Malviya Nagar hotel owner Luvkesh Kumar Bajaj, who is in police custody after a deadly fire that killed 21 people, showed little remorse, even saying: “Delhi me sab chalta hai,” PTI reported.
According to police, Bajaj was uncooperative during interrogation and told investigators that after the hotel business started generating revenue, he developed an attitude that “everything works in Delhi” and encouraged him to illegally expand the property from two and a half floors to five floors.
Investigators said their interrogation revealed a pattern of greed, regulatory violations and disregard for safety standards on the part of Bajaj, according to PTI.
Bajaj was arrested following a deadly fire at his Flourish Stay B&B hotel that killed 21 people and exposed alleged breaches of fire safety and building regulations. The fire broke out early Wednesday at the five-storey guest house in south Delhi’s busy Hauz Rani area. Among the 21 dead, 18 were foreigners from African countries, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and others.
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According to officials, The property was operating beyond its permitted capacityoperates 24 rooms despite receiving approval for only six. The hotel also did not have a license for a restaurant that was being operated in the basement. He only had permission for a tea and snack shop. The structure also did not have an approved building plan or fire safety No Objection Certificate (NOC).
Police said the rooms were rented for a period of between $3000 and $15,000 per day, while additional income came from a restaurant on the ground floor, according to PTI.
‘He made no effort to help’
An eyewitness named Muhammad Waseem Khan He told ANI that he called the owner after the fire broke out and reportedly had a conversation for 26 seconds. Bajaj allegedly arrived at the scene after being informed about the fire but left without helping those trapped inside.
Khan said: “I reached the scene at 8.30 am. I saw that the situation was very bad… I called the owner at 8.52 am. I spoke to him for 26 seconds. I told him that the chances of survival were slim… Yes, the owner came here. I can’t say exactly when or how long he stayed, because I was busy saving lives… and he made no effort to save anyone.”
Director Jay Mishra’s escape
While Bajaj has been arrested and will remain in custody for four days, hotel manager Jay Mishra, through whom Bajaj allegedly obtained licenses, is still absconding.
Read also: ‘No ventilation’ in column-like building, terrifying escape video: 5 shocking details in Delhi Malviya Nagar fire
Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) Vijay Kumar said they were given police custody for four days. He added, “We will ask him about the employees who were there because they are all fugitives.” Five police teams are also tracking Mishra.
21 dead and more than 40 rescued
At least 21 people died and more than 40 others were rescued After a fire broke out in the five-storey building housing the B&B in the busy Hauz Rani area of Malviya Nagar. While initial reports indicated that the fire may have originated from the nearby Lemon Green restaurant, police later clarified that the fire started inside the hotel building itself.
Officials said the building had only one entry and exit point, locked windows and a sensor-operated main door, a combination that turned the building into a virtual death trap.
The visuals showed people jumping out of videos to save their lives. Residents and local shop owners also joined the rescue efforts before emergency services arrived.
“A temporary license has been obtained.”
According to PTI, citing sources, the building was previously given a temporary residence permit during the 2010 Commonwealth Games under a different owner, when Delhi was facing a shortage of hotel rooms.
During interrogation, Bajaj told investigators that he owned at least four hotels in the area and rarely visited them. According to police sources quoted by PTI, he said that he entrusted the day-to-day operations of the institution to Mishra after taking over the building in 2022.
