HC judge refuses to hear Pintos’ bail matter; no stay on arrest

Chandigarh, Sep 25 (IANS) A judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday refused to hear the anticipatory bail plea moved by the trustees of Ryan International School in light of the CBI taking over investigation in the case.

Justice Inderjeet Singh refused to hear the matter with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) taking over probe into the murder of seven-year-old Pradhyuman Thakur at the Gurugram branch of Ryan International School in Haryana.

Counsels Sushil K. Tekriwal and Anupam Singhla, appearing for Barun Chandra Thakur, father of Pradhyuman Thakur, opposed any stay on the arrest of the Pintos.

Tekriwal said the "diabolical and cold blooded" murder of the Class 2 student is of the rarest of rare in nature. He added that the Pintos should not be given any interim relief in view of the above fact.

Tekriwal said that no next date of hearing has been fixed by the bench. Hence, the likelihood of arrest of the Pintos continues.

The High Court bench had last week issued notice to the Haryana government to submit a report on the probe into the September 8 murder. The court refused to stay the arrest of the Pinto family -- Augustine F. Pinto, his wife Grace and their son Ryan -- while taking up their application for anticipatory bail.

The Haryana Police was investigating the crime. But Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, following a demand from the victim's family, announced last week that the CBI will probe the case.

The Pinto family's anticipatory bail plea was earlier rejected by the Bombay High Court, citing jurisdiction issues. The Bombay High Court had granted conditional interim stay on the arrest of the Pintos till 5 p.m. of September 15 to enable them to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The district administration in Gurugram has taken over the Ryan School management for three months.

Birbal Jha, Chairman of Mithilalok Foundation, which is providing legal assistance in the case, said the crime has shaken the conscience of the nation. He said this case is not limited to one child only and concerns the safety of lakhs of children.