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A Delhi court has permitted the de-sealing of three floors of the building where a tragic drowning incident claimed the lives of three UPSC aspirants in the basement of RAU’s IAS Study Circle in July 2024.
The order was issued by Principal District and Sessions Judge (PDSJ) Anju Bajaj Chandna, allowing petitions filed by property owners Gurpreet Singh and Rishi Khanna. Singh owns the second floor, while Khanna owns the ground and first floors.
The court ruled that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had no legal right to indefinitely keep the property sealed, as the floors in question were not directly involved in the crime.
The judge emphasised that the petitioners should be allowed to reclaim their property, stating that the second floor of the building in Old Rajinder Nagar should be released to Singh.
However, the court clarified that civic authorities retain the right to take action if any violations of building regulations or by-laws are found.
The father of one of the deceased students opposed the plea, arguing that the building was constructed without a sanctioned plan. The court, however, maintained that it was up to the relevant authorities to investigate and take necessary action against the building’s owners.
The court made a similar ruling for the ground and first floors, noting that the drowning incident took place in the basement, and these floors were not part of the crime scene. Since the investigation is now complete, there was no reason to keep them sealed any longer.
The petitioners had previously challenged a December 2024 trial court ruling that rejected their request to regain access to their floors.
The CBI had taken over the case following a Delhi High Court order in August 2024, after the initial FIR was lodged at Rajinder Nagar police station.
The investigation revealed that the basement, rented out to RAU’s IAS Study Circle, was allegedly used in violation of safety regulations, leading to the fatal incident.
