Govt takes over Ryan for 3 months; CBI to probe case
Police likely to file chargesheet today, submit forensic report
GURGAON: The investigation into the murder of an eight-year-old student in Gurgaon’s Ryan International School will be handed to the Central Bureau of Investigation, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said on Friday after meeting the victim’s family.
The child, a second grader, died within minutes of being found bleeding outside a school toilet with his throat slit exactly a week ago. The incident led to several protests in many parts of the country, and brought the safety of school children in sharp focus.
On Friday, Khattar said the government will take control of the school for three months.
Gurgaon police is likely to file on Saturday the chargesheet and submit the forensic report at the Gurgaon special court.
“The victim’s parents have been demanding CBI inquiry into the incident and in view of this we have decided to recommend a CBI investigation. A letter in this regard will be sent to the Union government,” said Khattar, who also assured the family that everything would be done to ensure justice.
The victim’s father had on Monday approached the Supreme Court requesting the case be transferred to the CBI since, they said, the murder appeared to be premeditated.
For the next three months, deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh will be the in-charge of the Ryan school and it is expected that all lapses in infrastructure and negligence will be documented. A CBSE team visited the school on Thursday and questioned teachers about the incident.
After Khattar’s announcement, the victim’s father said he was satisfied with the decision. He said there seems to be a larger conspiracy behind the incident and a higher probe was needed to expose it.
He said he is not inclined to let his daughter — who is in the fifth grade — study in the same school since he fears there could be danger to her life.
Sources said that along with the CBI inquiry, the Gurgaon police will continue a parallel inquiry. The police team, which had gone to Mumbai, has issued a notice to the trustees of the Ryan Foundation that include Grace Pinto, Augustine Pinto and Ryan Pinto to join investigation.
The Bombay high court had rejected on Thursday the transit anticipatory bail pleas of the three Ryan trustees but continued interim protection from arrest granted to the trio till 5 pm on Friday on the condition that they surrender their passports to the Mumbai police commissioner.
The move by trustees came after Gurgaon police registered a case under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice act against the Ryan management for negligence and lapses.
“It is most likely that Ryan Pinto will join the investigation in the case either on Saturday or Sunday”, said a senior official of the SIT.
SCHOOL TRUSTEE RYAN PINTO WILL JOIN THE INVESTIGATION IN THE CASE EITHER ON SATURDAY OR SUNDAY, SAID AN SIT MEMBER