In a separate interaction with TOI on Tuesday, the 16-year-old student's father accused CBI of torturing and scaring the boy to own up to a crime "he hasn't committed". "CBI officers had threatened to shoot his entire family if he didn't confess to the murder. It was after this threat that he admitted to the murder," he said.
The boy is believed to have pleaded his innocence before the CPO at an observation home on Monday. "The youngster looked calm. I told him, 'I am a child protection officer. Please tell me anything without fear.' He said, 'I haven't murdered anyone, I'm being framed'," the CPO, who requested anonymity, told TOI.
'Boy not hurt, confessed before father'
On November 8, after detaining the boy, the CBI had said he had confessed before investigators as well as his father. The CPO said the boy told him he had done so because he was scared. "He said he was beaten up and tortured by the investigators. The CBI didn't let any member of the juvenile justice board to be present when the investigation was on. I have no idea if it's normal procedure," the CPO added.
An official spokesperson for the CBI denied the torture claim. An officer, who did not wish to be named, said, "CBI doesn't use such methods on anyone. The boy confessed to his crime+ in front of his father and a welfare officer."
Last Saturday, a member of the juvenile justice board had said the Class 11 student told them during a counselling session he knew Pradhyumn as both of them attended the piano class and it was because of that familiarity that Pradhyumn had accompanied him to the washroom on September 8. The CBI has said the Class 11 student slit Pradhyumn's throat in the washroom because he wanted to postpone the exam and scheduled parent-teacher meeting.