Court Questions Accountability In Death Of Three Students At Delhi Coaching Institute

New Delhi: The Rouse Avenue Court has questioned the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over its failure to hold accountable those responsible for building a weak gate at the coaching institute in Delhi’s Old Rajendra Nagar. This questioning came during the hearing of the bail plea filed by four co-owners arrested in connection with the death of three students.

Court Criticizes Substandard Construction

On July 28, three civil services aspirants died when water flooded the basement of an IAS study circle in Old Rajendra Nagar. Principal District and Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna remarked, “We have heard reports of flyover collapses. If the contractor uses substandard material, this is the natural consequence.” The co-owners had cited the broken gate as the point of entry for water, which led to the flooding and subsequent tragedy. The police had stated that a local resident, Manoj Kathuria, drove his SUV into the lane, causing the water to enter through the gate. Kathuria later secured bail after the Delhi High Court criticized his arrest.

Arguments from Defense and Prosecution

Advocate Amit Chaddha, representing the co-owners, argued that the property is commercial and used solely for coaching. He asserted that the accused are only the landowners and never authorized the use of the basement as a library. Chaddha further argued that the co-owners voluntarily reported to the police and could not evade arrest. He claimed that while negligence might apply, culpable homicide does not, as there was no direct knowledge that students would drown.

The CBI disputed Chaddha’s claims, emphasizing that the owners received Rs 4 lakh monthly and three innocent lives were lost. The Court questioned the CBI on whether the road had a history of flooding, suggesting that the owners might have been aware of potential drowning risks. The CBI cited a student’s complaint that the basement was unsafe, arguing that the owners should have known of the risks. Advocate Abhijeet Anand, representing the victims, highlighted that the area floods within 10 minutes of rain, questioning whether the owners should bear some responsibility.

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