Delhi coaching centre deaths: CBI told to return SUV to man who drove past Rau’s

Kathuria SUV had been in the custody of CBI since the incident took place.

The CBI had kept the vehicle to get it inspected by experts at IIT Delhi. (File photo)

A Delhi court on Wednesday directed the CBI to release the SUV of Manuj Kathuria who drove past Rau’s IAS Study Circle on July 26 when three civil services aspirants drowned in the flooded basement of the coaching centre.

Kathuria was accused of pushing a strong wave of water past the coaching centre while driving, which knocked off the gate of Rau’s and allegedly led to flooding in the basement.

Kathuria was earlier granted bail by a Delhi court. His SUV had been in the custody of CBI since the incident took place.

The CBI had kept the vehicle to get it inspected by experts at IIT Delhi, and ascertain if the pressure from the waves created by the vehicle could have created an impact on the main gates of the coaching institute.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Nishant Garg of Rouse Avenue Court had earlier pulled up the agency for not releasing the car. “Gaadi ko rakhke aapko kya faayda hoga? (what benefit will you get by keeping the vehicle with you?) Why do you wish to keep it? You can inspect it even when you don’t seize it,” he had said.

The four co-owners of the basement are in judicial custody till September 18, along with Abhishek Gupta, CEO of the coaching centre. Coaching centre coordinator Deshpal Singh is also in judicial custody.

Nirbhay Thakur

Nirbhay Thakur is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express who primarily covers district courts in Delhi and has reported on the trials of many high-profile cases since 2023. Professional Background Education: Nirbhay is an economics graduate from Delhi University. Beats: His reporting spans the trial courts, and he occasionally interviews ambassadors and has a keen interest in doing data stories. Specializations: He has a specific interest in data stories related to courts. Core Strength: Nirbhay is known for tracking long-running legal sagas and providing meticulous updates on high-profile criminal trials. Recent notable articles In 2025, he has written long form articles and two investigations. Along with breaking many court stories, he has also done various exclusive stories. 1) A long form on Surender Koli, accused in the Nithari serial killings of 2006. He was acquitted after spending 2 decades in jail. was a branded man. Deemed the “cannibal" who allegedly lured children to his employer’s house in Noida, murdered them, and “ate their flesh” – his actions cited were cited as evidence of human depravity at its worst. However, the SC acquitted him finding various lapses in the investigation. The Indian Express spoke to his lawyers and traced the 2 decades journey. 2) For decades, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been at the forefront of the Government’s national rankings, placed at No. 2 over the past two years alone. It has also been the crucible of campus activism, its protests often spilling into national debates, its student leaders going on to become the faces and voices of political parties of all hues and thoughts. The Indian Express looked at all court cases spanning over two decades and did an investigation. 3) Investigation on the 700 Delhi riots cases. The Indian Express found that in 17 of 93 acquittals (which amounted to 85% of the decided cases) in Delhi riots cases, courts red-flag ‘fabricated’ evidence and pulled up the police. Signature Style Nirbhay’s writing is characterized by its procedural depth. He excels at summarizing 400-page chargesheets and complex court orders into digestible news for the general public. X (Twitter): @Nirbhaya99 ... Read More

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