Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A Special CBI court in Delhi on Thursday directed the investigating agency to look into criminal negligence by senior municipal officials in the deaths of three students in an illegally-run coaching centre in 2024.
In his order, District and Sessions Court Judge Dinesh Bhatt noted that the CBI failed to investigate the role of Delhi Jal Board officials. The court directed the CBI to further investigate the reasons behind the institute’s illegal use of the basement, which contributed to the deaths of the three students.
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The order followed a protest petition filed by J Dalvin Suresh, whose son was among the three students who died. The petition had alleged that the CBI was shielding corrupt officials of Delhi Jal Board and MCD. His plea had also alleged that the agency had ignored material facts that could establish criminal liability for several persons and had restricted the probe into the negligence of the Junior Engineer.
The court highlighted several lapses in the investigation by the CBI, noting that the MCD had not sanctioned the building for educational purposes, but the investigating agency failed to probe this aspect. “The Investigating Officer was duty bound to investigate on the issue of criminal negligence as well as dereliction of duty/corrupt practices,” the order noted.
The bench also criticised the CBI for limiting its investigation to probing the role of the junior-most engineer in the incident. “To say that the lowest official in the hierarchy did not perform his duty will not suffice in the matter. It was the duty of the supervising officers to see that the necessary compliance was being carried out on the ground,” observed the court.
WHAT HAPPENED IN JULY 2024?
Three civil service aspirants died after the basement of a building housing a coaching centre was flooded following heavy rain in parts of Delhi on July 27, 2024. The incident happened at the Rau’s IAS Study Circle in the Old Rajinder Nagar area. Following their deaths, a criminal case was registered and two people were detained.
Their bodies were recovered after a search operation was conducted by a team of the Delhi Police, fire officials and the National Disaster Response Force. The victims were identified as Tania Soni (25), Shreya Yadav (25), and Nevin Dalwin (28).
A preliminary investigation in the case had suggested that the basement housed a library where several students were present. Soon after the incident, students protested the deaths of the three civil service aspirants, raising slogans against the authorities.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
