Pintos' bail plea referred for assigning to another HC bench

Chandigarh: A Punjab and Haryana High Court judge on Tuesday refused to hear the anticipatory bail plea of Ryan International Schools' three trustees since he knew the Pinto family and referred the case to the Chief Justice for assigning it to another court.

The matter is likely to be heard by a new bench on Wednesday.

Justice A.B. Chaudhary referred the case to the High Court Chief Justice for assigning to some other court since he knew the trustees -- Augustine F. Pinto, his wife Grace and their son Ryan.

The three had approached the High Court on Saturday, seeking anticipatory bail in a case related to the murder of seven-year-old Pradhuman at Ryan International School in Bhondsi area in Gurugram district of Haryana on September 8.

The family's anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Bombay High Court earlier.

The Bombay High Court had granted conditional interim stay on the arrest of the Pintos till 5 p.m. on Friday to enable them to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Thomas Francis, the Regional Head of Ryan Group of Institutions who was arrested by Haryana Police, has also moved an application for regular bail.