'Mercifully you didn't fine rainwater': HC to cops on SUV driver's arrest

Rau's IAS coaching centre deaths: Delhi HC on Friday transferred the case to the CBI to probe the deaths of the three IAS aspirants in the basement flooding incident at a coaching centre last week

The Delhi High Court on Friday criticised the police over their probe related to the basement flooding incident at Rau’s IAS Study Circle coaching centre in the national capital, in which three IAS aspirants died due to drowning on Saturday.

The court also transferred the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), noting that the seriousness of the incidents indicated that it could involve corruption by public servants.

The incident, which took place at the institute's old Rajendra Nagar centre, has caused a nationwide uproar, with people blaming the authorities for negligence. UPSC aspirants in Delhi have been protesting in Rajendra Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, and other coaching centres since the incident, demanding stringent action against the culprits. They blamed negligence on part of the civic body.

The court rapped the Delhi Police for the method of conducting the investigation, including its decision to arrest the SUV car driver, who was passing by the road outside the coaching centre ahead of the incident.

'You have not challaned rainwater' - HC raps Delhi Police

"Mercifully, you have not challaned rainwater for entering into the basement, the way you arrested the SUV driver for driving his car there,"  the court told the police. The driver, identified as Manuj Kathuria, was granted bail on Thursday by Delhi's Tis Hazari Court.

What led to Rau's IAS coaching centre basement flooding?

On Saturday evening, heavy rainfall resulted in the accumulation of water up to waist-deep on the roads. As the SUV drove through the flooded area, the ripple effect from the vehicle's movement caused the water to slam against the gates, leading to its collapse and the subsequent flooding in the basement of the coaching centre. Around 20-30 students were present in the basement, which was being illegally used as a library.

In its order today, the court noted that 300 illegal libraries are operating in the area. It added that these incidents are taking place due to the “indifference of officials and inaction.”

It said that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials are not bothered and it has become a norm.

So far, six officials of the MCD, the civic body of the national capital, have been suspended in connection with the probe and one has been terminated. Notably, no MCD official has been arrested so far.