Driving On Road Outside Delhi Coaching Centre Lands Manuj Kathuria In Jail: How Was He To Know, Asks Lawyer
Manuj Kathuria runs a Youtube channel on cars. (Youtube)
Advocate Rakesh Malhotra said, “So many vehicles crossed the stretch before and after Kathuria. While crossing a road, nobody can anticipate what is happening inside a building. The same wave went to all buildings around…A man went on a road that was open to traffic. How is it a crime?”
Saturday was like another day in the life of businessman Manuj Kathuria, who was heading home to his wife and old parents amid heavy rain in Delhi. Driving at a speed of 15 kmph, he crossed the flooded Bada Bazar Road in Rajinder Nagar, Rau’s IAS Study Circle and went to his home near the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital – hardly a kilometer away.
Little did he know that while crossing the flooded road, he allegedly broke the gate of the Rau’s IAS Study Circle. Three IAS aspirants were killed after the basement of the building where the coaching centre’s library was functioning was flooded. Kathuria has been booked under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) – culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
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Speaking to News18, Kathuria’s lawyer advocate Rakesh Malhotra said his client was on his way home on a road that allowed traffic movement at a speed of 15 kmph, under the permissible limits. “He has been booked under Section 105 of the BNS on account that he was driving in a lane where the building was. There was waterlogging on the road. When he moved the car in the flooded road, some ripples were created and the waves touched to the building. The gate collapsed and the water went inside, where a very unfortunate incident took place that killed three students,” he said.
‘OTHER VEHICLES ALSO PASSED THE STRETCH’
Malhotra said their counter was that the road was open for the traffic and it was not Kathuria’s car alone. Other vehicles, too, passed before and after him.
“While passing a road, nobody can anticipate what is happening inside a building. The same wave went to all the buildings around. The building owner is misusing his premises and civic authorities are not taking action against that misuse. There were no traffic or local police on the road to manage the vehicular movement. A man went on a road that was open to traffic. How is it his fault?” said the lawyer.
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‘COMPLAINT, COACHING CENTRE’S ILLEGALITIES IGNORED’
He also said that a few days ago, a man had raised a complaint of waterlogging in the area, saying some mishap could happen with the amount of water on the road. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) took no action on it and a man has now been arrested to satisfy the agitated students. “Instead of the real culprit, these arrests are being made. Make so many accused in the case that the actual accused can escape,” Malhotra said in his defence.
His bail was due on Tuesday. On Monday, a local court sent him for judicial custody till August 12.
The family refused to comment on the issue.
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RUNS A YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Kathuria was driving his 2021 model Force Gurkha – 4×4. The Bharat Stage VI diesel vehicle was registered in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan in November 2021. He also has a YouTube channel about his car ‘Indian Overlander’.
“This channel will be about my Offroad drives, Overland Travel and Exploration with my 2021 model Force Gurkha named Asterix,” the description of the channel, which has 8.21K subscribers and 49 videos, reads.
