Delhi HC calls out 'strange probe' into coaching centre deaths: ‘Someone has lost it’
Taking a swipe at civic authorities, the Delhi high court said they need to build infrastructure but are bankrupt and can't even pay salaries.
The Delhi high court on Wednesday expressed surprise at the “strange probe” into the deaths of three civil services aspirants, saying the police took action against a passerby but not against Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials responsible for supervision.
A businessman, Manuj Kathuria, was arrested in connection with the drowning of three students in the flooded basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar.
Kathuria drove his SUV through the flooded street, causing the water to swell, breach the gates of the coaching centre building and inundate the basement, according to police.
“Delhi Police has arrested the passerby, a driver. It seems that someone has lost it. The police officers who are investigating the same, what are they doing? Only one MCD official has gone to jail. Someone needs to be held accountable at the end of the day. You (MCD) need to fix responsibility,” the court said.
Hearing a plea seeking the constitution of a high-level committee to investigate the tragic incident, Acting Chief Justice Manmohan voiced strong criticism of the city's inadequate infrastructure.
“You are permitting multi-storey buildings but there is no proper drainage system. Sewage is mixed with storm water drains, causing reverse flow,” he said.
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The court also expressed dissatisfaction with the measures taken so far, such as terminating junior officers without holding senior officials accountable.
"At some time, senior officers have to visit and accept responsibility. They are not leaving their AC offices," the bench, also comprising Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, said.
The court also questioned the capability of the civic body to upgrade infrastructure.
“Your civic authorities are bankrupt. If you don't have money to pay salaries, how will you upgrade infra? You want 'freebie culture'. You're not collecting any money, so you're not spending any money.”
The court indicated that it would pass an order transferring the investigation to either the Central Bureau of Investigation or Lokpal, saying that the responsibility of the probe needs to be fixed.
"We would like it to be done under some statutory mechanism. It will bring a larger picture. We will pass a straight order over there. Fixing responsibility in this case. This is a serious incident. It is infrastructure breakdown at the larger level. First, it’s a case of negligence,” the court said.
Meanwhile, Manuj Kathuria's wife, Shima, said her husband had no idea about the gate of the coaching centre breaking due to his car.
"Displaced water could have been hitting the gates earlier also. The water displaced by my husband's car must have been the final straw, causing it to break," she told PTI.
“My husband has not done anything wrong. I would like to refer to my husband as a victim and not an accused,” she added.
A city court on Tuesday reserved its order on Kathuria's bail plea.
