Today(on August 1st), Manoj Kathuria, arrested for the deaths of three civil service aspirants in a flooded Delhi coaching center, has filed a second bail plea with the Sessions Court. He is challenging the Magistrate Court’s previous denial of bail, with the case expected to be heard tomorrow.
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NEW DELHI: Manoj Kathuria, the driver implicated in the tragic deaths of three civil service aspirants in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar, has submitted a second bail plea before the Sessions Court. The plea follows the Magistrate Court’s decision to deny him bail earlier. Kathuria’s latest appeal was filed today(on August 1st), at the Tis Hazari Sessions Court, with the hearing anticipated to take place tomorrow(2nd August).
Kathuria’s bail plea strongly asserts his innocence, stating-
“He is innocent and has no connection to the alleged offense. The police claims about his involvement are entirely speculative, with no evidence to support the allegations. The blame for a statewide infrastructural failure is being unjustly placed on one individual.”
The plea further criticizes the state authorities, emphasizing that the responsibility for the incident lies with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD).
It argues-
“Although the lapse is entirely attributable to state officials, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), none of these officials have been arrested.”
The document also describes Kathuria’s arrest as an –
“An attempt to obscure the responsibility of state authorities and scapegoat the applicant.”
The incident in question occurred on July 27, when Kathuria allegedly drove his SUV through a heavily flooded road in front of an IAS coaching center. The vehicle’s passage reportedly caused the water levels to rise sharply, breaching the building’s gates. This sudden influx of water led to the tragic drowning of three students in the basement of the coaching center.
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The victims, Shreya Yadav (25) from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni (25) from Telangana, and Nevin Delvin (24) from Kerala, were preparing for civil service examinations at the time of the incident. The catastrophic event has ignited widespread outrage, with significant scrutiny directed towards the coaching center for alleged violations of safety norms and the failure of authorities to enforce regulations adequately.
On Wednesday, the Delhi court dismissed Kathuria’s initial bail plea, maintaining the accusations against him. However, Kathuria’s defense continues to challenge the basis of these charges, arguing that the incident’s root causes are deeply entwined with broader infrastructural failings rather than individual actions.
Public reaction to the incident has been intense, with many citizens demanding accountability from both the coaching center and the municipal authorities. The tragedy has underscored severe issues within the city’s infrastructure management, particularly in handling heavy rainfall and flood situations.
