The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday informed the Delhi High Court that its investigation against officials from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Jal Board and the Department of Fire Services is in progress in connection with the drowning of three Civil Services aspirants in the basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar in July.
The probe agency said that based on the investigation conducted so far, a charge sheet has been filed under the provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against six persons in a trial court on September 26.
The CBI submitted that no criminality could be attributed to the role of Manuj Kathuria, the owner and driver of the SUV who was earlier arrested for driving his car through a flooded road that caused the water to swell and gush into the building which was functioning as the coaching centre.
The court asked the CBI to file a fresh status report of the investigation within four weeks.
During the hearing, CBI’s counsel said that the status report has been filed in a sealed cover since disclosure of certain facts at this stage will hamper the investigation.
The counsel said the six accused against whom the charge sheet has been filed are already out on interim bail. The agency said that in pursuance to the court’s August 2 order, it has submitted three reports to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).
The court had earlier asked the CVC to nominate a senior officer to oversee the probe by the CBI into the criminal case in a time-bound manner.
The court was informed by the counsel for the Delhi government that the Chief Secretary has prepared the report and urged the court to grant four more weeks to file the next report as it requires the approval from the minister concerned.
The court, however, said the Chief Secretary was appointed as the head of the committee by the court and the report has to be submitted directly to the court and it does not require concurrence from anyone.
It granted four weeks to the chief secretary to file the report and listed the matter for further hearing on November 6.
The court was hearing a plea by Kutumb, an organisation that sought a high-level committee to investigate the deaths of three civil service aspirants in the basement of a flooded coaching centre, Rau’s IAS Study Circle, in Old Rajinder Nagar on the evening of July 27.
Published – October 08, 2024 01:02 am IST