Malviya Nagar fire: Probe reveals Lavkesh Bajaj's last-minute escape attempt, fake hotel owner, web of claims

As the investigation into the fire at the Flourish Stay B&B at Delhi's Malviya Nagar continues, the owner, Lavkesh Bajaj, has made some shocking revelations after his arrest on Wednesday.

Perhaps the most shocking of these revelations is the fact that while applying for a B2B licence, Bajaj had allegedly named his accountant, Jay Mishra, as the owner and resident of the building.

Bajaj is a businessman who has allegedly been involved in the hospitality field for quite some time alongside two business partners, and in 2022, had purchased the hotel in that burned down on Wednesday, killing at least 21 people and injuring several others.

The Saket-based businessman had allegedly purchased the building from a person who had been using it as a garment factory, and decided to convert it into a bed-and-breakfast. Reports claim that to a certain extent, the building was already dilapidated at this time.

Under a 2010 B&B Scheme by the Delhi government scheme to boost tourism, B&Bs are required to be owned by a private homeowner, which is why he obtained the licence under Mishra's name, as per an Indian Express report.

Then, due to the steady flow of foreign patients visiting the Max Hospital nearby, he later expanded the place to 26 rooms across multiple storeys, despite the permit only allowing six.

Apart from a probe into Mishra, who is absconding, and Kesar Singh—said to be a key eyewitness—the police is also investigating why the hotel was allowed to operate without a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from Delhi's fire department.

Bajaj claimed that the building was under the prescribed height limit for obtaining a fire department NOC, but the police are verifying these claims for not just Flourish Stay, but also the other hotels he owns.

Bajaj also allegedly revealed to investigators that after the fire began, he escaped, and "drove past the burning building but did not stop", and tried to flee the area "out of fear", despite seeing flames spreading quickly and guests struggling to escape, as per local media reports.

A Times of India report has also found that as news of the tragedy spread, several hotels and similar establishments in the area—including another spot belonging to Bajaj—shut their doors, took down their signboards, and quickly evacuated guests over fears of being investigated.

The Saket Court has now remanded Bajaj to four days of police custody in connection with one of the deadliest fire accidents in the national capital in recent times.