'Delhi mein sab chalta hai': Hotel owner's greed behind illegal expansion; drove past blaze site

The owner of the Malviya Nagar hotel gutted by a fire that killed 21 people allegedly told investigators that "Delhi me sab chalta hai" (everything works in Delhi) when questioned about major violations at the property, police sources said on Thursday.

According to investigators, Lavkesh Bajaj showed little remorse after the blaze at Flourish Stay B&B in south Delhi's Hauz Rani area on Wednesday. Officials alleged that he even drove past the burning building during rescue operations without stopping, despite the commotion.

The fire claimed 21 lives, including 12 foreign nationals, and injured several others, making it one of the deadliest fires in the capital in recent years.

Police said Bajaj has been non-cooperative during interrogation since his arrest. Investigators claim questioning has uncovered a pattern of regulatory violations, illegal expansion and disregard for safety norms.

According to police sources, Bajaj told investigators that once the hotel business became highly profitable, he felt encouraged to expand the property illegally from two-and-a-half storeys to five floors because he believed "everything works in Delhi."

Officials said the establishment was permitted to operate only six rooms under the Delhi government's bed-and-breakfast policy. However, it allegedly expanded to around 25-26 rooms, including some in the basement.

Investigators also found that the premises had permission to run only a tea shop and did not possess a licence to operate a restaurant. Despite this, the property allegedly generated additional income through a ground-floor restaurant.

Police said rooms were rented out for between Rs 3,000 and Rs 15,000 per day.

According to investigators, Bajaj allegedly obtained licences in the name of Jai Mishra, who handled the hotel's accounts and day-to-day operations. Five police teams have been formed to trace Mishra, who remains absconding.

Sources further said the building had previously received a temporary accommodation licence during the 2010 Commonwealth Games under a different owner when Delhi faced a shortage of hotel rooms.

During questioning, Bajaj reportedly told investigators that he owns at least four hotels in the area and rarely visits them. He claimed that after purchasing the property in 2022, he handed over its daily management to Mishra.

Police also alleged that when the fire broke out, Bajaj happened to be near the building and noticed the activity around it. However, instead of stopping, he allegedly left the area and continued moving across different parts of Delhi before being traced and arrested later the same day.

Joint Commissioner of Police Vijay Kumar said investigators have secured four days of police custody for Bajaj.

"We will ask him about the staff members who were present there as all of them are absconding," Kumar said.

He added that the sections invoked in the FIR were appropriate considering the circumstances of the incident and that multiple violations had been identified.

"The premises had permission for only six rooms, but there were 25 rooms. No gas connection was taken in the name of the premises, but four cylinders were present," he said.

The investigation has now expanded beyond determining the immediate cause of the fire. Authorities are examining allegations of illegal construction, fire safety violations, licensing irregularities, ownership records and other factors that may have contributed to the high death toll.