Delhi Coaching Centre Tragedy: Co-owners Seek Bail in CBI Court
New Delhi, August 7: The co-owners of a coaching centre basement in Delhi’s old Rajinder Nagar, where three UPSC aspirants drowned, have approached a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court for bail. The High Court had transferred the investigation to the CBI. The Rouse Avenue court will hear the bail pleas today.
Details of the Case
Principal District and Session judge Anuj Bajaj Chandana listed the matter for hearing on Wednesday. The accused, Harvinder, Tejinder, Parvinder, and Sarabjeet, have filed bail pleas through their advocates. They were booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and were arrested on July 28.
The High Court had earlier dismissed their bail application but allowed them to approach the appropriate court. The accused argue that they were not named in the FIR and had voluntarily gone to the police station, showing their good intentions. They also claim that the trial court did not consider the lease terms and other material evidence.
Arguments and Counterarguments
The accused argue that they had leased the basement and third floor for running a coaching centre, which is permissible by MCD norms. They claim they had no intention or knowledge of committing any crime and that the charges against them are exaggerated.
Advocate Amit Chaddha, representing the accused, argued that the incident was an act of God due to desilting and rain. He also mentioned that the place was leased for study purposes, not as a library.
Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Atul Srivastava opposed the bail applications, stating that the property was meant for warehouse purposes and that the accused should have checked the crowd in the basement. He argued that the case is serious and at an initial stage.
Current Status
The court has yet to decide on the bail applications. The investigation is ongoing, and the role of other civic agencies is also being examined.
Doubts Revealed
CBI -: CBI stands for Central Bureau of Investigation. It is India’s main investigative agency that looks into serious crimes like corruption and major criminal cases.
Bail -: Bail is when someone who has been arrested is allowed to be free until their trial, usually after paying some money as a guarantee that they will come back to court.
High Court -: The High Court is a higher level of court in India that deals with important cases and can transfer investigations to other agencies like the CBI.
FIR -: FIR stands for First Information Report. It is a document prepared by the police when they receive information about a crime.
Prosecution -: Prosecution is the side in a legal case that tries to prove the accused person is guilty of the crime.
Warehouse -: A warehouse is a large building where goods are stored before they are sold or used.
UPSC -: UPSC stands for Union Public Service Commission. It is an organization in India that conducts exams to recruit people for various government jobs.
