Delhi Police has arrested the cook of the Malviya Nagar hotel where a devastating fire killed 21 people on Wednesday, including 13 foreign nationals. Investigators have concluded that the blaze was caused by the cook’s negligence.
“The investigation revealed that the fire was caused due to the cook’s negligence. The police have also taken some other individuals into custody. Questioning is ongoing. One person has been arrested, and another is in custody,” sources said.
One person has been formally arrested, while another remains in police custody and is being questioned. Police have also detained several other individuals as the probe continues. The victims included four people from Nigeria, three from Kyrgyzstan, and one each from Mozambique,
Liberia, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh and Iraq.
Delhi fire tragedy
The incident has triggered a wide-ranging investigation into the circumstances surrounding the blaze.
Earlier, the owner of the Flourish Stay bed-and-breakfast establishment, Lavkesh Bajaj, who was arrested in connection with the case, allegedly admitted during questioning that the building did not have a Fire No Objection Certificate (NOC).
According to sources cited by ANI, Bajaj told investigators that the property lacked the mandatory fire clearance. However, he sought to distance himself from the day-to-day management of the establishment.
The admission has emerged as a significant development in the investigation into the fire that swept through the property in South Delhi’s Hauz Rani area.
Probe focuses on safety violations
Investigators are examining possible safety violations, unauthorised construction and the role of individuals linked to the property. Authorities are also trying to determine whether the absence of mandatory fire clearances contributed to the scale of the tragedy.
According to PTI, the hotel was allegedly operating without the required fire NOC. Investigators have further alleged that the establishment was functioning beyond its approved capacity.
Police sources told PTI that the property had permission for only six rooms under the Delhi government’s Bed and Breakfast policy. However, it was allegedly operating around 25 rooms, including some in the basement. The report also alleged that additional floors had been constructed over the years without obtaining the necessary approvals from authorities.
