Satya Niketan building collapse: Centre opposes Kiran Bedi's plea to be made party in Delhi HC case

The Central government on Thursday opposed a plea by former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and former Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi to be impleaded in a public interest litigation (PIL) before the Delhi High Court concerning the Satya Niketan building collapse.

During the hearing, a Division Bench of Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that Bedi's experience as an administrator could be useful while considering the issues arising from the incident.

"She is a conscientious citizen of the country with ample experience. It is a matter of larger public interest... We can always utilise her long experience... Don't take the matter adversarially," remarked the Court.

However, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma, appearing for the Central government, submitted that he had instructions to oppose Bedi's impleadment.

Sharma further referred to Bedi's application and submitted that she had already prejudged the issues involved in the case.

He said he would file a reply opposing her application.

The Court granted the government three days to file its reply to Bedi's impleadment application.

The matter concerns the collapse of a paying guest (PG) accommodation in Delhi's Satya Niketan, which claimed the lives of seven people. One Aniket Kumar Gupta had filed a PIL in the matter, seeking ₹1 crore compensation for the kin of the victims of the collapse, besides a structural audit of all PG accommodations/ hostels.

While hearing the case on September 7, the Court had sought the response from the authorities and asked Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to conduct an inquiry at the highest level to find out whether the building that collapsed was constructed with valid permission.

The Court had also sought details from the authorities on the number of students living in PGs and directed the MCD to inform it whether any statutory or executive regulations govern PG accommodations in Delhi. The matter is next listed on September 25.

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