Today, On 22nd August, Delhi court decided that The court will decide on August 28 whether Rau’s IAS Study Circle can regain access to its premises following the coaching center deaths. The decision will address concerns regarding the safety and operational status of the facility.
New Delhi: A Delhi court set to decide next week whether Rau’s IAS Study Circle can access its Old Rajender Nagar premises, where three UPSC aspirants tragically died in July after rainwater flooded the basement.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Nishant Garg scheduled the decision for August 28 after hearing arguments from the advocates involved in the case.
In an application, Rau’s IAS Study Circle CEO Abhishek Gupta requested access to the premises, stating it was necessary to ensure the smooth operation of classes.
The judge stated,
“Arguments on the application have been heard, including those from the counsel for the victim. The matter is set for orders on August 28, 2024,”
During the arguments, senior advocate Rebecca John, representing Abhishek Gupta, argued that access to the building is essential for students to continue their studies. She asserted that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) does not have the authority to block access to the premises.
John stated,
“They (CBI) can prosecute me (Gupta), but they cannot prevent me from entering the building. That responsibility lies with another civic agency. If the CBI wants the building sealed, they should request another agency to do it,”
In response, the CBI informed the court that the basement was intended for storage, and the tragic incident occurred because it was being used as a library.
Emphasizing the lack of safety measures in the building, the CBI warned,
“Such an accident could happen again in the near future,”
The advocate representing J Dalvil Suresh, father of Nevin Dalvil, one of the students who drowned in the basement, argued before the court that the Supreme Court ruled that no coaching centre can operate without proper safety measures.
The court inquired whether the CBI sealed the upper floors of the building and noted that the agency had not mentioned that the building was illegal. The CBI confirmed that it had not sealed the upper floors.
Senior advocate Rebecca John, defending Abhishek Gupta, claimed that the building adhered to all safety regulations.
She asked, further alleging that the CBI had not arrested any government officials and instead targeting “weak people.”
“If this were a residence where I [Gupta] lived, could I be barred from entering?”
The court also heard an application by Manoj Kathuria, who sought the release of his SUV from CBI custody. Police alleged that Kathuria drove his SUV at high speed through a waterlogged street, causing a wave that broke the coaching center’s gate, allowing rainwater to flood the basement, resulting in the deaths of the three students.
The court criticized the CBI for not releasing the vehicle, stating,
“What benefit will you get by keeping the vehicle with you? Why do you wish to keep it? You can inspect it even without seizing it.”
The CBI informed the court that a team of experts from IIT-Delhi had been engaged to assess whether the wave created by the vehicle could have impacted the main gate to the extent that its rails would collapse.
The court then instructed the investigating officer to provide details by August 28 on the specific proceedings required from the expert team.
Additionally, the CBI mentioned that it secured the digital video recorder from Rau’s IAS Study Circle and the CCTV footage from Chahal Academy, located opposite the coaching center.
Meanwhile, the court approved an application from Abhishek Gupta for the release of six vehicles parked at the building’s stilt level, after the CBI confirmed it had no objection to the vehicles being removed.