The Patiala House Court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Shubham Tyagi, one of the operators of the paying guest accommodation in Delhi’s Satya Niketan where a five-storey building collapsed on September 6, killing seven people. Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler observed that the investigation was still at an early stage and that Tyagi’s custodial interrogation was necessary to establish his exact role in the PG business and the circumstances surrounding the construction work. Tyagi later surrendered before the court and was sent to two days of police custody along with co-accused Sudhanshu.
During the hearing, the prosecution relied on a rental agreement showing that Tyagi had taken the second and third floors of the building on rent. The court noted that this agreement had not been disclosed in Tyagi’s anticipatory bail application. It also examined two rental agreements dated September 6, 2025, which were executed within minutes of each other through the same stamp-vendor account. Tyagi and Sudhanshu had also acted as witnesses on each other’s agreements. According to the court, these circumstances indicated that the two were jointly involved in operating the PG, rather than Tyagi being merely an investor as claimed by him.
The court also considered the statement of injured student Nitish Chhibe, who said he had rented accommodation from both accused for Rs 14,500 per month. He reportedly told investigators that students had repeatedly complained about construction activity on the ground floor, including noise and iron rods being cut. They were allegedly told that repair work was underway and that the PG would later be expanded to the basement. The complaints allegedly increased, after which students were threatened with eviction.
Tyagi, who identified himself as a lawyer registered with the Delhi Bar Council, argued that he had only invested money in the business and had no control over the building. However, the court found that the available material did not support treating him as completely disconnected from the premises or its activities.
The court said investigators needed to question Tyagi regarding his knowledge and consent concerning the structural work, trace the money trail of the PG business and confront him with the co-accused. It clarified that rejection of anticipatory bail should not be considered a final opinion on the merits of the case.
The case follows the deaths of seven people in the collapse. Building owner Hariram and his wife Urmila were earlier sent to judicial custody, while their son Mahesh was granted police custody. Police are also examining allegations that additional floors and construction work had placed extra pressure on the old structure.
Source: ABP Live
