NEW DELHI: Virtually giving a clean chit to Ryan school bus conductor Ashok Kumar accused in the Pradhyuman murder case, the CBI on Thursday told a Gurgaon court that the agency has not found any “incriminating evidence” against him and left it to the discretion of the court to grant him bail.
“So far no incriminating evidence has been found in the CBI investigation in connection with the involvement of Ashok Kumar in the murder of Pradhyuman at Ryan International School. In case any evidence about the involvement of Kumar comes forth during the ongoing investigation, appropriate action will be taken,” the CBI told the court during a hearing on the bail plea of Kumar.
The CBI further contended before the court that in view of the facts and circumstances of the case “the court may kindly be pleased to pass an appropriate order on the bail application as deemed fit and proper in the interest of justice.”
Kumar was arrested by Gurgaon police within hours of the murder case relating to seven-year-old, Class II student of Ryan International School, Pradhyuman Thakur inside the school toilet on September 8 morning. Kumar has since been undergoing judicial custody.
The CBI also trashed Gurgaon police claims that Kumar had confessed to his crime and had slit the boy’s throat with a knife after he had resisted his sexual advances.
The CBI which took over investigation of the case on September 22, apprehended a 16-year old, Class XI student of the same school in connection with the murder of Pradhyuman on November 7. The apprehended juvenile allegedly committed the murder to postpone the scheduled examination and parent-teacher meeting.
During the bail plea hearing, the sessions court in Gurgaon also examined two footages of the CCTV cameras on the fateful day.
“The court also examined the video footage of the CCTV cameras which allegedly showed the accused following the boy to the toilet. The footage was ignored by police that had initially probed the murder,” a CBI official today said.
The Gurgaon court adjourned the hearing of Kumar’s bail application to till November 20.
Meanwhile, the victim’s father also moved an application before the court seeking the transfer of the case to the only designated CBI court in Haryana at Panchkula.