Delhi Court extends Judicial custody of Lovkesh Bajaj, 2 others in Malviya Nagar hotel fire case
A Delhi court extended the judicial custody of Flourish Stay hotel owner Lovkesh Bajaj and co-accused Keshav Negi and Jay Mishra in connection with the deadly Malviya Nagar hotel fire that claimed 23 lives earlier this year. The court granted the extension after Delhi Police informed it that the investigation is still underway.
The three accused were produced before the court through video conferencing after the expiry of their previous judicial custody. Delhi Police sought an extension, stating that further custody was necessary to complete the ongoing investigation.
The devastating fire broke out at the Flourish Stay hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar area on June 3, killing 23 people, including several foreign nationals, and leaving many others injured. Investigators have alleged that multiple fire safety violations and lapses in the building's infrastructure contributed to the high death toll.
According to the investigation, the hotel's windows and glass panels were completely sealed, preventing smoke from escaping. Police also found that the basement entrance was locked from inside, delaying rescue operations. The building allegedly lacked adequate ventilation and an emergency exit, causing smoke to spread rapidly and trapping guests inside.
Police are in the final stages of the probe and are expected to file a chargesheet soon. Investigators have examined forensic reports, CCTV footage, witness statements and other technical evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the tragedy.
The case has drawn widespread attention due to the scale of the tragedy and allegations of negligence. The upcoming chargesheet is expected to detail the roles of the accused, institutional lapses and evidence gathered during the investigation.
