NEW DELHI: Days after a seven-year-old was murdered inside the Ryan International School campus in Gurgaon, the Supreme Court on Monday sought a reply from the Centre and Haryana government on a petition filed by the child’s father seeking a CBI probe.
The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, also sought a response from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on the plea, which has sought framing of guidelines to fix responsibility of school managements in case of such incidents and also regarding the safety and security of children. The court has given the Centre, CBI, Haryana government and CBSE three weeks to respond.
“This petition is not restricted only to the school concerned as it has a country-wide ramification,” the court said. The victim’s father, Barun Chandra Thakur, has also requested a national tribunal to look into such cases across the country.
The Haryana police, meanwhile, arrested the legal and HR heads of the school, Francis Thomas and Jeyus Thomas. Acting principal Neerja Batra has been detained for questioning and is likely to be arrested, added sources.Fourteen police teams have been formed to investigate the case, claimed officials. A Special Investigation Team reached Mumbai on Monday to question the owners of the school, who sought anticipatory bail. “The school’s founding CMD Augustine Pinto, his wife and chairperson Grace Pinto and their son and CEO Ryan Pinto have sought anticipatory bail in the Bombay High Court,” their counsel Niteen Pradhan said.
SHO of Sadar police station on Sohna Road in Gurgaon was meanwhile suspended over a baton-charge on protesting parents, as well as journalists, outside the school premises. Protests continued at other places, with the parents of children studying in Ryan International School’s Noida and Greater Noida branches seeking an assurance on safety of their wards. Following the incident, a 42-year-old school bus conductor was arrested.
Two more cases in Delhi
After a five-year-old kid was sexually assaulted by a peon inside the school in east Delhi, two cases have been reported in national capital, where students have been molested by their teachers inside the premises. One incident took place in Presidium School and the management has filed a complaint against a dance teacher