Delhi High Court transfers coaching centre deaths case to CBI
- M.R Mishra
- Aug 3, 2024
- 2 min read
The Delhi High Court expressed relief that the rainwater flowing in the drain was not blamed for the deaths of three civil services aspirants who drowned in the basement of a coaching center in the national capital. The court criticized the arrest of an SUV driver who was crossing the area during the incident.
The court suggested that senior officials might be involved in the case and has transferred the investigation of the students' deaths at Rau's IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
"Considering the nature of the incident and to ensure public confidence in the investigation, this court transfers the investigation to the CBI,"
stated the Delhi High Court.
The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has been instructed to appoint a senior officer to oversee the CBI investigation and ensure it is completed promptly.
Manuj Kathuria, who was charged with 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder' for driving on the waterlogged road near the coaching center before its basement flooded, was granted bail yesterday.
The court stressed that police gain respect by apprehending the guilty and protecting the innocent, warning that arresting the innocent while letting the guilty go free is a serious injustice.
The Delhi Police apologized but attributed the negative impression to media reports.
The court also directed the Delhi Police to provide a clear account of the facts, stating that failing to do so would be unacceptable and likened it to a "brothers club" approach.
The police were instructed to conduct the investigation scientifically and not to succumb to any external pressures.
The court questioned why civic officials did not inform the commissioner about non-functioning stormwater drains in Rajinder Nagar, noting that it
"has become a norm and MCD officials are not bothered."
The Delhi Police arrested the owner and the coordinator of the coaching center and charged them with culpable homicide after three students—Shreya Yadav (25) from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni (25) from Telangana, and Nevin Delvin (24) from Ernakulam, Kerala—died in its flooded basement on Saturday night.
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