On Thursday, Delhi’s Tis Hazari Court granted bail to Manuj Kathuria, the driver of an SUV involved in a tragic incident in Old Rajendra Nagar. Kathuria had been arrested in connection with the deaths of three UPSC aspirants on July 27. The victims, two women, and a man, lost their lives after being trapped in a basement library at the Rau’s IAS Study Circle coaching institute, which was flooded following heavy rains in Delhi.
Kathuria, a 50-year-old businessman, was driving his sports utility vehicle (SUV) through a street in central Delhi that had been heavily impacted by rain. Authorities allege that his driving caused water to surge and breach the gates of the study center, resulting in the basement flooding. The water surge trapped the aspirants in the basement, leading to their unfortunate deaths.
The police arrested Kathuria after a video circulated widely on social media showing him driving at high speed near the coaching institute. In the video, the SUV was seen passing the building just before the damage occurred. The authorities used this footage as evidence against him.
Kathuria’s wife, Shima, has claimed that her husband was simply on his way to drop off two guests at the metro station and accused the Delhi Police of unfairly blaming him for the incident.
Previously, on Wednesday, the Tis Hazari Court had rejected bail applications for Kathuria and four other individuals who co-own the basement of the building. Judicial Magistrate Vinod Kumar noted that the charges against Kathuria were serious. He highlighted that CCTV footage showed passersby attempting to warn Kathuria of the potential dangers ahead, but he ignored their warnings.
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The judge concluded that, given the seriousness of the allegations and the circumstances of the case, it was not appropriate to grant bail at that time.
Despite the previous decision, the court has now granted bail to Kathuria, reflecting a change in the legal proceedings. The case has drawn significant public and media attention due to the tragic loss of lives and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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