An SUV driver who drove on a waterlogged road beside a coaching centre before its basement got flooded, killing three students, has been granted bail on a bond of Rs 50,000.
Earlier today, the Delhi Police told a court they have decided to drop the harsh charge of ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ against the SUV driver in the coaching centre death case.
Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Kumar was hearing an appeal against the denial of bail to Manuj Kathuria by a magisterial court on Wednesday.
“The bail is allowed,” the judge said.
Mr Kathuria was accused of driving his Force Gurkha car through the street that was flooded by rainwater, causing the water to swell and breach the gates of the three-storey building housing the coaching centre and inundate the basement.
Explaining why the ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ charge against Mr Kathuria was dropped, the police said, “During further investigation, as carried out in the preceding 48 hours, it has transpired that the ingredients of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) is, at this stage, not being sufficiently established.”
“The same can be better assessed when the expert team from IIT-Delhi visits the spot and post inspection, submits its findings. Thus, as of now, the primary offence against the accused is of Sec 281 BNS (rash driving or riding on public way) for which the court may kindly pass appropriate orders as deemed fit,” the investigation officer added.
On Wednesday, terming the offence as “serious”, the magisterial court had denied bail to Mr Kathuria, saying the plea was “untenable at this stage”.
The denial of bail by the magisterial court came hours after a Delhi High Court bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan criticised the police for their “strange” probe by arresting the driver.
“What is Delhi Police doing? Have they lost it? What are its officials who are monitoring the probe doing? This is a cover up or what?” the high court said while hearing a petition seeking a probe into the incident.
Mr Kathuria was arrested on Monday along with four co-owners of the basement. On Sunday, a magisterial court had sent to 14-day judicial custody Rau’s IAS Study Circle owner Abhishek Gupta and coordinator Deshpal Singh.
With inputs from PTI
