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The Delhi High Court on Thursday overturned the financial condition of a Rs. 2.5 crore deposit for interim bail set by the trial court for Abhishek Gupta, the CEO of RAU’s IAS Study Circle.
This case is linked to the tragic deaths of 3 UPSC aspirants in July 2024, who were found dead in the basement of the RAU’s IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar.
The court has instructed the trial court to reconsider Gupta’s bail application based on the merits of the case. His interim bail hearing is scheduled for Friday at the Rouse Avenue court.
Justice Vikas Mahajan set aside the financial condition originally imposed by the trial court when granting interim bail to Gupta on September 23, 2024. The condition had already been stayed by the High Court prior to Thursday’s decision.
The High Court observed that the Supreme Court had already annulled a similar order regarding the creation of a Rs. 5 crore fund for co-accused persons in the case. These co-accused individuals were granted regular bail by the Delhi High Court on January 21.
Gupta’s interim bail, initially granted in September, was contingent upon a Rs. 2.5 crore deposit with the Red Cross. Senior counsel Jayant Sood, representing Gupta, pointed out that the Supreme Court had stayed this financial condition and highlighted that four other co-accused, who are also co-owners of the building, had been granted regular bail by the High Court.
On January 21, the coordinate bench of Justice Sanjeev Narula confirmed the interim bail of the four co-owners as regular bail. Gupta, along with coordinator Deshpal Singh, was granted interim bail in the UPSC aspirant’s death case on September 23, 2024.
During a hearing on December 7, 2024, Gupta’s counsel informed the trial court that the Rs. 2.5 crore financial condition was being challenged before the High Court. The High Court was made aware of the developments, including the request by the building owners to have their interim bail converted to regular bail, which was extended until January 21.
The trial court had been reviewing the matter, considering the fact that both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court were handling issues related to interim bail and compensation. The matter was scheduled for further consideration on January 31.
In an earlier ruling, the Delhi High Court had granted interim bail to the four co-owners of the basement linked to the deaths of the three UPSC aspirants. The court also called on the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi to form a committee, led by a retired High Court judge, to ensure that coaching centers are not operated in basements without proper sanction.
The court had also directed the co-owners to deposit Rs. 5 crores with the Red Cross Society as part of the case.
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