.
Hearing on Bail Plea of Bus Conductor Adjourned Till 20 November
The hearing on the bail plea of bus conductor Ashok Kumar has been adjourned till 20 November by a Gurugram court in the Pradyumn murder case.
Regarding the case, Sushil Tekriwal, lawyer for Pradyumn's family, was quoted by ANI as saying:
CBI Didn't Oppose Bus Conductor's Bail Plea But Hasn't Given Clean Chit Either: Lawyer For Pradyumn's Family
The CBI has stated that there is no evidence against the bus conductor so far.
Moreover, Durgesh Gujjar, one of the lawyers for Pradyumn’s family, has said that the CBI did not oppose the bus conductor's bail but has not given a clean chit to him either.
The magistrate is currently examining the CCTV footage. Only the CBI, Pradyumn’s lawyers and Ashok's lawyers have been allowed inside the court.
CBI Reaches Gurugram Court
The Gurugram court has begun hearing the bail plea of accused Ashok Kumar.
During the proceeding, the CBI did not oppose Ashok Kumar’s bail plea.
CBI Not Objecting to Ashok's Bail Plea: Lawyer
Ashok Kumar's lawyer Mohit Verma told ANI that the CBI is not objecting to his bail plea.
The CBI will respond to Kumar’s bail application at 2 pm following which the arguments will take place, he said.
The investigative agency was pulled up by the court for not filing a status report regarding the probe in the case.
Bus Conductor's Bail Plea to Be Heard Today
The bail application of Ashok Kumar, the bus conductor who was initially suspected of killing Pradyumn Thakur, is scheduled to be heard at a lower court in Gurugram on 16 November
A Times of India report said that the CBI is unlikely to oppose Kumar’s bail plea as they don’t have anything “incriminating” against him.
“This has been verified through scientific and forensic evidence, CCTV footage and statements recorded by several persons,” a CBI source told TOI.
CPO Says CBI ‘Forced’ Teenager Into Confessing
The Class XI student, apprehended by the CBI for allegedly killing Pradyumn, had allegedly confessed to his crime in front of his father and independent witnesses, the agency told a juvenile court.
However, in yet another twist, a Child Protection Officer (CPO) has said that the accused claims he hasn’t killed anyone. The CPO told the Times of India that the teenager confessed because he was beaten and intimidated by the CBI.
Pradyumn’s Father Asks Board to Try Teen as an Adult
Pradyumn’s father Varun filed application in the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) requesting that the 16-year-old alleged accused be tried in an adult court. The matter is likely to come up for hearing on 22 November before the JJB.
As per the new Juvenile Justice Act (Care and Protection Act) 2015, the age at which one can be tried as an adult has been lowered from 18 to 16. But to get a juvenile tried in the adult court, the prosecution has to prove beyond a doubt to the JJB the accused’s age, and that he has committed a ‘heinous’ crime.
Did Haryana Min Advise Pradyumn's Father Against CBI Probe?
Pradyumn’s father, Varun Thakur, on Wednesday, 15 November, alleged that Haryana minister Rao Narbir Singh asked him not to insist on a CBI probe.
The minister, however, dismissed the claim as “baseless”.
Thakur said the minister told him a CBI inquiry would take minimum one year to conclude and that he should trust the state police's investigation.
Singh, the PWD minister in the Manohar Lal Khattar government, said though he visited the Thakurs’ house after the boy was killed he never asked them not to demand a CBI probe.
The minister said that keeping in view the Thakurs’ sentiments, he himself spoke to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and insisted on a CBI probe, which was ordered within a few days.
Pradyumn Thakur Found Dead
Pradyumn Thakur, a Class II student of Gurugram’s Ryan International School, was found dead in the school washroom with his throat slit by a sharp-edged weapon on the morning of 8 September.
The Gurugram police had arrested a bus conductor, Ashok Kumar, pinning the blame for the crime on him.
But in a recent twist, investigators announced that they had apprehended a senior student of the school in connection with the incident, rejecting the police theory that the killing was the handiwork of Kumar.
(With inputs from PTI)
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