Ryan murder: Bus conductor granted bail, no clean chit
GURGAON: A special court in Gurgaon on Tuesday granted bail to 42-year-old bus conductor Ashok Kumar on furnishing a security bond of ₹50,000.
Kumar had been arrested by the Gurgaon police as the prime suspect in the murder of Pradhyumn Thakur, a Class 2 student of Ryan International School on September 8.
The court, on Tuesday, observed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had no evidence against Kumar and he could be granted bail. The CBI hasn’t given Kumar a clean chit.
The court has asked Kumar to cooperate with the CBI officials as and when required and to inform the police before leaving the city.
Gurgaon police had booked Kumar under POCSO Act for sexual assault on the victim, but the CBI on November 7 apprehended a 16-year-old class 11 student of the same school for the crime.
The court had sought a report from the CBI after Kumar moved a bail application on November 10.
“So far, no incriminating evidence has been found regarding the involvement of Ashok Kumar in the murder. In case, any evidence about the involvement of Kumar comes forth during the investigation, appropriate action will be taken,” the report said.
The CBI had mentioned in the court that a “clean chit” would be given to anyone involved in the case only after a chargesheet is filed.
Additional district and session judge Rajni Yadav granted bail to Kumar on Tuesday under Article 21 of the Constitution, which states that no person shall be deprived on the context of his personal life and liberty, said Mohit Verma, counsel of Kumar.
“The Gurgaon police and the CBI worked on different theories and there were discrepancies in their reports. The pieces of evidence and the CCTV footages clearly ruled out the role of my client. Therefore, the judge has considered the bail plea,” said Verma.
The court also decided not to change the jurisdiction and said the trial in the case will take place in the same court as CBI also had no objection to it.
“We have faith in the judicial system and the law has to take its own course. We welcome the decision of the court in the light of the fact that the judge has granted the bail on the basis of circumstances and on evidence produced before the court by the CBI. The Gurgaon police has completely botched up the investigations,” said Sushil Tekriwal, lawyer of Barun Chandra Thakur, victim’s father.
Meanwhile, Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to the Pinto family, founders of Ryan Group of Institutions, in connection with Pradhyumn’s murder.
However, the high court bench of Justice Surender Gupta has barred them from leaving the country without permission and directed the family to extend help in the investigation.