Greater Noida Police on Tuesday arrested real estate developer Abhay Kumar in connection with the death of Noida-based software engineer Yuvraj Mehta, whose car plunged into a water-filled pit in Greater Noida late on Friday night. The arrest was carried out by the team from the Knowledge Park Police Station, after Abhay Kumar was formally named as an accused in the case.
Abhay Kumar is the owner of MZ Wishtown, a real estate development located in the Knowledge Park area. His arrest followed a detailed probe into the circumstances surrounding the engineer’s death, during which investigators concluded that lapses linked to the stalled construction site may have played a role in the fatal incident.
At the same time, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the case held a meeting at the Authority office on Tuesday, after which its members visited the accident site for a detailed on-the-spot inspection. The SIT is examining not only the role of private developers but also the conduct of officials responsible for safety and emergency response.
Additional Director General of Police Bhanu Bhaskar said that several officials have already been questioned as part of the investigation. He added that the SIT would also record statements from members of the deceased engineer’s family to better understand the sequence of events and the response of authorities on the night of the accident.
According to officials, one of the key aspects under scrutiny is the nearly two-hour delay during which the victim did not receive effective assistance after his car fell into the pit. Investigators are trying to establish why rescue efforts were not carried out promptly despite the presence of multiple response teams at the scene. Once all facts are verified, the SIT will compile a comprehensive report and submit it to the state government. Sources have indicated that further action may be taken against additional officials if negligence or dereliction of duty is established.
The fatal incident occurred on Friday night when Yuvraj Mehta was driving his speeding Grand Vitara from his workplace in Gurugram to his residence at Tata Eureka Park in Sector 150 of Greater Noida. His car reportedly veered into a large, water-filled pit dug for a mall construction project. Due to the high water level, the vehicle overturned and began floating. Yuvraj managed to get out of the car and immediately called his father, Rajkumar Mehta, informing him about the accident. Rajkumar Mehta alerted emergency services through Dial-112 and rushed to the spot.
Despite repeated cries for help, the family has alleged that none of the rescue personnel present entered the drain to save the stranded engineer. Yuvraj ultimately drowned, a tragedy his father and relatives attribute to administrative apathy and a lack of timely intervention.
Local residents have pointed out that the pit, originally excavated for a mall project, has remained unattended for more than three years after construction was abandoned. Over time, rainwater and sewage from nearby residential societies accumulated in the excavation, turning it into a deep and dangerous hazard. Residents claim they had repeatedly warned authorities about the risks posed by the open pit.
Based on a complaint filed by Rajkumar Mehta, police on Sunday registered an FIR at Knowledge Park police station against MJ Wishtown Planner Limited and Lotus Green Construction Private Limited. The family has alleged that the developers failed to install basic safety measures such as barricades, warning signs, and reflectors, even though the stretch was accident-prone and had been flagged multiple times.
The incident has also led to administrative action at the highest levels. The Uttar Pradesh government earlier removed M Lokesh, the Chief Executive Officer of the Noida Authority, following the death of the 27-year-old engineer. Lokesh, a 2005-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, was also relieved of his additional charge as Managing Director of the Noida Metro Rail Corporation.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took swift cognisance of the incident and ordered the formation of a three-member SIT, directing it to submit a report within five days. Acting on his instructions, the SIT was constituted under the leadership of the Meerut Divisional Commissioner, with the mandate to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances that led to the tragic death.
