Police remand of sub-contractor extended in Delhi biker's death case
NEW DELHI: A court, on Monday, extended by a day the police remand of a sub-contractor arrested for allegedly withholding information that a biker had fallen into a pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board in the Janakpuri area, delaying police and emergency response.
Another accused in the case, 23-year-old labourer Yogesh, was also produced in the court, which sent him to 14 days of judicial custody. He was present at the spot at the time of the accident.
The labourer was arrested on Sunday for allegedly not informing the police or emergency authorities about the incident and also for misleading the victim’s family when they came inquiring about him.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Shiv Kumar extended sub-contractor Rajesh Prajapati’s police custody by a day on Monday. His one-day police remand, granted on Sunday, ended today.
Kamal Dhyani, an employee with a private bank in Rohini, was returning home on the intervening night of Thursday-Friday when he fell into the pit dug for a sewer project with his bike, suffering fatal injuries. Prajapati was arrested on Saturday.
So far, two arrests have been made in connection with the incident. Three Delhi Jal Board officials have been suspended in the case.
The victim, Kamal Dhyani, was riding home when he fell into the pit, which had allegedly been left open without any safety measures. Two persons —a sub-contractor and his employee—have already been arrested in the case, police officials said.
The sub-contractor, Rajesh Kumar Prajapati, was arrested on Saturday, while his employee Yogesh was nabbed on Sunday. DCP(West) Darade Sharad Bhaskar said Prajapati’s police custody remand was extended by one day, while Yogesh was sent to judicial custody.
“Non-bailable warrants have been issued against the alleged contractors Himanshu Gupta and Kavish Gupta,” the DCP said.
According to the FIR, the pit had been dug by the Delhi Jal Board near the Andhra School and was left uncovered without any safety arrangements to alert road users. “There was no barricading, no warning sign or security guard deployed at the site despite the pit being dug in the middle of the road,” the FIR stated. Police said a spot inspection conducted after the accident indicated that the authorities concerned were aware of the excavation work but failed to ensure basic safety measures at the site.
The incident took place on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. Kamal Dhyani was returning home from his office in Rohini when the accident took place. An eyewitness, Vipin Singh, told police that he was returning to his home in Sagarpur in his car after attending a relative’s wedding in Rohini that night. He said he saw a motorcycle fall into the pit and immediately informed a guard, who later alerted Yogesh, the contractor’s labourer present at the site.
When Yogesh looked into the pit, he noticed the motorcycle’s headlight was still on. He also saw a human figure lying inside, amid excessive darkness. At around 12:22 am, as confirmed later through mobile records, Yogesh informed his employer Prajapati, who reached the spot.
Despite knowing that a motorcycle had fallen into the pit and a person was inside, Prajapati and his labourer allegedly did not inform the police.
Victim’s family alleges negligence on part of DJB
The victim’s family has alleged negligence on the part of the DJB and has also raised suspicion of foul play. Three DJB engineers have already been suspended in connection with the incident, officials said. The incident took place on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. Kamal Dhyani was returning home from his office in Rohini when the accident took place.