Coaching centre tragedy: Owner ‘knowingly’ used basement for commercial purposes without nod: CBI
New Delhi, September 1
The CBI has alleged that the owner of Rau’s IAS study circle coaching institute, where three UPSC aspirants drowned due to waterlogging in Old Rajinder Nagar on July 27, Abhishek Gupta, “knowingly” used the basement of the building for commercial purposes in violation of the usage approved by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
The institute owner and five others have been placed in CBI custody until September 4 following a court order on August 31.
‘Was prone to flooding’
- The CBI investigation revealed that the basement, intended only for non-commercial purposes like parking and storage, was instead used as a library and examination hall with a seating capacityAdvertisement
of 80-90 students
- The investigation further disclosed that the building, leased to the coaching institute in January 2022, had been prone to flooding even after moderate rains, a condition exacerbated by the improper use of the basement.
The CBI investigation revealed that the basement, intended only for non-commercial purposes like parking and storage, was instead used as a library and examination hall with a seating capacity of 80-90 students.
On the day of the incident, heavy rainfall caused the area to flood, with water entering the basement where several students were studying. Three students — Shreya Yadav, Tanya Soni and Nevin Dalvin — died of asphyxia due to antemortem drowning.
The CBI has also found that the coaching institute lacked a fire safety certificate for nearly a year after the issue was flagged before the Delhi High Court in 2023. Despite the MCD issuing a show-cause notice, the fire safety certificate was only obtained on July 9, 2024.
The investigation further disclosed that the building, leased to the coaching institute in January 2022, had been prone to flooding even after moderate rains, a condition exacerbated by the improper use of the basement. The case, filed under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), was transferred to the CBI by the Delhi HC on August 2.
