Satya Niketan Building owner
A Delhi court on Monday sent a married couple arrested in connection with the Satya Niketan building collapse, which claimed seven lives, to 14 days of judicial custody, while their son was remanded to two days’ police custody.
Hariram Gupta, 81, and his wife, Urmila Gupta, 75, were sent to 14 days of judicial custody, while their 52-year-old son Mahesh Gupta was remanded to two days’ police custody after they were produced at the judge’s house.
Seven people were killed after the decades-old building, which housed a paying guest accommodation for boys, collapsed in Satya Niketan on Sunday.
According to police, Hariram Gupta had the building’s electricity connection in his name, while his son handled its day-to-day management.
The property was registered in the name of Urmila Gupta, documents revealed.
The family is being probed for its role in running the PG accommodation and the renovation being carried out in the basement – a likely cause of the building’s collapse.
The police arrested Hariram, a retired Indian Air Force Sergeant, in Bhiwadi on the Haryana-Rajasthan border while on the run.
Investigators are also searching for the PG operators and the labour contractor involved in the renovation.
The structure, spread over around 55 square metres, allegedly had no columns or beams, police said.
Twelve people were rescued from the debris, of whom seven died.
A case was registered at South Campus Police Station under several charges including culpable homicide, negligence in the upkeep of a structure and endangering the safety of others.
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The police are also verifying claims that the building had been sealed last year, while the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has denied that any such action had taken place.
The investigation is also examining a rent agreement that allegedly contained a clause seeking to absolve the owner of responsibility, police sources said.
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