NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) announced on Wednesday that it has taken over the investigation into the deaths of three civil services aspirants at a coaching centre in Delhi. Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Nevin Delvin from Kerala drowned on July 27 after water flooded the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar following heavy rains.
The CBI took control of the case from the Delhi Police late on Tuesday evening, following an order from the Delhi High Court. The central agency has re-registered a case against Abhishek Gupta, the owner of Rau's IAS Study Circle, as per the established procedures, officials said.
The three aspirants were studying in the basement library when the flooding occurred, leading to their tragic deaths. The CBI has charged Gupta with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, causing death by negligence, voluntarily causing hurt, negligent conduct, and common intention.
The Delhi High Court had strongly criticised the police and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi over the incident, expressing disbelief at how the students were unable to escape the basement. The court questioned whether the doors were blocked or the staircases were too narrow for the students to exit.
"What's your line of looking? How did the children drown? You have done an investigation now. We are on August 2. Why were they not able to come out of the basement? It doesn't get flooded immediately. Water takes at least two-three minutes to fill a basement, it can't happen in a minute. Why were they not able to come out?" the court asked.
The court also directed the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to nominate a senior officer to oversee the CBI's investigation into the criminal case.
“To ensure the public has no doubt over the investigation,” the Delhi High Court transferred the probe from the city police to the Central Bureau of Investigation on August 2.
