The CBI informed the Delhi High Court that its investigation against statutory officials, including from the MCD, DJB and fire department, is in progress in connection with the death of three IAS aspirants at the basement of a coaching centre in July.

The probe agency told the high court that based on the investigation conducted so far, a charge sheet has been filed under the provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against six persons in a trial court on September 26.

The CBI submitted before Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela that no criminality could be attributed to the role of Manuj Kathuria, owner and driver of SUV who was earlier arrested for driving his car through a flooded road that caused the water to swell and gush into the building which was functioning as the coaching centre, hence his name has not be set up for trial.

The court asked the CBI to file a fresh status report within four weeks on the status of investigation in the case.

During the hearing, CBI’s counsel Rajesh Kumar said that the status report has been filed in a sealed cover since disclosure of certain facts at this stage will hamper the investigation.

“Further investigation against statutory officials, including officials of MCD, Fire Department and DJB, is in progress and CBI has made searches and seizures and those documents are being scrutinsed,” CBI’s lawyer submitted.

He said the six accused against whom the charge sheet has been filed are already out on interim bail.

The agency said that in pursuance to the court’s August 2 order, it has submitted three reports to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).

The court had earlier asked the CVC to nominate a senior officer to oversee the probe by the CBI into the criminal case in a time-bound manner.

On Monday, the court also directed the MCD commissioner to file its status report in accordance with the last order.

The court was informed by the counsel for Delhi government that the chief secretary has prepared the report and urged the court to grant four more weeks to file the report as it requires the approval from the minister concerned.

The bench, however, said the chief secretary was appointed as the head of the committee by the court and the report has to be submitted directly to the court and it does not require concurrence from anyone.

It granted four weeks to the chief secretary to file the report and listed the matter for further hearing on November 6.

On August 2, the high court had transferred the probe into the drowning incident case from Delhi Police to the CBI to ensure that the public has no doubt over the investigation.

It had also criticised the police for arresting the SUV driver and blaming him for the incident.

The court had said one needed to look at the bigger picture as there was a far more fundamental problem in the city and it was time to relook at Delhi's administrative, financial and physical infrastructure, which was outdated and not in line with the present-day needs.

It had formed a committee headed by the chief secretary of Delhi and also comprising DDA vice chairman, Delhi Police commissioner and MCD commissioner to deal with the issue and submit the report.

The bench had also ordered the removal of encroachments and unauthorised constructions, including on stormwater and sewage drains, in the Rajinder Nagar area.

The court was hearing a plea by Kutumb, an organisation that sought a high-level committee to investigate the deaths of three civil service aspirants in the basement of a flooded coaching centre, Rau's IAS Study Circle, in Old Rajinder Nagar on the evening of July 27.

The three who died were Shreya Yadav (25) of Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni (25) from Telangana and Nevin Delvin (24) from Kerala.

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