Delhi Hotel Fire: Owner, Accountant Remanded To 12-Day Judicial Custody
Delhi Hotel Fire: Owner, Accountant Remanded To 12-Day Judicial Custody Published By, Last Updated: June 10, 2026, 20:38 IST As many as 22 people, including
Delhi Hotel Fire: Owner, Accountant Remanded To 12-Day Judicial Custody Published By, Last Updated: June 10, 2026, 20:38 IST As many as 22 people, including nine Indians and 13 foreign nationals, were killed on June 3 after a massive fire swept through a Bed and Breakfast facility in South Delhi As many as 22 peopl were killed on June 3 after a massive fire swept through a Bed and Breakfast facility in South Delhi | File image credit: PTI A Delhi court on Wednesday sent the owner and the accountant of a South Delhi hotel, where a catastrophic fire claimed 22 lives, to 12-day judicial custody. As many as 22 people — including nine Indians and 13 foreign nationals — were killed on June 3 after a massive fire swept through a Bed and Breakfast facility in South Delhi’s Hauz Rani area.
Judicial Magistrate Bhanu Pratap Singh was hearing a plea filed by the Delhi police, seeking the custody of hotel owner Lavkesh Bajaj and accountant Jay Mishra, as both were physically produced in the court days after arrest. About The Incident In one of the deadliest blazes in the national capital in recent years, 22 people were killed and several others injured as a fire gutted Flourish Stays B&B in Hauz Rani of Malviya Nagar. As investigation proceeds, investigators are examining cases of staff violations, safety lapses, and circumstances that allowed the fire to spread through the facility. A key development in the probe that remains under radar is the hotel’s licensing. During the interrogation, accountant Mishra allegedly told officials that he had provided his personal documents to obtain the bed-and-breakfast license at the request of the hotel’s owner, Lavkesh Bajaj.
With the revelation, the investigators are now examining how the licensing was obtained in an employee’s name, despite Bajaj being the owner of the facility. Investigators have also discovered that Mishra — a long-time aide of Bajaj — enjoyed substantial control over the hotel’s operations, overseeing licensing-related documents, supervising staff deployment and more. Fresh Clues, Many Unanswered Questions According to a report by news agency PTI, the investigation focuses on a series of lapses stemming from the hotel’s kitchen that may have paved the way for the blaze to rip through the building. Cook Keshav Negi allegedly switched on an oil fryer and prepare tea for himself, said police, adding he reportedly forgot to switch off the device while sipping tea. As the oil continued heating, it reportedly reached its auto-ignition temperature and caught fire. The flames first reached the ceiling and later gutted the nearby combustible material.
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