New Delhi
A month after the tragic drowning of three IAS aspirants in the basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court has ordered all six accused to be held in Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody for four days. This decision follows their arrest and previous judicial custody.
The court, referencing an August 2, 2024 order from the Delhi High Court, stated that custodial interrogation is crucial for the ongoing investigation. This will help uncover the roles of those potentially involved in any corrupt practices or criminal negligence related to the incident.
Accused individuals Abhishek Gupta, Deshpal Singh, Tajinder Singh, Harvinder Singh, Sarabjit Singh, and Parvinder Singh are to be held in police custody until September 4, 2024. Additional Sessions Judge Nishant Garg emphasized that custodial interrogation is an effective investigative tool, especially for serious offenses. The Supreme Court has affirmed that investigators need flexibility to conduct thorough inquiries.
Senior Public Prosecutor Prashant Kumar argued that the CBI needs to question the accused in custody to advance the investigation. The CBI had not yet taken the accused into their custody.
Earlier, the court rejected a petition by Abhishek Gupta, CEO of Rau’s IAS Study Circle, to resume classes at the coaching centre. The CBI opposed the petition, noting that the basement, where the drowning occurred on July 27, was misused as a library instead of being used for its intended storage purpose.
