Ryan murder: Hearing on allegations against CBI, request for fingerprints today

The juvenile was taken into custody on November 7 in connection with the murder of Class 2 student Pradhyumn Thakur of Ryan International School, Bhondsi, on September 8.

The Juvenile Justice (JJ) Board on Wednesday will hear the case of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) request for fingerprints of the juvenile in conflict with the law in the Ryan murder case. Lawyer of the juvenile, Sandeep Aneja, moved two applications before the JJ board on Tuesday evening.

The juvenile in conflict with the law. (Sanjeev Verma/HT FILE PHOTO)

The juvenile was taken into custody on November 7 in connection with the murder of Class 2 student Pradhyumn Thakur of Ryan International School, Bhondsi, on September 8.

“We need a copy of the application moved by the CBI for taking the fingerprints as the juvenile is in judicial custody. We have not received a copy despite reminders and have sought the same before the JJ Board,” said Aneja.

“The second application is to get the original date of birth certificate and Class 10 board mark sheet on record of the court file. The father (of the juvenile) was called by CBI officials on Monday evening to submit the same at the CBI headquarters, Delhi but the documents need to be on the record,” said Aneja.

The board will also hear an application moved by the juvenile’s father, in which he accused CBI investigators of interrogating his son beyond the prescribed time limit of 10am to 6pm when he was in their custody.

The father has also stated that the CBI officials have not given him a copy of the application to take his son’s fingerprints. The juvenile, who is lodged at observation home in Faridabad, will be produced before the JJ Board on December 6.

Aneja said that fingerprints were basic forensic evidence and the CBI should have taken the prints when they had three-day custody of the boy.

“An agency that is highly responsible missing out on the basic investigation is very rare. We are just demanding a copy of the application and have asked for an explanation for interrogating the boy in late hours, which is against the JJ Board norms,” Aneja said.

On the other hand, CBI officials stated before the board that the juvenile’s father visited the observation home on a day, which was not designated for visits.

Sushil Tekriwal, the lawyer of Pradhyumn’s father, Barun Chandra Thakur, said the Supreme Court recently ruled that asking an accused for fingerprints or footprints for investigation is not in violation of one’s fundamental right to protect himself from becoming a witness against himself.

“Taking impressions of fingers of an accused person very often becomes necessary in the investigation of a crime. It is as much necessary to protect an accused against being compelled to incriminate himself, as to arm the agents of law and the law courts with legitimate powers to bring offenders to justice,” said Tekriwal.