Police allege illegal floors in Said-ul-Ajaib collapse chargesheet

Six people died when a five-storey building collapsed in Said-ul-Ajaib on May 30. In a chargesheet running to nearly 300 pages, Delhi Police allege that illegal additions, substandard material and construction-safety violations caused the collapse.

The chargesheet, filed before Saket court on August 13, names building owner Karamvir Singh and builders Manish Khatri and Avinash Gupta. Police have charged them under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligent construction, acts endangering life and common intention.

Investigators allege that the building had no sanctioned plan and that two additional floors were added without a structural-stability assessment or certification. Police say the builders were engaged from January to construct two large halls for about Rs 1.8 crore, and that new pillars were connected to an existing weak structure without structural approvals or an architect.

Police also allege that the three men knew poor-quality material was being used. Investigators plan to file supplementary chargesheets while examining alleged negligence by civic authorities.