Gurgaon school murder: SC grants interim bail to accused

“…By way of interim measure, the petitioner appellant be released on bail on conditions as may be imposed by sessions judge Gurugram. It is, however, specifically provided that the petitioner appellant shall continuously remain under supervision of a probation officer or any other person appointed by the sessions judge. It is also made clear that the petitioner and his parents would be expected not to create hindrance in the trial of the case and for that matter will not try to contact or communicate with any of the witnesses,” the bench said.

Citing vulnerabilities of witnesses, the father of the victim opposed the grant of interim bail and urged the court to consider the relief only after material witnesses were examined. He contended that the father and uncle of the accused were powerful people.

But the court pointed out that the father had already been “taken to task” in an earlier order. The bench said that while “the crime is barbaric and horrifying, still the law must have balance”.

The body of the victim was found with his throat slit in the school bathroom on September 17, 2017. Though the local police claimed that the crime was committed by the school bus conductor after the boy tried to resist his attempts of molestation, the CBI which was entrusted with the investigation following public pressure zeroed in on his school senior. As per the prosecution, he did it allegedly to get the examinations postponed and a scheduled parent-teacher meeting cancelled.