Three municipal officials from Delhi's South Zone have been suspended following the collapse of a five-storey building in Satya Niketan, which killed seven people. The incident occurred on September 6 while repair work was underway. The suspended officials include Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar, Superintending Engineer Ranveer Singh, and Junior Engineer Ashish Kumar, who were also posted in the South Zone during the Malviya Nagar fire that killed 23 people on June 3. No action was taken against them after the fire, but they were suspended following the more recent collapse. The MCD also suspended Executive Engineer (Building) Lalit Kumar Goyal and Assistant Engineer (Building) Sunil Chauhan.

A magisterial inquiry into the Malviya Nagar fire found lapses in multiple departments, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The building had been booked twice for unauthorized construction, and despite police orders to stop the work and BSES instructions to disconnect electricity to unauthorized portions, the property remained operational. The inquiry also noted that the building's health trade licence was renewed on June 2, a day before the fire, after an application had been pending for nearly five months. The report recommended disciplinary action against officials found responsible.

The Satya Niketan collapse occurred three months after the Malviya Nagar fire. Police are examining the repair work in the basement and possible water accumulation. Preliminary information suggests that a pillar became weak during repairs, affecting the structure. The building was found to have several violations, including no sanctioned building plan, unauthorized basement construction, no Fire NOC, and a fifth floor not permitted under applicable rules. Residents had reported cracks, dampness, and water accumulation, but the building was not identified as dangerous before the collapse.

The Delhi High Court has ordered a high-level inquiry into the Satya Niketan collapse, asking the MCD to examine whether the building had the required permissions and whether there were lapses by civic officials. The court has also directed the MCD to inspect PG accommodations and hostels in the city, check their permissions, and verify compliance with building bye-laws. Executive Engineers have been asked to inspect buildings in their respective zones and submit reports by September 10.

With two deadly incidents, three officials who were in key South Zone positions during both periods, and five suspensions after the second tragedy, the question remains: How is accountability being fixed? The exact cause of the Satya Niketan collapse remains under investigation, and the outcomes of the ongoing inquiries are yet to be determined.