Malviya Nagar Fire Tragedy: Delhi Court Sends Hotel Owner Lavkesh Bajaj, Accountant To 12-Day Judicial Custody

Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Bhanu Pratap Singh of the Saket Courts allowed the Delhi Police's plea for judicial custody, observing that the investigation remains at a crucial stage and that serious allegations carrying the possibility of life imprisonment have been levelled against Bajaj.

“Considering that the investigation is at the initial stage and there are serious allegations against the accused Lavkesh Bajaj for the commission of offence punishable with imprisonment for life, this Court is of the view that sufficient grounds are made out for sending the accused in judicial custody,” the Court noted. It added that such custody was necessary to ensure a proper investigation and to prevent any possibility of witness influence.

The Court directed Delhi Police to produce both accused before it on July 22 upon completion of the remand period.

Notably, on June 4, the Court had remanded Bajaj to four days of police custody in connection with the devastating fire at a guest house in South Delhi's Malviya Nagar.

During the hearing on Wednesday, on a request made by Bajaj’s counsel, the Court also directed the Jail Superintendent to consider his medical prescriptions and provide appropriate treatment in accordance with prison rules. Bajaj was permitted to carry his medical records to jail.

The accused were produced before the court after completion of their respective police custody periods. Bajaj had remained in police custody for four days, while Mishra, who surrendered before the court earlier this week, was interrogated in police custody for two days.

Seeking judicial custody, the investigating officer informed the court that the probe was still underway and that continued custody was required to prevent tampering with evidence, influencing witnesses, and to secure the accused's presence during the investigation.

Mishra, alleged to be the accountant of Flourish Stay hotel, had surrendered before the court on Monday after reportedly remaining absconding since June 3, the day of the fire. He is among three persons named as accused in the case, alongside Bajaj and hotel cook Keshav Negi.

The fire broke out at Flourish Stay in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar area, resulting in one of the city's deadliest hotel disasters in recent years. The death toll rose to 22 after a foreign national undergoing treatment succumbed to injuries on Sunday.

According to the latest medical update, nine victims remain admitted at Max Hospital, Saket. Of these, one patient is in the Intensive Care Unit, while the remaining are under observation in the wards. Hospital authorities stated that all admitted patients are clinically stable and showing satisfactory recovery.

An FIR has been registered under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 326(g) (mischief by fire), 324(5) (wrongful damage to property), 125(a) and 125(b) (negligent acts endangering life and causing grievous hurt), and Section 287 relating to negligent conduct with respect to fire. According to officials, at least 58 people were rescued from the building and shifted to nearby hospitals. Twenty-one victims were declared dead. Several of those killed or injured were foreign nationals, including citizens from African countries and Turkmenistan, who were reportedly staying at the hotel while attending to relatives undergoing medical treatment in Delhi.

Preliminary findings have revealed serious violations at the establishment. Authorities informed that the building had approval for only six rooms but was allegedly operating more than 20 rooms. The hotel was also functioning without a fire No Objection Certificate (NOC) and reportedly had only a single entry and exit point, raising concerns over safety compliance and emergency evacuation measures.