Lakesh Bajaj, owner of the Flourish Stay B&B, which witnessed a fire that claimed 21 lives, arrived at the scene while the fire was burning, and stood there for 10 to 15 minutes before disappearing, a local resident said Thursday.
Muhammad Waseem (37 years old), a resident of the building, said that he arrived at the place around 8:30 a.m. and saw smoke rising from the building. “I called Bajaj at 8:52 am and spoke for 26 seconds. I told him the fire was huge. He said he knew. I asked him to come and then hung up,” Waseem said.
Bajaj arrived about 10 minutes later, he said. Waseem added: “I saw him standing there wearing a white shirt. I was busy with rescue operations, so I didn’t talk to him, but I know he stayed there for 10 to 15 minutes.”
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Waseem and the police said Bajaj ran two other B&Bs in the neighbourhood and used to visit the restaurant below the Flourish Stay B&B daily. While Bajaj owned the B&B, its manager Jay Mishra was listed as the owner on the license and was assigned to remain in the establishment. Police said Mishra – mentioned in court documents as an “accountant” – was on the run with another man named Rakesh. According to court documents, Rakesh is also the manager of the bed and breakfast.
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Meanwhile, a Delhi court on Thursday ordered Bajaj to be detained in police custody for four days, stating that his interrogation was necessary, given the serious allegations against him.
