The Delhi High Court has granted interim bail to four individuals in the tragic coaching centre deaths case, where three civil services aspirants drowned in a flooded basement. The court, led by Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, deemed the actions of the accused, the co-owners of the basement, as an ‘unpardonable act of greed’ and ordered them to deposit ₹5 crore to the Red Cross.
The court’s decision also highlighted the need for greater regulation of coaching centres in Delhi. Justice Sharma directed Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to form a committee headed by a retired High Court judge. This committee will be tasked with ensuring that no coaching centre operates without proper sanction and will determine designated locations for these facilities.
The tragedy occurred in July when heavy rain caused waterlogging in the Old Rajinder Nagar area of Delhi, leading to the flooding of the coaching centre’s basement. The Delhi High Court previously transferred the case from the Delhi Police to the CBI, who are currently investigating the incident. The CBI, who opposed the bail pleas citing the early stage of the investigation, alleged various offenses including criminal negligence, dereliction of duties, and corruption.
Six individuals were arrested in connection with the deaths and remain in judicial custody. However, the co-owners of the basement, Parvinder Singh, Tajinder Singh, Harvinder Singh, and Sarbjit Singh, maintain that they were merely landlords and played no role in the tragedy. They claim the space was rented to the coaching centre and the incident was an ‘act of God’ that could have been avoided had civic agencies fulfilled their responsibilities.
