Manuj Kathuria, the SUV driver who was arrested in connection with the tragic deaths of three students in a coaching centre basement flood, has been granted bail. The court set the bail amount at ₹50,000. Earlier today, the Delhi Police announced their decision to drop the severe charge of ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ against Kathuria.
The incident occurred when Kathuria drove his Force Gurkha SUV through a waterlogged street adjacent to the coaching centre. The floodwaters breached the basement of the three-storey building, leading to the deaths of the students. The police initially charged Kathuria under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’. However, they have now revised the charge to Section 281 BNS, which pertains to ‘rash driving or riding on public way’.
In court, Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Kumar granted bail to Kathuria, overturning the earlier denial by a magisterial court. The police explained that the severity of the culpable homicide charge was not fully supported by the investigation at this stage. They await further analysis from an expert team from IIT-Delhi to provide a more comprehensive assessment of the incident.
The magisterial court had previously denied Kathuria bail, citing the seriousness of the offense. This decision came amid criticism from the Delhi High Court, where Acting Chief Justice Manmohan questioned the police’s handling of the investigation. The court described the probe as “strange” and suggested a possible cover-up.
Kathuria’s arrest came alongside the detention of four co-owners of the coaching centre’s basement, including Abhishek Gupta and Deshpal Singh, who were sent to 14-day judicial custody.
Sources By Agencies
