The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has identified negligence and dereliction of duty by two additional Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials in connection with the deaths of three UPSC aspirants in the flooded basement of Rau’s IAS Study Circle at Old Rajinder Nagar. Whilst implicating these two individuals, the federal agency has exonerated two senior officers of any criminal lapse. However, the newly identified officials will not face a formal chargesheet due to a lack of prosecution sanction from the government.
According to the supplementary final report submitted to the Rouse Avenue Court, the CBI carried out further investigations following a court directive prompted by a protest petition filed by the father of one of the deceased. The inquiry examined whether other MCD officials had turned a blind eye, allowing the coaching institute to continue its illegal use of the basement. As per the official records, the basement at plot number BP-11, Bazar Marg, Old Rajinder Nagar was only meant for the purpose of storage, parking, stairs, and elevator lobby. It was mentioned that no amount for any change in the use of the building had been paid for changing its use to that of educational/coaching institution as it would need official change in land use along with the payment of fee.
It became apparent that the officials at MCD knew about the utilisation of the basement for the purpose of examinations and coaching classes but were still maintaining the records of the same place as storage only. The inspection report, photographs, lease deeds, and many other things clearly stated that the actual utilisation of the basement was contradictory to the approved building plan.
The report specifically accused Assistant Engineer (Building) Rajeev Kumar Jain, who was responsible for the show-cause notice file and represented the MCD during personal hearings, of failing to properly examine documents from the owner and occupier, verify the premises’ actual use, or report the ongoing misuse. The CBI described this as a clear case of negligence and dereliction of duty. Similar failings were attributed to Kumar Mahendra, the then Executive Engineer heading the Building Department in the Karol Bagh Zone, who failed to verify the basement’s misuse despite lease deeds explicitly indicating that coaching activities were being conducted there.
The agency concluded that alongside Junior Engineer Arnav Kumar Dutta, who has already been chargesheeted, the unauthorised use of the basement was enabled by the negligence of Rajeev Kumar Jain and Kumar Mahendra. However, because formal prosecution sanction was withheld, their names could not be included in the chargesheet.
Conversely, two senior MCD officers were cleared of wrongdoing. The CBI found that Superintending Engineer Ajay Nagpal had only received the file as part of standard administrative processing; he was neither the inspecting officer nor the file custodian, and had not been informed by subordinates regarding the basement's true utility. Similarly, no evidence of negligence or dereliction was found against the then Deputy Commissioner, Kumar Abhishek, who acted in good faith on reports from subordinate officials without specific notice of the basement's misuse.
This supplementary report follows earlier CBI chargesheets that named Rau’s IAS Study Circle partner Abhishek Gupta, several institute officials, and certain public servants, including Junior Engineer Arnav Kumar Dutta and Delhi Fire Service personnel. The ongoing proceedings relate to the tragic incident on July 27, 2024, in which three civil services aspirants drowned after the coaching centre’s basement was suddenly inundated with rainwater.
Also read: Rau's drowning: Delhi court allows de-sealing of 3 floors
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