Courtesy: X/saurav_7297, urvashikhona
A Delhi court on Wednesday sent the building owner’s son Mahesh Gupta, paying guest accommodation operator Sudhanshu and labour contractor Sanoj to two days’ police custody in connection with the Satya Niketan building collapse that killed seven people. Police are investigating the roles of the property owners, PG operators and those involved in renovation work at the building.
Who are the three sent to police custody?
Mahesh Gupta, 52, is the son of Hariram Gupta and Urmila Gupta, who were earlier arrested following the collapse. Police say Mahesh was involved in managing the property on behalf of his parents.
The property was registered in Urmila’s name, while the electricity connection was in Hariram’s name, according to police accounts reported after the arrests.
Mahesh told investigators that the building had been leased in August 2025 to two business partners, identified as Shubham Tyagi and Sudhanshu, who subsequently operated the premises as a boys’ PG under the name Hostel Daze.
Sudhanshu was arrested on Wednesday. His business partner Shubham Tyagi remained untraced at the time of the latest reports.
Sanoj, the labour contractor allegedly supervising work at the property, was apprehended from Kasganj in Uttar Pradesh and brought to Delhi.
A court has now remanded Mahesh, Sudhanshu and Sanoj to police custody for two days as investigators continue questioning them over the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
What happened at the Satya Niketan PG?
The multi-storey building housing a boys’ PG in Satya Niketan near Delhi University’s South Campus collapsed on Sunday, September 6.
The structure included a basement and several upper floors and was being used to accommodate students. Initial reports said repair or renovation work was under way around the basement when the building collapsed.
The rescue operation stretched for more than a day as teams searched through the rubble.
Seven people were eventually confirmed dead. Twelve people were rescued, according to an Associated Press account of the disaster.
The tragedy has put the spotlight on building safety and the regulation of PG accommodation in an area heavily populated by students because of its proximity to Delhi University’s South Campus.
What are police investigating?
Investigators are examining whether unauthorised construction and work being carried out at the property contributed to the collapse.
The FIR alleges that additional floors had been constructed on the old building despite concerns over whether its foundation could support the additional load, according to The Times of India. The allegations in the FIR remain subject to investigation and judicial scrutiny.
The role of renovation and excavation work is also being examined.
Police are trying to establish who authorised the work, what instructions were given to workers and whether the people responsible for the building and the PG knew about potential structural risks.
This makes questioning the owner’s son, PG operator and labour contractor important to the investigation because they represent different parts of the building’s management and the work being undertaken at the property.
What happened to the building owners?
Hariram Gupta, his wife Urmila and their son Mahesh were arrested after the collapse.
Police arrested the family members in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan, following the incident. Hariram is 81 and Urmila is 75.
A court subsequently sent Hariram and Urmila to 14 days’ judicial custody, while Mahesh was initially remanded to two days’ police custody.
The police investigation has since expanded beyond the family to those involved in running the PG and carrying out work at the site.
Sudhanshu’s arrest and the detention of contractor Sanoj have brought the number of people being investigated in custody into sharper focus, while police continue looking for the other PG operator.
What do records say about the PG operation?
Police investigations indicate that Mahesh leased the property to Shubham Tyagi and Sudhanshu in August 2025.
The two business partners operated the premises as a boys’ PG under the name Hostel Daze, according to reports citing investigators and the rent agreement.
This aspect of the investigation is significant because police are examining responsibility at multiple levels, including ownership, management of the PG and renovation or construction activity.
The authorities have not yet reached a final judicial finding on responsibility for the collapse.
Has action been taken over building safety?
The collapse has triggered scrutiny of both the property and the broader regulation of student PG accommodation in Delhi.
Five Municipal Corporation of Delhi officials were suspended following the incident as questions emerged over construction and regulatory oversight.
The Delhi government is also moving towards tighter regulation of PG accommodation. A draft framework proposes requirements including municipal licensing, police clearance and structural and fire safety certification for PG properties. A public registration portal has also been proposed.
The measures follow wider concerns over how thousands of students live in privately operated PGs and hostels around educational hubs in the capital.
What happens next in the investigation?
Police now have two days of custody to question Mahesh Gupta, Sudhanshu and Sanoj.
Investigators are expected to focus on the management of the building, the lease arrangement, the renovation work and the circumstances immediately preceding the collapse.
Police are also continuing efforts to trace Shubham Tyagi, the second PG operator.
The final cause of the collapse and the criminal responsibility of those arrested have not yet been judicially established. Those questions remain part of the ongoing investigation.
