New Delhi, The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought a report from the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here regarding the health of the jailed owner of a Malviya Nagar hotel where a fire claimed 23 lives in June.
Police have alleged that instead of reapplying, he operated the establishment under the B&B framework. The fire allegedly started in the kitchen after Negi left an oil fryer switched on while preparing tea. Police have alleged that the flames spread rapidly through the building, with inflammable material and the single entry-exit route aggravating the situation.
Bajaj, presently in judicial custody, is named as an accused in the case over the fire at the five-storey ‘Flourish Stay’ B&B in Hauz Rani on June 3, in which 23 people were killed, while 24 others suffered grievous injuries. Delhi Police has chargesheeted Bajaj, Jay Mishra, the manager-cum-accountant, and Keshav Negi, the cook in the case, alleging that the 26-room establishment was operating in violation of bed-and-breakfast rules that permitted only six rooms.
Bajaj had applied for a hotel licence, but it was rejected as the property had only one entry and exit point and lacked a fire exit, according to the investigation.
On September 3, a trial court rejected his plea seeking interim bail of four weeks on medical grounds, saying he was already receiving adequate specialised medical treatment in custody and that the medical exigency cited by the accused had already been addressed through surgery at RML Hospital.
