CBI Probes IAS Institute Over Fatal Basement Usage

The CBI has accused the owner of Rau's IAS study circle of using the basement for commercial purposes against approved regulations, leading to the drowning of three UPSC aspirants. The court has permitted custodial interrogation of the accused, revealing negligence such as lack of a fire safety certificate and improper basement usage.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that the owner of Rau's IAS study circle, where three UPSC aspirants drowned on July 27 due to waterlogging in Old Rajinder Nagar, used the basement for commercial purposes in violation of municipal regulations.

Due to the seriousness of these allegations, the CBI has requested and received special court permission for the custodial interrogation of the coaching institute owner, Abhishek Gupta, and five others who are currently in judicial custody.

The CBI's investigation also revealed that the institute lacked a fire safety certificate for nearly a year after the issue was raised in Delhi High Court. Despite the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) issuing a notice, the certificate was only obtained almost a year later, on July 9, 2024.

(With inputs from agencies.)