Ryan murder: Investigating officer transferred

FAMILIES SUSPICIOUS Say the transfer and reinstatement of suspended officiating principal Neerja Batra point at foul play; Gurgaon cops dismiss allegations, say it was due since July

GURGAON: In a new development in the murder investigation of an eight-year-old student of Ryan International School, Bhondsi, police inspector Narender Kumar, who was a station house officer in Bhondsi was transferred on deputation on Monday.

Kumar was the investigating officer of the case when the case was with the Gurgaon police. The case is now being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The case was transferred by the state government on September 22 after repeated demands by the boy’s father.

Kumar left the charge of the police station on Tuesday.

He has been transferred to Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited, Panchkula. Kumar was not available for comment as he has surrendered his cellphone at the police station. He could not be reached on his personal number despite several attempts.

On September 29, another officer associated with the case Tanya Singh, assistant commissioner of police, Pataudi, was also transferred to Kurukshetra.

The sudden transfer of the Gurgaon police officer has raised questions, especially from the families of the victim and the accused. Both families find the developments—the transfer of police officials and resumption of suspended officiating principal Neerja Batra in Sector 40 branch of the school—suspicious. They say these events point towards foul play.

The Gurgaon police had arrested school bus conductor Ashok Kumar, 42, the same day.

“Ashok told me that the CBI teams had left him alone in a room with the inspector Narender Kumar in the school when he was brought by the CBI team to recreate the entire crime scene. Ashok denied his role in the murder in front of the SHO,” Mohit Verma, defence counsel.

Family members allege that Kumar has no role in the murder and the police had threatened him to confess to the murder charges due to the pressure.

“The child was dead when my husband picked his body. He (Ashok) was given third-degree torture to confess the crime and he has also told the same to the CBI team members. My husband is innocent and is framed by the senior officials to save someone else,” said wife of the accused Mamta, a 24-year-old.

On the other hand, the Gurgaon police officials denied the allegations and said that his transfer was due since July and it is not due to the murder case.

“The investigation is being carried by the CBI and whenever they will require the inspector’s presence, he will be available. His transfer is a normal process and not out of the blue. He was not relieved earlier in July hence his posting was overdue,” said deputy commissioner of police (South) Ashok Bakshi.