CBI Registers FIR Against Developer Over Collapse Of Gurugram's Chintels Paradiso Building

In February 2022, a portion of a sixth-floor apartment in Tower D collapsed vertically, killing two women and injuring many more. The CBI filed a FIR in connection with the collapse today.

People at the Chintels Paradiso housing society, in Gurugram, (Image Used For Representational Purposes Only)

Source : PTI

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed an FIR on Tuesday in connection with the collapse of the Chintels Paradiso apartment building in Gurugram last year. In the FIR, Ashok Saloman, the developer of Chintels Paradiso, was named as an accused in the case, news agency ANI reported citing the FIR.

A portion of a sixth-floor apartment in Tower D collapsed vertically in February 2022, killing two women and injuring many others. 

The FIR has been registered under IPC sections of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, causing grievous hurt by act endangering the life or personal safety of others cheating, cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property, mischief causing damage, etc, the report said.

The Haryana government referred the matter to the CBI on July 18, 2022, which was conveyed to the CBI by the Centre on December 29, last year, news agency PTI reported quoting officials familiar with the development. 

According to the procedure, the CBI took over the investigation in the Haryana Police FIR, the report said. 

On February 10, last year, the dining room floor of a sixth-story apartment at Chintels Paradiso in Gurugram's sector 109 crumbled, triggering the fall of roofs and floors directly beneath it, up to the first floor. The collapse killed two people, Rekha Bhardwaj and Sunita Shrivastava.

Findings Of The Structural Audit Report Of Chintels Paradiso Building:  

Following the occurrence, a probe into the situation was ordered, and a team of experts from IIT Delhi was called to undertake a structural audit.

On November 8, 2022, the final report of the safety audit was delivered to Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav. Structural flaws were found in the building of the tower and it was also highlighted in the report that "repair is not possible on technical and economic grounds," as per media reports.  

The authorities recommended the demolition of the tower in question, as well as the evacuation of neighbouring towers E and F, based on the structural assessments and recommendations of the committee. The builder's pay is based on the amount of time it takes to complete the project, the website Money Control reported. 

The committee appointed to investigate the incident also advised time-bound settlement of impacted residents' claims, the report stated. The committee also appointed two independent assessors to determine the market value of the flats and prepared an evaluation report.

(With Inputs From Agencies)