Delhi court orders further CBI probe in coaching centre flooding case

J Dalvin Suresh, whose son was among the three students who drowned, stated that the federal agency had ignored material facts that could establish criminal liability for several persons.

NEW DELHI:A Delhi court on Thursday allowed a protest plea moved by the father of a victim in the 2024 Old Rajendra Nagar coaching centre flooding tragedy, directing the CBI to further investigate the issues raised by the petitioner.

The counsel claimed that the agency had also overlooked the fact that the building was constructed without soil testing. (HT archive)

The order was passed by principal district and sessions judge Dinesh Bhatt of Rouse Avenue Court. “The investigating officer (IO) is directed to probe the matter further,” the court observed while setting April 30 as the next date of hearing.

A detailed order was not available at the time of reporting.

J Dalvin Suresh, whose son Nevin was among the three students who drowned on July 27, 2024, filed the protest petition, stating that the federal agency had ignored material facts that could establish criminal liability for several persons.

The petition, moved by Advocate Abhijeet Anand, sought further probe on multiple aspects and filing of a supplementary chargesheet.

The plea contended that the agency had incorrectly stated the building’s height slightly over 14 metres, citing an electricity department inspection report that measured it above 15 metres.

it also contended that the CBI’s investigation failed to probe how Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials sanctioned the building without the commissioner’s authorisation and issued an occupancy certificate despite its owner’s death in March 2021.

The counsel claimed that the agency had also overlooked the fact that the building was constructed without soil testing.

The CBI’s counsel maintained that its investigation was thorough and all relevant evidence were examined.

The agency said it found no violation in issuance of completion certificate and the role of MCD, fire department, and Delhi Jal Board officials were adequately probed, with officers found culpable named in the supplementary chargesheet.

On July 27, 2024, heavy rains flooded the basement of Rau’s IAS coaching centre in Old Rajendra Nagar, where Nevin Dalvin, Tanya Soni, and Shreya Yadav – all UPSC aspirants – drowned. The basement was being illegally used as a library despite being sanctioned only for parking and storage.

An FIR was lodged a day after the incident under 105 (culpable homicide not amount to murder), 106(1) (causing death by negligence), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 290 (negligent conduct with respect to constructing buildings) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Following public outrage, the Delhi High Court transferred the probe from Delhi Police to the CBI in August 2024, directing the latter to independently investigate the case.

Seven people, including the coaching centre’s CEO and building co-owners, were arrested early in the investigation. In a supplementary chargesheet filed in March 2025, one MCD official and two fire department officials were named for alleged negligence in conducting inspections.

The case is currently at the stage of arguments on charge, with the court having taken cognizance of the CBI’s chargesheet in December 2024.