The Delhi Police have filed a charge sheet against three accused, including hotel owner Lavkesh Bajaj, in connection with the Malviya Nagar hotel fire tragedy that claimed 21 lives, officials said on Tuesday.
Bajaj had spent around 15 days in Tihar Jail before being released on bail, and the proceedings in that matter are pending before the court. Bajaj was arrested shortly after the fire following a search operation launched by the Delhi Police.
Negligence on the part of the hotel management and alleged violations of safety norms form the basis of the case against the accused, according to police. The blaze affected the basement, ground floor and five upper floors of the multi-storey building, with heat and smoke causing extensive damage, according to the Delhi Fire Services. The devastating fire had engulfed the Flourish Stay hotel in the congested Hauz Rani area of Malviya Nagar in the early hours, trapping guests inside the multi-storey building. A Look Out Circular had also been issued against him and his wife during the initial investigation. Preliminary investigations had indicated that a short circuit may have triggered the blaze, while investigators also examined whether mandatory fire safety measures and evacuation arrangements were in place. Police had subsequently filed a charge sheet in that separate case against Bajaj and two others.
The charge sheet has been filed before the Saket Court and is scheduled to be taken up for consideration on Thursday.
