The owner of the Satya Niketan building that tragically collapsed, claiming seven lives, has been arrested from Rajasthan, as Delhi Police intensify their investigation into the fatal incident.
Key Points
- Owner Hariram Gupta apprehended in Rajasthan following the fatal Satya Niketan building collapse.
- Gupta went into hiding after the incident, prompting a massive 10-team search operation by Delhi Police.
- Seven people died in the collapse, which occurred during repair work on the decades-old structure.
- Police have registered a case including charges of culpable homicide and negligence.
- Investigation continues into the circumstances of the collapse and the ongoing repair work.
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 the 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.
Earlier in the day, Hariram Gupta was apprehended from Rajasthan's Bhiwadi area on Monday, the Delhi Police said.
The development comes after a massive search operation involving 10 teams was launched to trace him.
Owner Apprehended After Extensive Search
An officer said, "Hariram Gupta has been apprehended from Bhiwadi. Further examination is ongoing in connection with the case."
According to a police source, soon after the building collapsed on Sunday, Gupta received a call from a person he knew, informing him about the incident.
Gupta was in Gurugram at the time of the collapse. He then immediately switched off his mobile phone and went into hiding, leaving the city, the source said.
After procuring the owner's details, police teams tried to contact him, but he remained unreachable. Following this, a look out circular (LOC) was issued to trace his whereabouts and prevent him from leaving the country.
Police Launch Massive Manhunt
The police also shared the accused's details with several adjoining states and airports as part of efforts to locate him and ensure that he did not leave the country, a senior police officer said.
The Delhi Police formed 10 teams to trace Gupta.
The teams included personnel from the southwest district, Special Staff and other units of the Delhi Police and launched a massive search operation to locate him.
The teams were sent to Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and several other adjoining districts of Haryana, with the searches being coordinated and supervised by officers of the additional deputy commissioner of police rank, police said.
Investigation Into Collapse Circumstances
"The lookout notice and the extensive search operation were part of the investigation into the circumstances leading to the collapse of the decades-old building, which housed a boys' paying guest accommodation in the Satya Niketan," a senior police officer said.
The building collapsed at around 1.30 pm on Sunday while repair work was underway, trapping several people under the debris. Seven people have died so far in the incident, while many others were rescued from the debris.
Search and rescue operations entered their second day on Monday, with agencies continuing efforts to ascertain whether anyone else remained trapped.
Police had earlier registered a case against Gupta and others at the South Campus police station under charges including culpable homicide, negligence in the upkeep of a structure and endangering the safety of others.
The investigation is examining the circumstances in which the repair work was being carried out and the condition of the structure before the collapse.
The apprehension of Gupta comes as rescue and investigation teams continue to work at the collapse site and authorities assess the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident.
Police said further examination of Gupta and other aspects of the case are underway.
