Saket B&B Owner Arrested After Deadly Fire Had Hotel License Rejected In 2022
The owner of a bed and breakfast facility in Saket, Malviya Nagar, where a massive fire killed 23 people earlier this month, had his application to operate a hotel from the premises rejected in 2022, Delhi Police revealed. Lavkesh Bajaj, the owner of the Flourish Stay facility—also known as Lemon Green Inn—was arrested by police alongside two of his employees following the fatal blaze.
According to police sources, Bajaj’s 2022 application to operate a hotel was rejected because he did not possess the mandatory health and trade licence from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). He also failed to secure a mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Delhi Fire Service (DFS). At the time, the Delhi Police Licensing Department required these clearances before issuing a final hotel licence.
Bajaj had been involved in the medical tourism business since 2012 and lived in the Hauz Rani area. He also owned a property in Chhatarpur to accommodate visiting medical tourists. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, Bajaj sought to expand his business. In 2022, he purchased a three-storey house in Hauz Rani and began constructing three additional floors to increase the number of rooms.
After his hotel licence application was rejected in August 2022, Bajaj applied for approval under the Bed and Breakfast (B&B) scheme administered by the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC). Under the B&B scheme's rules, the owner of the property is required to reside at the premises.
To circumvent this requirement, Bajaj allegedly registered his accountant as the owner of the property before the DTTDC, which subsequently issued the B&B licence. Investigators stated that Bajaj then constructed additional floors and operated 26 rooms, despite having official approval for only six rooms under the B&B scheme.
The fire resulted in 23 casualties, including foreign tourists. Police have collected all relevant documents linked to the B&B facility to strengthen their legal case against Bajaj and his two arrested employees. The licensing system was revised in 2025, meaning the Delhi Police no longer issue these licences. The investigation into the fire and safety violations is ongoing.
