CBI’s next step in Ryan school murder case: Take student to crime spot, knife shop, recreate what happened

Ryan International School murder case: The CBI prosecutor said that currently, the agency has not moved any plea before the JJB seeking permission to try the accused as an adult, under amended sections of the Juvenile Justice Act. (Source: ANI)

Seeking remand of the Class XI student from Ryan International School, apprehended for the murder of seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur on September 8, the CBI told the Juvenile Justice Board in Gurgaon on Wednesday that his custody is required to “reconstruct the scene of the crime”.

The agency hopes to do this by taking the 16-year-old boy to the bathroom, where Pradyuman was found murdered.
The CBI, which was granted three-day remand to question the boy by Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Devender, submitted that this was required to “ascertain the details and identify the shop from where the murder weapon was procured by him”. The probe agency further said his presence was required to ascertain the “sequence of events which led to the murder” and that “it would reconstruct the scene of the crime”.

The CBI prosecutor said that currently, the agency has not moved any plea before the JJB seeking permission to try the accused as an adult, under amended sections of the Juvenile Justice Act.

“The custodial interrogation of the said juvenile in conflict of law (JCL) is required by the CBI… to ascertain the details of other persons, if any, involved in the crime… (and) to collect any other evidence related to the case,” the CBI submitted.

Meanwhile, delving into details of its probe, the CBI submitted that “on the basis of inspection of the crime scene, analysis of CCTV footage and movement of students near the scene of the crime, reconstruction of sequence of events on that day, and questioning of students, teachers, staff and other employees of the school, the CBI has identified and apprehended the JCL”.

The CBI further claimed the boy has “admitted his involvement in the murder” of Pradyuman in the “ground-floor boys’ washroom”.

The CBI claimed before the JJB that confession made by the boy was recorded in the presence of his father, a welfare officer of the CBI and independent witnesses.

ALSO READ: Ryan International School murder case: All you need to know

The CBI prosecutor said, “The agency has sufficient evidence to get the remand of the accused. We have not moved a plea to try the accused as an adult under the JJB Act. The video footage and investigation so far were enough to seek the remand.”

The agency had, earlier in the day, sought six-day remand of the boy, but the JJB granted three days. Sources told The Indian Express that judicial magistrate Devender met the boy in his chamber during remand proceedings.

“The presiding officer directed that CBI question him between 10 am and 6 pm. The boy will stay in a correctional home and will be accompanied by a female welfare officer from the JJB,” advocate Sandeep Aneja, the defence counsel for the boy, told The Indian Express.

On Wednesday, the boy was accompanied by four CBI officials when he was brought to the JJB in an SUV, with his face covered. He was produced at 3.30 pm. The father arrived at the JJB before CBI officers, and told the media that his “son is innocent”.

Pradyuman murder: A timeline

Sept 8: Gurgaon police claim that bus conductor Ashok attempted to sexually assault Pradyuman Thakur and the murder took place within a span of 15 minutes after the morning assembly. A knife from his tool kit was said to be the murder weapon. They further claimed that Ashok confessed to the crime and that two students had told investigators that they spotted Ashok entering the students’ bathroom

Sept 10: Founding chairman of Ryan group, Augustine Pinto, managing director Grace Pinto and the group CEO Ryan Pinto move Punjab and Haryana High Court for anticipatory bail

Sept 12: Ashok sent to judicial custody. Police say that they are “satisfied with the findings” of the probe

Sept 14: Police claim CCTV caught 7-year-old crawling out of school toilet, “holding his neck with his hand”

Sept 15: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar says CBI will probe the murder

Sept 20: HC denies relief to Ryan group owners on bail plea

Oct 7: Anticipatory bail granted to Ryan owners; victim’s parents moves SC seeking cancellation of bail

Oct 13: SC issues notices to CBI on parents’ plea

Nov 6: SC grants interim bail to Ryan owners; directs HC to decide the matter in 10 days

The two probes

What police said

• Dagger was recovered from the spot
• Bus conductor confessed to his crime
• Bus conductor’s movement found to be suspicious on CCTV
• No witness raised suspicion on anyone except conductor

What CBI said

• Dagger was recovered from commode of boys’ toilet, where Pradyuman was killed
• Class XI student confessed to his crime
• In CCTV, not just bus conductor, but a few other students, including the juvenile accused, can be seen
• Four witnesses claimed they had seen the accused student with a knife