(MENAFN- NewsBytes)
Pradyuman murder: Did cops frame conductor for 'quick results'?
10 Nov 2017
After differing from the Gurgaon Police on who killed seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur, the CBI has reportedly found that police had planted the murder weapon on bus conductor Ashok Kumar.
In fact, the Class XI student arrested by the CBI had bought the weapon from a local shop, they claimed.
Sources told TOI cops wanted to "solve" the case fast amid growing clamor for justice.
The murder that shook the country
Murder
On September 8, Pradyuman was found dead with his throat slashed in a toilet at Ryan International School, Gurugram.
According to the post mortem report, the cause of death was "shock and haemorrhage"
An external injury was caused due to a sharp single-edged weapon which led to his death.
The incident caused outrage as angry parents all over demanded more accountability from schools.
The police and the CBI had drastically different findings
Arrests
Within 24 hours, police had arrested Ashok Kumar, a school bus conductor. They claimed Kumar had confessed.
But Kumar insisted he was framed; he was allegedly made to sign on blank paper.
On November 8, the CBI announced a Class XI student as the prime suspect and arrested him: it was the same person who had first alerted the school authorities of the crime.
CBI accused the juvenile after examining 125 potential suspects/witnesses
Differences
Gurgaon Police had claimed the murder weapon, a knife, belonged to Ashok, but the juvenile led a CBI team to the shop where he had bought it from.
Police had also cited CCTV footage as evidence of Ashok's involvement.
But the juvenile has confessed. CBI also examined 125 people including teachers and alumni, CCTV footage and technical data, based on which it accused him.
CBI came in before we could complete probe, cops defend
Conspiracy
Sources say CBI's findings point to an attempt to cover up the crime. Gurgaon Police, under tremendous pressure, simply wanted to "solve" the case.
Meanwhile, Gurgaon Police Commissioner Sandeep Khirwar claimed they had arrested Ashok by "taking logical steps…and going where the evidence took us".
Explaining why they didn't examine the juvenile, he said CBI took over the case before they could finish probe.
Ashok's family to file case against cops who 'framed' him
Reax
Meanwhile, Ashok's family, who has consistently maintained he's innocent, has decided to file a case against the cops who allegedly framed him.
They had sought financial help from other villagers.
The opposition also slammed the ruling BJP over the "shoddy" police work.
Haryana Congress President Ashok Tanwar termed it an "overall failure" of the Manohar Lal Khattar government.
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