Malviya Nagar Fire: Owner Lokesh Bajaj Identified As Probe Expands To Multi-Hotel Network Over 'Safety Violations'

New Delhi: At least 21 people, including foreign nationals, lost their lives and over 37 others were rescued following a devastating fire that erupted at a hotel in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar district on Wednesday morning (June 3). 

Emergency crews responded to the scene as the blaze tore through the establishment, marking a tragic start to the day for the local community.

Police investigators have now shifted their focus to the establishment's ownership structure. 

The owner of the hotel has been identified as Lokesh Bajaj. According to official sources, the hotel was not a solo venture; Bajaj operates the business alongside two other partners.

Network of Budget Hotels Under Scrutiny

Information has surfaced revealing that this trio doesn't just manage this single ill-fated property. The partners reportedly own and operate several other hotels and guest houses scattered across prime locations in Delhi.

This revelation has prompted authorities to widen the scope of their investigation, as it raises urgent concerns that similar severe building violations and structural hazards exist across their entire hospitality network.

Multi-Agency Probe Standardises Safety Checks

Delhi Police, along with forensic teams, are now examining three core aspects of the case as they investigate the financial structure, partnerships, and legal registrations of the company managing the hotel.

Probing how a property granted a Delhi government license strictly for a 6-room 'Bed and Breakfast' concept was illegally modified to operate 25 rooms, including unauthorised partitions in the basement.

Verifying why the building's sole exit was reportedly locked and why mandatory structural elements,  such as open-window ventilation, were completely absent.

The building’s unsafe design proved fatal for its occupants, primarily families of patients undergoing treatment at the Max Hospital across the street. 

Trapped by a locked main door and windowless rooms, victims quickly succumbed to the toxic smoke rising in the central stairwell.

With the identification of Lokesh Bajaj and his partners, the Delhi Police are moving swiftly to hold them accountable for the absolute breakdown of safety norms that permitted a small B&B setup to expand into an unchecked multi-storey death trap.