[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]CBI also files status report before the Punjab & Haryana High Court; 7-year-old Pradyuman was murdered at Gurgaon’s Ryan International School in September

Over two months after he was hastily arrested by the Gurgaon police for allegedly murdering 7-year-old Pradyuman Thakur in the washroom of Gurgaon’s Ryan International School, 42-year-old Ashok Kumar was, on Tuesday, finally granted bail by a district court.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ashok’s purported innocence in the crime had come to light earlier this month when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) – which had taken the probe of what has come to be called as the Pradyuman murder case following a request by the Haryana government – detained a Class 11 student for the crime. The CBI had claimed that the Gurgaon police had “framed” Ashok, a bus conductor with Ryan International School, for the crime and even “forced” him to make a false confession.

On Tuesday, the Gurgaon District Court granted bail to Ashok, and ordered his release from jail subject to his furnishing a bond of Rs 50,000.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“The bail was granted under Article 21 of the Constitution. There were a lot of differences between findings of CBI and Haryana Police (in the Pradyuman murder case investigation). We were given benefit of doubt,” Ashok’s counsel, Anil Sharma told news agency ANI.

The Gurgaon Police had arrested Ashok on the evening of September 8 – Pradyuman was found with his throat slit outside the washroom of Ryan International School earlier in the day – and claimed that he had killed the Class 2 student after he resisted the bus conductor’s sexual advances. The police had claimed that it had recovered a knife from Pradyuman’s person and concluded it to be the murder weapon while asserting that it belonged to Ashok.

The CBI, which later took over the case following widespread protests across Gurgaon and allegations of the state government trying to cover up the investigation, had in early November detained and later arrested a Class 11 student of Ryan International School, Gurgaon for the murder. The premier investigation agency had relied on CCTV footage and interrogation of scores of students of the school, as well as the Class 11 student in question, to conclude that Ashok was innocent of the crime and that he had been framed by the Gurgaon police.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Pradyuamn’s father, Varun Thakur, had maintained all along that Ashok could not have been the murderer of his child and that the Gurgaon police was trying to hush up the case under pressure from the school’s management.

On Tuesday, as the Gurgaon district court granted bail to Ashok, Varun Thakur appealed to the authorities concerned to try the Class 11 student as an adult and not under the more lenient law governing punishment for juvenile criminals.

Meanwhile, the CBI also filed its status report in a sealed envelope before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday. The report concerns the role of Ryan International School promoters Augustine Francis Pinto, his wife Grace Pinto and their son Ryan Pinto vis-à-vis the murder case and over allegations of their negligence in ensuring safety of students and purported plans of forcing the police to end the murder probe hastily. It may be recalled that Grace Pinto is a member of the national executive of the BJP’s women’s wing; a fact that had led to allegations of the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government in Haryana protecting the Pintos from penal action in the case.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had earlier granted anticipatory bail to the Pintos following which Pradhyuman’s father had moved the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of the anticipatory bail order.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]