Malviya Nagar Fire: Delhi Court Sends B&B Owner, Accountant to 12-Day Judicial Custody

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday sent the owner and the accountant of the Hauz Rani B&B, Flourish Inn, to 12 days of judicial custody, exactly one week after the catastrophic fire at the establishment claimed 22 lives.

Judicial Magistrate Bhanu Pratap Singh remanded the property owner, Lavkesh Bajaj, and the accountant, Jay Mishra, to custody following a plea filed by the Delhi Police. The duo was physically produced in court on Wednesday afternoon after being arrested by specialized police teams earlier this week.

The fire that took 22 lives

The fast-moving legal proceedings come as authorities confirmed that the death toll from the June 3rd tragedy has risen to 22. Among the deceased are nine Indian citizens and 13 foreign nationals, many of whom were international medical tourists seeking treatment at neighbouring multi-specialty hospital.

The catastrophic fire entirely gutted Flourish Stays B&B, located in the densely populated Hauz Rani locality of Malviya Nagar, making it one of the deadliest building fires the national capital has seen in recent years.

Police seek accountability 

During the hearing, the Delhi Police argued that judicial remand was necessary to ensure the accused do not tamper with evidence or influence witnesses while investigators complete their technical probe.

The investigation is looking into the massive criminal negligence and structural violations. While the establishment was registered under the Delhi Government’s Bed and Breakfast scheme—which strictly limits residential homestays to a maximum of eight guest rooms—the operators had heavily partitioned the building to illegally run 24 commercial rooms.

Forensic and fire department reports submitted to the court indicated that the unauthorized expansion completely blocked the building's sole escape route, trapping the victims in thick, toxic smoke when the fire broke out. The accused face severe charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Also Read: From Kakoli Ghosh To Shatrughan Sinha: List Of 19 Rebel TMC MPs Revealed