Delhi coaching centre deaths: Accused SUV driver granted bail

Students stage a protest after the incident. File Pic/PTI

Delhi's Tis Hazari court on Thursday granted bail to the SUV driver accused in the deaths of three UPSC aspirants at a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar.

Manuj Kathuria was accused of driving his vehicle in a rash and negligent manner that caused water to enter the basement leading to the deaths. Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Kumar-IV granted bail to Kathuria on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 50,000 and a surety in the like amount. However, as per the ANI report, his bail bond could not be furnished due to reason that the concerned and duty judicial magistrate had risen by the time the order was supplied to the counsel for the accused.

The Judge said that from the perusal of the record, it appears that the present accused was implicated in over-enthusiasm while he has been charged under section 105 of BNS which is non-bailable, said the ANI report.

"Further, on perusal of CCTV record dated July 27, 2024 at 6.45 PM, on being enquired keeping in view the entire basement floor/ size 840 sq. yards, about the collection of CCTV footage before 6.45 PM. and thereafter to determine the role is accused on a particular time, the IO answered in negative," Additional Session judge Rakesh Kumar noted in the order.

The court observed that in view of submission made by the state through their reply, since the offence under section 105 BNS 2023 which is non-bailable was not made out at this stage, the rest of the sections are bailable.

The bail has been granted in an interim view of the offences alleged against him bailable.

A status report on the bail plea of Kathuria have been filed by Delhi police. Police said that they are not pressing section 105 (Culpable Homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

The counsel for the accused submitted that since now all offences are bailable, the accused must be righly granted bail.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Tis Hazari court had dismissed the bail applications from Kathuria and four others involved in the case.