Bail Denied To SUV Driver Arrested For 'Speeding' Near Coaching Centre's Basement

A Delhi businessman arrested for "speeding" on his SUV and worsening the situation at the city coaching centre where three students drowned over the weekend, has been denied bail. Manu Kathuria's speeding SUV on the waterlogged road had allegedly sent a great gust of water into the basement library of the coaching centre, where the students were trapped.

He has, however, challenged his arrest in the case and the petition will be heard tomorrow.

Mr Kathuria's Force Gurkha SUV was seen passing by the building, sending wave of water towards its gate. In a video of the speeding car that was widely circulated, people are heard shouting "the gate has fallen".

The police claimed that "negligence has been established on the part of the arrested driver". "He was driving very fast. Due to this, the gate of the coaching centre broke. A street vendor had tried to stop him," a senior police officer had said.

Mr Kathuria's wife, Shima Kathuria, has denied any wrongdoing, pointing out that the library was running illegally in a basement that only had clearance for storage. Moreover, the police should have cordoned off the waterlogged road, she said.

During the hearing today, the court said, "Perusal of the CCTV footage of the alleged incident shows the accused driving the said vehicle on an already heavily waterlogged road at such a speed causing large displacement of water, as a result of which the gate of the alleged premises gave way and the water went into the basement and consequently three innocent lives have been lost in the said incident."

Denying bail, the judge said the CCTV footage shows that passers-by try to warn the accused, but he did not pay heed.

"The allegations against the accused are serious in nature. This court has been apprised that investigation is still underway and the role of other civic agencies are also being thoroughly probed. The investigation is at its nascent stage," the judge said

The court has also denied bail to basement owners Parvinder Singh, Sarvjit Singh, Harvinder Singh and Tejender Singh, who have been arrested in connection with the case.

Three IAS aspirants had died at Rau's IAS Study Circle in west Delhi on Saturday. They were among the 20-odd students who were in the basement library and got trapped after heavy rains when the space got flooded. Seventeen students were rescued in time.