PATNA:  For 18 days, Ruby Rai had faced custody stoically but on Wednesday the teenager's defences broke down on seeing her grandfather as she fervently cried for freedom.

Ruby, lodged in a remand home for minors, had been taken to the juvenile justice board office at Gaighat in Patna City for a hearing on her bail petition. Her octogenarian grandfather Munshi Prasad Rai was present at the hearing that began before a three-member bench around 12.30pm.

This was the first time Ruby had come across any member of her family since her arrest in the Intermediate result scam on June 25.
But Ruby's appeal went in vain as her bail petition was rejected.

K.D. Mishra, a lawyer with the Patna civil court who was arguing on behalf of Ruby, said she should be given bail as she had duly written her examinations and had nothing to do with those who had increased her marks.

However, assistant public prosecutor Vinay Kumar, appearing on behalf of the special investigation team (SIT) probing the scam, argued that granting bail to her might lead to tampering of evidence. "The investigation is still in progress and bail at this stage might hamper the probe," he argued.

All through the hearing, Ruby kept crying that she be granted freedom to leave. " Mujhe ghar jaane do... mujhe ghar jaana hai (Let me go home. I want to go home)," she wailed.

Her grandfather Munshi Prasad Rai, in his eighties, stood all through the proceedings that lasted till 3pm.

Ruby was calm and composed till she saw Munshi Prasad. "As soon as she saw her grandfather, she began crying," a source said.

Munshi Prasad did manage to speak to his granddaughter when Ruby was being taken back to the remand home. " Aap mujhe kisi tarah bhi ghar le jao. Aap mujhe ghar kyun nahi lekar jaa rahe ho? Itne din aap log kaha the... mujhe ghar jaana hai (Do anything to take me home. Why aren't you taking me home? Where were you so long? I want to go home)," Ruby cried.

The grandfather consoled her: "How can I take you home unless you are released by the court? I will visit you regularly and soon you will be home."

Suresh Kumar of the Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre, an NGO which had filed the bail petition, said they would now move the district court. "We are positive she will get bail," he said.

SIT sources said the handwriting of Ruby doesn't match with that on her answer-sheets. The forensic science lab on Wednesday submitted its report on her handwriting match to the vigilance court.

-The Telegraph Calcutta