Ryan case: Accused confessed to crime in front of his father, says CBI

The Class 11 student of Gurgaon's Ryan International School, apprehended by the CBI for allegedly killing a seven-year-old student, has confessed to his crime in front of his father and an independent witness, the agency has told a juvenile court.

In its note seeking remand of the 16-year-old student from the juvenile court in Gurugram yesterday, the agency said that his custodial interrogation was needed to ascertain if there were other people involved in the crime.

The agency also wants the teenager to identify the shop from where he had purchased the knife used to slit throat of Pradhuman, a Class 2 student, on September 8, the agency told the court.

The CBI said the interrogation was needed to reconstruct the scene of crime, to unearth conspiracy, if any, and to collect any other evidence related to the case.

"He has admitted his involvement in committing the murder of...in ground floor boys washroom of Ryan International School...in presence of his father..., independent witness, welfare officer of the CBI, etc.," the note said.

The court has sent the juvenile to three-day CBI custody.

In a sensational twist to the case, the agency announced yesterday that it had apprehended a senior student of Ryan International School on Tuesday night in connection with the murder of Pradhuman rejecting the Gurugram police's theory that the killing was the handiwork of school bus conductor Ashok Kumar.

The CBI has said that there was no evidence against Kumar so far.

According to the agency, the Class 11 student, believed to be weak in his studies, allegedly slit Pradyuman's throat to get the school to declare a holiday in order to defer a scheduled parent-teacher meeting (PTM) and an examination.

The agency did not find any evidence of sexual assault, a CBI spokesperson had yesterday.

The CBI was able to piece together elements of the crime by analysing CCTV footage, scientific and forensic examination, analysis of the crime scene and by questioning students, teachers and staff members of the school.

Based on CCTV footage and crime scene analysis, the agency examined all potential suspects and witnesses. The list included 125 teachers and students, sources said.