A Delhi court has ordered 81-year-old Hariram Gupta, the owner of the building that collapsed in Satya Niketan, to be held in judicial custody for 14 days. His wife, 75-year-old Urmila Gupta, has also been placed in judicial custody for the same duration. Their son, Mahesh Gupta, will remain in police custody for an additional couple of days as investigations continue.
The building was 50 years old. The Gupta family had it repaired and turned it into a paying-guest facility to leverage the area’s proximity to Delhi University.
The Gupta family had it repaired and turned it into a paying-guest facility to leverage the area’s proximity to Delhi University. However, their bid to turn an opportunity into hard cash proved costly for seven people, who died in the incident. The electricity connection for two of the five storeys was registered in Hariram’s name. He was arrested in Bhiwadi. The Gupta family had allegedly made the occupants of the hostel sign rental agreements that prioritised their interests over the students’. Police will question Mahesh to find out who made the students sign the one-sided agreement. Five Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials have been suspended in connection with the building collapse.
The building was 50 years old.
