Malviya Nagar hotel owner arrested in Saket after fleeing fatal fire
A hotel owner was arrested in Saket after fleeing a fatal fire that broke out at his property, Flourish Stays B&B, in neighbouring Malviya Nagar on Wednesday morning. The fire, which claimed 21 lives, has also prompted police to investigate two other properties owned by the suspect in Hauz Rani for safety violations.
The Delhi Police apprehended the owner, identified as Lavkesh Bajaj, on Wednesday night. According to authorities, Bajaj’s residence is located directly opposite the fire-damaged property. After arriving at the scene on Wednesday morning and seeing from the main road that the building was engulfed in flames, Bajaj fled.
Police stated that Bajaj attempted to evade arrest by frequently changing locations within Saket and switching vehicles throughout the day. He was eventually caught after heading to the residence of an acquaintance.
During questioning, Bajaj claimed he had purchased the Flourish Stays property around three years ago from a man identified as Ahluwalia. Investigators said the building is approximately 40 years old, but underwent substantial renovations, including modifications to the façade and interiors, over the last two to three years.
The structure consists of a basement with four rooms and a kitchen, a ground floor housing the reception area, restaurant, and two rooms, and four upper floors containing around five rooms each. Another kitchen was operating on the top floor. Investigators are currently checking if these renovations compromised safety norms.
Following the incident, police placed two of Bajaj's other properties in Hauz Rani under scrutiny. Preliminary inspections of these establishments revealed multiple safety violations, including unauthorised construction, inadequate fire-safety measures, and having only a single entry-exit stairway. Both properties have since been shut down.
The police received the initial report of the fire at 8:49 a.m. on Wednesday, with callers stating that people were trapped. Police and local residents worked together to break locks at the basement and roof entries to rescue occupants. Some residents jumped onto mattresses arranged by officials to escape. Authorities have now declared the fire-ravaged building dangerous.
