The Delhi Government will recommend a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the death of six-year-old Devansh Kakrora, a Class-I student of Ryan International School, whose body was found in a reservoir at the school.
Meanwhile, the aggrieved parents of Devansh approached HRD Minister Smriti
Irani on Sunday seeking her intervention for a CBI probe into the case.
The city Government’s decision came after Hetram Meena, the father of the child, alleged that his son was sexually assaulted and then killed. A magisterial probe ordered by the Delhi Government into the case has found several glaring anomalies in the version of the school staff and said “deliberate” inaction by the school authorities amounted to “gross criminal negligence” which led to the death of the child.
“We will definitely recommend CBI probe into death of Devansh. We can see shortcomings in the ongoing probe. Devansh’s parents levelled serious allegation,” Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Sunday.
Sisodia, who also holds the Education portfolio, had said on Saturday that the magisterial probe into Devansh’s death indicated towards a “heinous crime” and that the investigation so far has “ignored” the observations of the child’s parents. He also claimed that no police official has met the parents of Devansh so far.
A senior Government official said, “Once Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal comes back from Bengaluru, which is scheduled for Sunday, the CBI probe will be recommended after proper consultations”.
In a letter to Irani, the parents alleged there was a “conspiracy” behind the incident and demanded action against the school management. “Devansh’s death was too suspicious and the reasons are still not cleared by school authorities. I am sure about some conspiracy against my child.
“Being a father, I just request you to please try to hand over this case to CBI so that proper investigations can be made in this case, otherwise I know this case would be suppressed by the school administration,” Devansh’s father said in the letter, copy of which was also forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Office.
“Hoping for justice for my child through your cooperation, I also demand action against the school management,” he added.
Meena had alleged that injury marks were seen on his body including on private parts. Meena said he saw cotton swabs on the child’s private parts and alleged that the principal of the school has threatened the family to keep quiet over the issue. He reiterated his demand for a CBI probe into the case.
“I saw the body. There were some injury marks and cotton on his private parts. The principal has been threatening me since the beginning saying that keeping quiet will be good for me,” he said, demanding cancellation of the school’s license. However, a senior police officer, handling the probe, had ruled out sexual assault on the basis of the initial post- mortem report and investigation so far.
It may be recalled that Devansh was found dead in the reservoir under the amphitheatre of the school located in South Delhi, on January 30. The initial postmortem report suggested he died of drowning and no external injuries were found, police had said.