CBI files chargesheet in Rajinder Nagar drownings; MCD, fire officials named

The agency’s submission was in response to a public interest litigation filed by advocate Rudra Vikram Singh on behalf of Kutumb, a social organisation

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday informed the Delhi high court that it has completed its probe into the tragic death of three civil service aspirants who drowned in the flooded basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar during heavy rainfall in July last year.

Appearing before a bench of chief justice DK Upadhyay and justice Tushar Rao Gedela, the CBI’s counsel said the agency has filed a supplementary chargesheet. (HT Archive)

Appearing before a bench of chief justice DK Upadhyay and justice Tushar Rao Gedela, the CBI’s counsel said the agency has filed a supplementary chargesheet, naming three officials—one from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and two from the Delhi Fire Services—as accused in the case.

The agency’s submission was in response to a public interest litigation filed by advocate Rudra Vikram Singh on behalf of Kutumb, a social organisation, which had sought the formation of a high-level committee to investigate the July 27 incident and hold accountable those responsible for the deaths.

The case centres around the death of Tanya Soni, Shreya Yadav, and Nevin Delvin—young IAS aspirants who were studying at Rau’s IAS Study Circle. They drowned after torrential rain flooded the coaching centre’s library, which was being illegally run from the building’s basement. The area had been sanctioned only for parking and storage use, according to fire safety and building regulations.

The petition flagged this unauthorised use as a symptom of wider systemic failures, alleging that illegal commercial operations in residential areas continue unchecked due to corruption and bribery in agencies such as the MCD, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), and the Delhi government. It also drew attention to the poor and often dangerous living conditions faced by outstation students in the capital’s coaching hubs, calling their situation “a living hell.”

In August 2024, shortly after the deaths sparked outrage and protests, the high court had transferred the investigation from Delhi Police to the CBI. It also set up a high-level committee headed by the chief secretary to review Delhi’s administrative, physical, and financial infrastructure and suggest reforms. The panel was directed to submit its findings within eight weeks.

At Thursday’s hearing, MCD’s counsel, advocate Manu Chatturvedi, raised a related issue concerning the augmentation of stormwater drainage in Bada Bazar, a low-lying area prone to flooding.

He stated that while the MCD had completed its share of the drainage work, the public works department (PWD) was yet to fulfil its part. Chatturvedi warned that failure to complete the project before the onset of monsoon could render MCD’s efforts futile.

Responding on behalf of the PWD, advocate Sameer Vashisth assured the bench that the department was pursuing the work with “all sincerity” and that it was underway.

To ensure timely coordination, the court directed executive engineers from both departments to convene a joint meeting. “Be that as it may, to address the apprehension that the monsoon may have some impact, we direct that a meeting shall be convened by the executive engineers of the MCD and PWD,” the bench noted. It also warned both agencies that “any lacuna in the ongoing work shall be viewed seriously.”

The matter will be heard next on a date to be notified.