NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has sought the CBI’s response on the bail pleas of the co-owners of the coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar, where three UPSC aspirants tragically drowned in July after heavy rains flooded the building’s basement.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma has issued a notice to the CBI, asking them to respond to the bail petitions filed by Parvinder Singh, Tajinder Singh, Harvinder Singh, and Sarbjit Singh, co-owners of the premises where Rau’s IAS Study Circle is located.
During the hearing, the judge expressed the need to ensure accountability and prevent such tragedies in the future, remarking, “This should not be treated as an ordinary case.”
The defence argued that the co-owners had leased the property to the coaching centre and were not responsible for managing the premises. Senior advocate Mohit Mathur, representing the accused, stressed that his clients could not have anticipated such an event when leasing out the space.
The court, however, urged landlords to be more cautious when renting out properties, especially for commercial purposes. Justice Sharma emphasised, “Landlords should think multiple times before letting out their property for commercial use.” He asked the CBI to present concrete evidence proving the co-owners’ accountability.
The CBI is investigating not only the building owners but also the role of city officials, questioning the MCD’s failure to prevent waterlogging in the area despite prior warnings.
The court scheduled the next hearing for September 11 and allowed the father of one of the deceased students to submit a reply to the bail applications.
The incident occurred on July 27, when heavy rains led to waterlogging in the area, resulting in the deaths of Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Nevin Delvin from Kerala, all young aspirants preparing for the civil services exam.