The Rouse Avenue court on Friday denied the bail pleas of four co-owners of the basement where three UPSC aspirants drowned. The accused Sarabjit, Harvinder, Parvinder, and Tejinder were arrested on July 28 and had requested regular bail.
Principal District and Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna rejected their bail, stating, “Investigation is at the initial stage. I am not inclined to enlarge them on bail.” A detailed order is yet to be published.
On August 17, the court had reserved its decision on the bail pleas. The incident occurred in the basement of a coaching center in Old Rajender Nagar.
The CBI opposed the bail, arguing that the accused were aware the basement, leased for storage and exam purposes, was not meant for a coaching center. The defense argued that if there were rule violations, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) should have taken action, and the accused had no knowledge of potential danger.
Defense counsel Amir Chaddha contended that the accused were not present during the incident and should only be tried under MCD laws, as they have clean records and would not flee. He also argued that the main cause of the incident was dysfunctional stormwater drains, not the accused’s actions.
The CBI countered, stating that waterlogging is not an act of God and that the accused had knowledge of the risks involved. They emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, and the accused may still be required for further questioning.
The court also directed jail authorities to take Sarabjit Singh to the hospital for stent removal on August 19, following his request for interim bail.
