Delhi Court Sends Six Accused to Four-Day CBI Custody over UPSC Aspirants Death
A Delhi court on Tuesday sent six people into four-day custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the tragic death of three civil services aspirants. The investigation against the accused persons has been initiated for their involvement in the drowning of aspirants in the basement of the coaching centre situated in Old Rajinder Nagar, the hub for UPSC preparation. Questions have been raised over the safety and working standards of coaching centers in the area on very serious grounds.
The Tragic Incident
Six accused had been arrested in the incident relating to the drowning of three UPSC aspirants in the flooded basement of a coaching centre in the Old Rajinder Nagar area of Delhi. Essentially, it is a student hub with a large population of students preparing for the UPSC exams. There are coaching institutes in galore in this area. According to them, the basement in which the drowning occurred got flooded due to heavy rains coupled with inadequate drainage facilities, making it dangerous.
The victims, who came to Delhi with dreams of a bright future by cracking prestigious civil services examinations, were inside the basement when the water level started rising rapidly. Victims tried to find their way out but were burnt due to a few exits available in the basement and a complete lack of safety measures. This accident has shattered the dreams of not only victims but also their families while highlighting the risk and negligence a student has to face while chasing academic excellence.
Judicial Intervention and Investigation by CBI
The Delhi High Court had subsequently taken cognizance of the incident and ordered an inquiry into the deaths to establish the causes leading to them. In furtherance of that, the High Court, on August 2, 2024, directed the CBI to take over the probe and underlined the aspect of finding out any criminal negligence, dereliction of duty, or corrupt practice on the part of individuals/officers involved.
In furtherance of the order, six were arrested by the CBI: Abhishek Gupta, Deshpal Singh, Tajinder Singh, Harvinder Singh, Sarabjit Singh, and Parvinder Singh-each either with an association in the coaching center or with maintenance duties of the building where the incident had happened; the CBI has been tasked to bring forth what each played in the run-up to the tragedy.
CBI Custody-Order by Court
The accused were produced before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Nishant Garg as their initial judicial custody expired on Saturday. CBI moved an application seeking to take the accused in police custody to facilitate further interrogation. It said the custodial interrogation was required to find out the role of various people in possible corrupt practices or criminal negligence.
A proper investigation is needed,” Judge Nishant Garg said while allowing the plea of the CBI. He added, “In view of the averments contained in the application and in particular the scope of investigation as indicated in terms of the order dated August 2, 2024, passed by the High Court of Delhi, custodial interrogation of the accused persons would be necessary for the purpose of investigation and for ascertaining the role played by various individuals who might have been involved in corrupt practices or criminal negligence.”
It has given the custody of the six accused to the CBI till September 4, enabling the investigating agency to investigate the matter further and fix responsibility in full measure.
The Charges and Legal Proceedings
The CBI has registered a case involving several counts of criminal negligence, dereliction of duty, and corruption. These are charges that go all the way from targeting people who were directly involved with the operational aspect of the coaching center to even officials of the local authorities who may have faulted in failing to perform their duties in enforcing the standards of safety. This question would apparently reveal the breaches in the three licensure, inspection, among other issues of the safety protocol that created unsafe conditions for the students, which caused them to die.
The trials are bound to bring in systemic issues that could have led to such negligence. It is against this backdrop that the decision of the court to give CBI custody underlines the gravity of the allegations and the commitment of the judiciary to ensure justice for the victims.
Conclusion:
It was expected that the tragic drowning of three UPSC aspirants in Delhi would raise very crucial discussions regarding safety and regulatory oversight at the educational facility, especially high-density student areas of Old Rajinder Nagar. This order is a major milestone toward accountability and justice.
It is a grim reminder of the role being played by educational establishments and liability of their operation at all times to risk the protective circle that surrounds the students in their care. One would wish that, as the investigation unfolds, this was going to be the end, with findings leading to enforcement of better safety regulations and practices to avoid the occurrence of similar tragedies in the future.
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