Delhi Coaching Centre Deaths: SUV Driver, Arrested For ‘Splashing Floodwater Inside Basement’, Gets Bail

The SUV driver, Manuj Kathuria, who was arrested in connection with the deaths of three IAS aspirants inside the basement of a coaching centre in Old Old Rajender Nagar in Delhi was granted bail on Thursday.

This comes after the Delhi Police told the court that they have decided to drop the harsher charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the SUV driver.

The decision to drop the charge was conveyed by the investigating officer (IO) to Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Kumar who is hearing an appeal against the denial of bail to the SUV driver, Manuj Kathuria, by a magisterial court on Wednesday.

Police drop culpable homicide charge

As per reports, during the hearing, the police admitted before the court that they did not have enough evidence to establish charges against Kathuria under Section 105 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (culpable homicide). The police, subsequently, dropped the charge against him.

The IO said, "During the further investigation, as carried out in the proceedings 48 hrs, it has transpired that the ingredients of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) is, at this stage, not being sufficiently established."

Kathuria was accused of driving his Force Gurkha car through the street that was flooded by rainwater, causing the water to swell and breach the gates of the three-storey building housing the coaching centre and inundate the basement.

The SUV driver was arrested on July 29 in the case in which three students drowned in the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar. Kathuria was sent to 14-day judicial custody on a culpable homicide charge.

Published on: Thursday, August 01, 2024, 05:53 PM IST