Haryana minister denies he opposed CBI probe into Pradhuman’s murder

Chandigarh, Nov 15 (IANS) Haryana's Public Works Minister Rao Narbir Singh on Wednesday denied that he had opposed a CBI probe into the murder of seven-year-old Pradhuman Thakur of Ryan International School in Gurugram.

A state government recommends a CBI probe only after getting initial investigation done by the state police at its own level and this was done in Praduman's case, he told the media.

Singh said that he along with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar visited Pradhuman's parents to express condolences after the September 8 murder.

"Following the demand made by Pradhuman's family, it was recommended to get the case investigated by the CBI. It depends on the CBI which matter it decides to give priority," he said, adding that opposition leaders were deliberately trying to politicize the matter.

"How can any investigation be assigned to the CBI soon after an incident occurrs? It could be done only after the Haryana Police had investigated the matter," he said, questioning the allegations against him by opposition parties.

Defending the probe by the Gurugram Police in the murder, Khattar said last week that Haryana Police investigations were in progress when the case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

With the CBI claiming that a Class 11 student was behind the gruesome murder of Pradhuman, the findings of the Haryana Police, which had claimed that a bus conductor had committed the murder, fell flat.