No clean chits in Pradyuman case so far: CBI

Sumedha Sharma

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Tribune News Service

Gurugram, November 20

Repeating its stance in the Pradyuman murder case, the CBI on Monday clarified in court that it had not and would not give a clean chit to anybody till conclusive culmination of their ongoing investigations.

The investigating agency reportedly made the statement during the hearing of the bail plea of Ryan school bus conductor Ashok Kumar in a local court here.

“We are still investigating and till we conclude investigations we do not give clean chit to anybody and all are in an ambit of suspicion. He may have not been the murderer but we still can not say he has nothing to do with case. We are probing his role and the reason behind his confession,” said a senior CBI official.

The court after hearing detailed arguments reserved its order on the bail plea to November 21.

While the statement came in stark contradiction of ongoing claims and speculations of CBI investigations clearing the name of Ashok Kumar who was arrested as the key accused by Gurugram police.

Pradyuman, 7, was found murdered in Ryan International School.

“There is no evidence against Ashok and the CBI itself had highlighted that in the last hearing. The DNA and FSL reports tabled in court today did not have anything to hint at Ashok’s involvement in the case,” said Ashok’s counsel, Mohit Verma.

According to Verma, one of the key factors which went in Ashok’s favour was the difference in statements of the witnesses’, especially gardener Harpal.

“There has been a major shift in claims of all, including the staff, recorded by the police and the CBI. The gardener, Harpal, had initially insisted seeing blood stains on Ashok’s clothes when he came out but has  now retraced saying he was asked by police to say so,” added Verma.