A Delhi Court on Wednesday denied bail to Manoj Kathuria, an SUV driver and businessman by profession, arrested in connection with the deaths of three civil services aspirants who drowned in the basement of an IAS coaching centre in the city’s Old Rajinder Nagar area.
Judicial Magistrate Vinod Kumar of Tis Hazari Courts also denied bail to four co-owners of the basement, namely Parvinder Singh, Harvinder Singh, Sarabjit Singh and Tajinder Singh.
The three aspirants died in a flooded basement at Rau’s IAS coaching centre.
Kathuria is accused of forcing a water wave that breached the entrance of the coaching centre and led to the flooding of rainwater in the basement. He was driving his SUV car on the waterlogged road in front of the coaching centre.
All five accused persons are presently under judicial custody till August 12.
APP Atul Srivastava appeared for Delhi Police. Advocates Rakesh Malhotra, Bharat Malhotra, Sahil Ahuja, Kushal Malhotra and RK Tripathi appeared for Kathuria and Advocate Amit Chadha represented basement co-owners.
In a related development, the Delhi High Court today heard a PIL seeking a High Powered Committee to investigate the basement flooding incident and tore into the Delhi government’s “freebie” policies.
The bench said because of the “freebie culture”, the government has no money to upgrade the infrastructure, particularly the city’s drainage system, in the face of the exploding population of the city.
ACJ Manmohan also questioned the Delhi Police on the arrest of the SUV driver, remarking that everyone is trying to protect each other’s back.
“What is police doing catching passersby-a driver saying that ‘because you have passed so water has entered the basement’. Have you questioned person who has not done the desilting?” the ACJ remarked.
Reportedly, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has announced Rs. 10 lakhs as compensation for the kin of three deceased civil services aspirants.
The LG further assured action against the erring officials of Delhi Fire Services, Delhi police and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) within 24 hours.
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