The co-owners of a coaching centre basement in Delhi’s Rajinder Nagar where three UPSC aspirants lost their lives have proceeded to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court for bail. The latest development has come as the High Court has transferred the investigation to the CBI. The Rouse Avenue court is scheduled to hear the bail pleas today.
The arguments presented by the accused
The accused Sarabjeet, Harvinder, Tejinder and Pavinder have filed bail applications through their advocates. They have been charged with various sections of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, resulting in their arrest on July 28. Their bail applications were declined by the Metropolitan Magistrate on July 31 and by the Sessions Court at Tis Hazari on August 5. However, the High Court’s order has allowed the accused to seek bail from the appropriate court.
The accused have said that they have voluntarily surrendered themselves to the police and they have not been named in the FIR. They also mentioned in its defence statement that the trial court is not taking into account the lease agreement which permitted them to run a coaching centre’s operation. They asserted that under Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) norms the basement was legally leased for running a coaching centre.
All about the charges levied on the accused
According to defence claims, the charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder imposed upon them are not applied properly. They argue that the incident was an act of nature and happened because of the stream of water and rain. The prosecution was not able to demonstrate any intention or knowledge of committing a crime. The accused party did not run away and approached the police on their own, as stated by Advocate Amit Chaddha.
Prosecution’s statement
The bail applications have been opposed by the Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Atul Srivastav. He said that the accused were careless and the basement was meant for a warehouse, not for a coaching centre. He argued that the accused have been aware of the crowding issues and that their actions are an offence. The prosecutor highlighted that their custody should be continued as the investigation is at the initial stages and it is a serious case.
(With ANI inputs)