UPSC aspirants' death: Lower court disposes of bail pleas of co-owners of basement as case transferred to CBI

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The Tis Hazari court on Saturday disposed of the bail pleas of the co-owners of the basement where three civil services aspirants died owing to flooding and asked them to approach the competent court as the Delhi High Court (HC) has transferred the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Rakesh Kumar, after noting the submissions of Delhi Police, disposed of the bail pleas of the accused: Harvinder, Tejinder, Parvinder and Sarabjeet.

The court has granted the accused the liberty to approach the competent court.

Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Atul Srivastav, appearing for Delhi Police, informed the court that the investigation had been transferred to CBI by HC on Friday.

Defence counsel Amit Chaddha along with Kaushal Jeet Kait, Daksh Gupta and Jatin Gupta appeared for the accused persons. Chaddha said, "There is no regular case (RC) by CBI till date. Can an accused be left remediless?"

ASJ Kumar said that he cannot hear these bail applications in the "changed circumstances," as the case has been transferred to CBI. "Better you [defence counsel] withdraw the application," he said.

Chaddha urged the court to release the accused on interim bail.

ASG said, "When I cannot hear the application, then how can I grant relief?

Thereafter, the defence counsel said, kindly give liberty to approach the competent court.

The Delhi Police has booked the co-owners for culpable homicide and under other charges.

The three civil services aspirants died in the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle in the Old Rajendra Nagar in central Delhi on the night of July 27 after it got flooded in heavy rains.

On Friday, HC transferred the investigation case to CBI citing the seriousness of the incident and the potential involvement of corruption by public servants.

HC directed the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to nominate a senior officer to oversee the CBI probe. It also criticised Delhi Police for not taking the initiative to summon the officials of Delhi civic body for questioning. The court pointed out that the police had failed to investigate the source of the water entering the basement and instead arrested a driver, implying a lack of thoroughness in their approach. The court also highlighted that water issues are pervasive and affect everyone, including private residences and noted that even the Yamuna River is encroached upon, reflecting a broader problem in Delhi where there is a prevailing mindset that the river will continue to flow despite encroachments. HC also warned that water does not discriminate and can affect anyone, regardless of address. It also stated that there is a serious issue of criminal neglect and cautioned that if the current situation persists, such tragedies may recur every monsoon.

Meanwhile, the protest of civil services aspirants against the deaths of three students at a coaching centre in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar area continued for the seventh day on Saturday.

The Delhi civic body sealed the basements of several coaching centres in the area following the deaths. According to civic officials, using basements for commercial purposes is a violation of building bye-laws.

(With ANI inputs)