Coaching centre deaths : 'Have they lost it?', HC on cop arresting SUV driver

New Delhi: "What is Delhi Police doing? Have they lost it?" wondered the Delhi High Court on Wednesday, while castigating the police for a "strange" probe by arresting an SUV driver for his alleged role in drowning of three civil services aspirants at a coaching centre here.

The strong words of the high court, however, did not come to the rescue of jailed SUV driver whose bail plea was dismissed by a magisterial court later in the day. Judicial Magistrate Vinod Kumar rejected the bail plea of five accused, including SUV driver Manuj Kathuria, who was termed to be a "masti-khor" (fun lover) by the Delhi Police in their vehement opposition to his bail plea. In the high court, a bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said a "strange probe" was going on with the Delhi Police taking action against a man who drove a car outside the coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar here but not acting against the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials.

What are its officials who are monitoring the probe doing? This is a cover up or what?" the court said.

The bench said the police have arrested a bystander or some person who was driving the car over there. It asked whether some official (of MCD) has been held accountable for the incident till now.

"We are telling you, once the responsibility is fixed on officials, no such incident will ever happen in future," the bench said.

The Delhi Police on Wednesday removed a few "outsiders" from a protest site in Rajinder Nagar, where hundreds have been demonstrating to seek justice following the deaths of three civil services aspirants at Rau's IAS Study Circle. According to a police officer, over a dozen individuals were removed from the protest site as they were identified as "outsiders" and not students of any coaching institute.

The Delhi High Court on pulled up authorities over the deaths of three UPSC aspirants , saying such tragedies are bound to happen when there is no collection of taxes due to a "freebies culture". The high court hinted at asking a central agency to probe the incident and directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) commissioner, deputy commissioner of police concerned and the investigating officer of the case to appear before it on Friday.

MCD Additional Commissioner Tariq Thomas on Wednesday accepted the civic body's failure in the Rajinder Nagar coaching centre deaths and said there are serious structural issues, which need to be addressed.