RYAN MURDER: CBI GRANTED CUSTODY OF THREE ACCUSED
Meanwhile, a team of the central investigating agency reached the School on Sunday
GURUGRAM: In the latest development in the Pradhyumn murder case, a district court on Saturday granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody of the three accused arrested by Haryana Police in connection with the killing of seven-year-old student Pradhyumn Thakur at Ryan International School in Bhondsi earlier this month.
A 12-member CBI team had on Saturday morning approached a local court to ask for custody of the three arrested accused.
The court allowed oneday custody of bus conductor Ashok Kumar, 42, employed with the school.
Police initially believed that Kumar was to the lone suspect in the case.
The other suspects and officials of Ryan Internatioal Group of Institutions, north India head Francis Thomas and human resources head Jeyus Thomas, will remain in CBI custody till September 25.
The two had been arrested on September 11.
Kumar was booked for murder and under the POCSO Act, while the Ryan officials were arrested under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act.
A CBI spokesperson said in a statement: “On our request in the case related to murder of a Ryan school student in Gurugram, the competent court today (Saturday) granted remand of three arrested persons to our custody, who were earlier arrested by Haryana Police.”
Following an order from the central government and a request from the Haryana government, the CBI took over the case on Friday and registered an FIR.
Earlier in the day, a forensic team of the central investigating agency reached Ryan International School for gathering evidence.
The team also interrogated some teachers, gardener Harpal and another bus driver Sourav Raghav.
Pradhyumn was found dead on September 8 with his throat slit inside the school’s washroom, within an hour after his father had dropped him at the school.
The Gurugram district administration has taken over the Ryan School management for three months.
After it had reopened on Monday, authorities ordered closure of the school till September 25.