Delhi Police reveal key findings in the Satya Niketan building collapse investigation, citing improper basement dumping and wall removal during recent renovations.
Published: September 9, 2026, 10:08 PM IST
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Building collapses in Delhi amid heavy rain, several people feared trapped under debris, | Image: ANI
New Delhi: The Delhi Police investigation into the Satya Niketan building collapse has revealed the sequence of renovation work that allegedly weakened the structure before it collapsed, officials said on Wednesday. According to the investigation, renovation work was carried out in the building around 10 days before the incident on the instructions of Mahesh Gupta. Workers dumped three truckloads of construction debris into the basement to level it, and later removed a key ground-floor wall to expand a shop. This added weight and structural disruption fatally compromised the building’s stability.
What is Delhi police saying on renovation at ground floor?
Police said the renovation involved levelling the basement with the ground floorAround three truckloads of construction debris were filled into the basement as part of the workOn the day of the incident, a wall on the ground floor was allegedly removed to create additional space for a shopAccording to police, the structural changes, along with the additional load in the basement, affected the building’s stability, following which the structure collapsed.
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Labour contractor Sanoj Kumar, 35, who was allegedly engaged for the renovation work, was apprehended from Kasganj in Uttar Pradesh and subsequently arrested in the case, police saidDuring questioning, Sanoj allegedly disclosed that he was being paid Rs 2,800 per day by Mahesh Gupta for the renovation work.
Investigation reveals shocking details
The investigation also revealed that the building was being used as a PG accommodationPG operator Shudhanshu Lovneesh, 31, was arrested by policePolice said Shudhanshu and his associate Shubham Tyagi had taken four floors of the building on lease in August 2025 for Rs 1.05 lakh per month.
According to police, they took the property at a comparatively lower rent due to its dilapidated conditionInvestigators have alleged that Shudhanshu was aware of the construction work but remained negligent despite knowing that it could affect the building.
All three accused, Mahesh Gupta, Sanoj Kumar and Shudhanshu Lovneesh, were produced before the court, which granted two days of police custodySeven people lost their lives after a five-storey building collapsed in Satya Niketan on September 6.
