Ryan case: Decision on bus conductor’s bail plea today

GURGAON:A Gurgaon special court on Monday reserved its order on the bail plea of bus conductor Ashok Kumar—the fi rst suspect in the murder of an eight-year-old boy at Ryan International, Bhondsi —for Tuesday.

Kumar, 42, was arrested by Gurgaon Police on charges of murder and sexual assault on the victim. After the case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the agency on November 7 apprehended a Class 11 student of the same school for the murder, and ruled out any sexual assault.

The CBI submitted a forensic report of the blood samples of the victim, class 2 student Pradhyumn Thakur, and Kumar, the prime suspect at that time. The police had collected the samples and sent them for DNA analysis to check if the boy’s blood had spilled on the conductor’s body or clothes and vice versa.

Lawyers present in the court of additional district and sessions judge Rajni Yadav said the report was negative and the samples did not match.

“The blood samples on the victim did not match with that of Kumar. Gurgaon police had taken blood samples of Kumar also, though there was no injury mark on his body. They had sent his samples to ensure the blood on the body of the victim was not of Kumar. His trousers and shirt were sent as there were blood stains on his clothes, which he had washed,” said Verma.

He added, “The report said the samples did not match. The police had earlier said they had sent the semen sample of Kumar, which they found on the victim’s clothes, but no such sample was sent.”

Speaking to the media on Monday, Ashok’s counsel Mohit Verma said, “Even CBI officials said there are no pieces of evidence against Kumar. The FSL and DNA reports are negative. On all these grounds, my client should be granted bail,” said Verma.

Sushil Tekriwal, counsel of the victim’s father Barun Chandra Thakur, argued against the jurisdiction of the Gurgaon court in hearing this case and demanded transfer of the case to the special CBI court, Panchkula.

He added the CBI had ruled out sexual assault and as such the Pocso Act was not relevant in the case. The court reserved orders on Kumar’s bail application till 3pm on Tuesday.