Ryan trustees move Punjab and Haryana HC for anticipatory bail

Chandigarh, Sep 16 (IANS) The trustees of Ryan International Schools on Saturday moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking anticipatory bail in the case related to the murder of seven-year-old Pradhuman at the Ryan International School in Gurugram last week.

The trustees -- Augustine F. Pinto, his wife Grace and their son Ryan, approached the high court here after the Bombay High Court rejected their bail plea citing jurisdiction issues.

The regional head of the Ryan Group of Institutions, Thomas Francis, who was arrested by the Haryana Police in the case, moved an application for regular bail.

The matter will be heard by the high court on Monday.

The Bombay High Court had earlier granted conditional interim stay on their arrest till 5 p.m. on Friday, while asking them to deposit their passports with Mumbai Police. The interim protection against arrest was granted to enable the three to approach the Haryana court.

Seven-year-old Pradhuman Thakur was murdered at Ryan International School in Bhondsi area on the Sohna Road in Gurugram district on September 8. Apprehending arrest by Haryana Police, the Pintos -- who are trustees of St Xaviers Education Trust -- had filed an anticipatory transit bail application before the Bombay High Court on Monday.The application was opposed by the boy's father, Varun Thakur, through his lawyers.

Pradhuman was found dead with his throat slit inside the school's washroom within an hour after his father dropped him at school on Friday morning. The case snowballed into a major national issue of safety and security of children in schools, with vociferous protests held by parents and activists outside Ryan schools in several states.