Punjab and Haryana High Court impleads CBI as respondent in Ryan trustees bail plea case

The group's CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents Augustine Pinto, the founding chairman, and Grace Pinto, the group's managing director had approached the High Court recently, seeking bail.

Police outside the Ryan International School in Gurugram where Pradhuman was found dead. (File | PTI)

CHANDIGARH: Punjab and Haryana High Court today impleaded CBI as a respondent in a petition seeking bail filed by the three Ryan International Group trustees following the recent killing of a student in the group's Gurgaon school.

Justice Inderjit Singh observed that since the investigation, in this case, had been taken over by the CBI, therefore, this case be listed as per roster after obtaining orders from the High Court Chief Justice.

In view of the oral request of the counsel for the petitioner, Central Bureau of Investigation is impleaded as a respondent, Justice Singh said.

CBI counsel, who was present, said that he had no objection if the CBI was impleaded as a respondent.

The Haryana government had recommended a CBI probe in the student's killing earlier. The premier investigating agency took over the probe in the case on Friday.

"The case will be listed as per roster after obtaining orders from the High Court chief justice. In the High Court, there is a special bench which takes up CBI matters and the order of the single bench today is that this case be listed as per roster...The case will now be heard by a separate bench," counsel of the trustees, Arshdeep Singh Cheema, said.

He said the court today did not pass any order to provide any relief and the status quo remains for the time being.

The group's CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents Augustine Pinto, the founding chairman, and Grace Pinto, the group's managing director had approached the High Court recently, seeking anticipatory bail.

Last week, Justice A B Chaudhari had recused himself from hearing the anticipatory bail plea of three trustees of Ryan International Group.

On September 14, the Bombay High Court had rejected the anticipatory bail pleas of three trustees of Ryan group in connection with the killing of the 7-year-old.

The Pintos, who are based in Mumbai, had approached the Bombay High Court as they apprehended arrest after the school faced allegations of negligence in the death of Pradhuman Thakur.

A class 2 student, Thakur, was found with his throat slit in a school washroom in Gurgaon on September 8. Schoolbus conductor Ashok was arrested in connection with the crime.