Delhi High Court Hears Bail Plea of Coaching Centre Owners After Tragic Drowning Incident

The four co-owners of a basement coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar, New Delhi, have approached the Delhi High Court for bail after their previous application was denied by the trial court. The trial court had denied bail, citing their liability for allowing the basement to be used illegally as a coaching centre, leading to the drowning of three IAS aspirants on July 27, 2024.

The co-owners argue that they were not named in the FIR and cooperated with the investigation. They also claim that the trial court overlooked the principle that vicarious liability does not apply in criminal jurisprudence. They believe that strict criminal liability should only apply to the person who directly commits the criminal act.

In their earlier bail application, the accused argued that the tragic incident was caused by heavy rain, which they described as an ‘act of God.’ They also blamed the civic agency for the area’s dysfunctional sewer system. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is handling the case, stated that the basement was designated solely for storage, not for educational purposes. The agency claims that the accused were aware of the risks associated with operating a coaching centre in that space.

The court also considered testimony from a Karol Bagh resident who had previously raised concerns about Rau’s IAS running a classroom in the basement without permission. He had warned of a potential major accident a month before the incident. The court observed that the accused were aware that allowing the illegal use of the basement was endangering lives and that this illegal use was directly connected to the tragic event.