Supplementary probe details administrative failures but limits accountability for senior MCD officials involved.
Nearly two years after three UPSC aspirants lost their lives in the flooded basement of Rau’s IAS Study Circle in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has pieced together a detailed account of how administrative lapses, delayed enforcement and bureaucratic inertia allegedly allowed the coaching institute to continue operating from an unauthorized basement until the fatal incident on July 27, 2024. However, despite documenting these failures, the agency has stopped short of recommending further criminal action against several senior Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials, instead suggesting departmental proceedings against only two officers.
The supplementary final report, filed before the Rouse Avenue Court on July 8, 2026, was submitted in compliance with the court’s March 2026 directions seeking a fresh probe into whether negligence or corrupt practices by MCD officials had facilitated the illegal use of the basement, thereby contributing to the deaths of the three students.
According to the CBI, the basement was never sanctioned for educational activities. Official records, including the Occupancy-cum-Completion Certificate issued in August 2021, show that the space was approved solely for parking, household storage, lifts, lobby and other ancillary purposes. There was no authorization permitting it to function as a coaching facility.
The investigation further revealed that while commercial conversion charges had been paid for the ground, first, second and third floors of the building, no such approval or payment existed for the basement. The CBI noted that any coaching activity in the basement required compliance with the Master Plan for Delhi (MPD), the Unified Building Bye-Laws, fire safety regulations and other statutory approvals—conditions that were not fully met.
The CBI report states that after the Delhi High Court directed authorities on July 25, 2023, to crack down on coaching centres operating without mandatory fire safety clearances, MCD officials inspected Rau’s IAS Study Circle and found it in violation of MPD-2021 norms. A show-cause notice was issued on August 4, 2023, directing the institute to stop the unauthorized use of the premises within 48 hours or face sealing. However, no enforcement action followed, and the matter remained tied up in inspections, hearings and correspondence with the Delhi Fire Services for nearly 11 months until the July 27, 2024 tragedy.
The CBI also found that then Junior Engineer Arnav Kumar Dutta allegedly failed to report the unauthorized use of the basement despite inspection records, photographs and lease documents showing it was being used as an “Exam Hall.” Instead, he reportedly described the area as “Furniture Storage” and allegedly concealed references to the exam hall in inspection records, allowing the basement to continue functioning in violation of sanctioned building norms.
The agency also examined a complaint submitted a month before the tragedy. A complaint was filed on the CPGRAMS portal alleging that coaching classes and examinations were being conducted illegally in the basement of Rau’s IAS Study Circle, putting students’ lives at risk. Despite two reminders, the complaint reached the concerned MCD officials after a delay of nearly 22 days due to technical glitches and administrative lapses. Officials treated it as part of the ongoing show-cause proceedings, carried out no fresh inspection, and eventually disposed of the complaint without physically verifying the allegations.
Meanwhile, even as the show-cause proceedings remained pending, Rau’s IAS continued to pursue a Fire Safety Certificate. After inspections and compliance with certain deficiencies, the Delhi Fire Services issued the certificate on July 9, 2024—just 18 days before the basement flooding claimed three lives.
Although the CBI has documented multiple administrative failures, it has recommended closure of the further investigation ordered by the court. Besides the already chargesheeted Junior Engineer Arnav Kumar Dutta, the agency found evidence of negligence and dereliction of duty on the part of then Assistant Engineer Rajeev Jain and then Executive Engineer Kumar Mahendra. However, instead of recommending their prosecution, the CBI noted that the MCD has already initiated departmental proceedings against both officials.
At the same time, the agency has exonerated former Superintending Engineer Ajay Kumar Nagpal and former Deputy Commissioner Kumar Abhishek, stating that there was no material on record to establish that they were informed the basement was being used as an examination hall or coaching facility. According to the report, both officers acted on reports submitted by subordinate officials, and no negligence or dereliction of duty could be attributed to them.
