Manuj Kathuria, the SUV driver implicated in the tragic flooding of a Delhi coaching centre basement that resulted in the deaths of three students, has been granted bail on a bond of Rs 50,000 by the Delhi High Court. This decision follows the Delhi Police’s move to drop the severe charge of ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ against him.
Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Kumar approved the bail today, overturning the denial by a magisterial court earlier this week.
This man, driver of the SUV car who was driving on the water logged roads arrested and sent to Judicial Custody!
Manuj Kathuria arrested for damaging gate of flooded Rau’s IAS academy.
Arrest of #MCD officers? ZERO! pic.twitter.com/hXegnvdI0y
— Sneha Mordani (@snehamordani) July 30, 2024
“The bail is allowed,” stated Judge Kumar during the hearing.
Manuj Kathuria was accused of driving his Force Gurkha through a waterlogged street, causing rainwater to breach the gates of the three-storey building housing the coaching centre and flood the basement.
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Explaining the decision to drop the harsher charge, the police noted, “During further investigation over the last 48 hours, it has become clear that the ingredients of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) are not sufficiently established at this stage.”
The Delhi Police added that an expert team from IIT-Delhi would visit the site to provide further insights. For now, Kathuria faces charges under Section 281 BNS (rash driving or riding on public way).
On Wednesday, a magisterial court had denied bail to Manuj Kathuria, describing the offence as “serious” and deeming his plea “untenable at this stage”. This decision came after the Delhi High Court, led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan, criticized the police’s investigation, questioning the rationale behind arresting the driver.
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“What is Delhi Police doing? Have they lost it? What are its officials who are monitoring the probe doing? Is this a cover-up?” the Delhi High Court asked during a hearing on a petition seeking an independent investigation into the incident.
Kathuria was arrested on Monday along with four co-owners of the basement. Previously, a magisterial court had sent to 14-day judicial custody Rau’s IAS Study Circle owner Abhishek Gupta and coordinator Deshpal Singh.
The tragic incident has sparked a wave of criticism and demands for stricter safety regulations in educational institutions. The Delhi government has already issued new guidelines for the safety and security of school students in response to the incident.
