Court Reserves Order on Bail Plea for SUV Driver, Basement Owners in Tragic Flooding Case

A court in Old Rajinder Nagar has reserved its decision on the bail plea of an SUV driver and four basement owners, following a flood that led to the death of three civil services aspirants. The driver is accused of aggravating the incident while basement owners face charges for illegal use of the property.

A court in Old Rajinder Nagar reserved its decision Tuesday on the bail plea of an SUV driver and four owners of a coaching centre basement which flooded during heavy rains, resulting in the deaths of three civil services aspirants.

Judicial Magistrate Vinod Kumar will announce the ruling on the bail pleas of driver Manuj Kathuria and basement owners Tejinder Singh, Parvinder Singh, Harvinder Singh, and Sarabjeet Singh on Wednesday at 4 PM. Kathuria has been charged with driving his SUV through a flooded street, exacerbating the conditions and causing the basement to flood.

Rakesh Malhotra, Kathuria's advocate, argued that his client did not intend to cause the incident and blamed municipal authorities for the waterlogging. Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava opposed the bail, citing Kathuria's negligence and potential to influence witnesses if released. Counsel for the basement owners also argued the civic agencies' failure in managing the waterlogging contributed significantly to the tragedy.