UPSC aspirants’ death case: Court disposes of bail pleas, directs to approach competent court following case transfer to CBI

New Delhi [India], August 3 (ANI): The Tis Hazari court on Saturday disposed of the bail pleas of the co-owners of the basement where three civil services aspirants died due to flooding and asked them to approach the competent court as the Delhi High Court has transferred the investigation to the CBI.

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

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

Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Atul Srivastav appeared for Delhi police and informed the court that the investigation had been transferred to the CBI by the High Court yesterday.

Defence counsel Amit Chaddha along with Kaushal Jeet Kait, Daksh Gupta and Jatin Gupta appeared for the accused persons.

Defence counsel Amit Chaddha said, “There is no Regular Case (RC) by the CBI till date. Can an accused be left remediless?

ASJ Rakesh Kumar said that he cannot hear these bail applications in the “changed circumstances,” as the case has been transferred to the CBI.

“Better you (defence counsel) withdraw the application,” the ASJ said.

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

The 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 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 due to flooding from

heavy rains.

On Friday, the Delhi High Court transferred the investigation case pertaining to the deaths of three UPSC aspirants in Old Rajinder Nagar to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The reason cited for this decision is the seriousness of the incidents and the potential involvement of corruption by public servants.

The Delhi High Court directed the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to nominate a senior officer to oversee the CBI probe into the deaths of the Civil Services aspirants.

The High Court has also criticized the Delhi Police for not having the initiative to summon MCD officials for questioning.

The court pointed out that the police had failed to investigate the source of the water entering the basement and had instead arrested a driver, implying a lack of thoroughness in their approach.

The Delhi High Court highlighted that water issues are pervasive and affect everyone, including private residences.

The court 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.

The Court 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 cetre in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar area continued for the seventh day on Saturday.

The students have been protesting since July 27, when three civil services aspirants lost their lives in the basement of Rau’s Rau’s IAS Circle after rainwater gushed into it.

The MCD has sealed the basements of several coaching centres in the area, since the three civil services aspirants’ deaths.

According to MCD officials, using basements for commercial purposes is a violation of building bye-laws.