High court grants interim bail to Pinto family

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Saturday granted interim bail to Ryan International Group CEO Ryan Pinto, and his parents, founding chairman Augustine Pinto and managing director Grace Pinto, in connection with the killing of a seven-year-old student on September 8 in a Gurgaon school run that the group runs. The court has also asked the CBI, which is probing the case, to submit a report in the matter on December 5.

“High court justice Surinder Gupta today granted interim bail to them (the three trustees) till December 5,” said Arshdeep Singh Cheema, who along with Sandeep Kapur, appeared for the Pinto family.

They have also been asked by the court to join the investigation whenever called by the CBI, Cheema said.

“The CBI has also been asked by the high court to submit a report in this matter on December 5,” said Cheema.

On September 28, the high court had stayed the arrest of the three trustees of the Ryan Group, had approached the Bombay High Court last month in order to seek anticipatory bail in the case.

Ryan Pinto, and his parents had approached the high court on September 16, seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the student’s killing.

THE CASE

A seven-year-old Class 2 student was found with his throat slit in a school washroom on September 8.

School bus conductor Ashok Kumar was arrested in connection with the crime.

There was nationwide outrage over the child’s killing and allegations were levelled against the school management as well.

On September 25, the HC had impleaded CBI as a respondent in a petition seeking bail for the three Ryan International Group trustees.

The Haryana government had earlier recommended a CBI probe in the matter.

The premier investigating agency took over the case on September 22.