Questions raised over Delhi Police probe as 65-year-old arrested under culpable homicide charges; officials say power shutdown helped avert bigger tragedy

 Nearly two weeks after a devastating fire at a hotel in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar claimed 23 lives, the police investigation has come under sharp scrutiny. Civil society groups and local activists have alleged that authorities are making a low-level employee the scapegoat while influential hotel owners and municipal officials remain untouched.

The June 3 blaze at ‘Flourish Stay’ hotel killed eight members of the Agarwal family and 15 foreign nationals from countries including Nigeria, Kyrgyzstan, Mozambique, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Congo, Liberia and Iraq. Over 30 others suffered serious injuries.

23 dead, including 15 foreigners

The fire broke out late in the evening, trapping many guests on upper floors. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as smoke filled the narrow corridors. Rescue teams worked through the night to pull out survivors.

Among the deceased were citizens from eight different nations, making it one of the deadliest hotel fires in the capital in recent years. The hotel was known to cater to budget travellers and foreign guests.

Cook arrested under five charges

Delhi Police arrested 65-year-old Keshav Singh Negi, the hotel’s cook, soon after the incident. He has been booked under five sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) – a non-bailable offence carrying up to 10 years in prison.

According to police, Negi allegedly shut a door and switched off the electricity supply when the fire broke out, then fled the premises. Investigators claim the sudden darkness contributed to the fatalities. He has been sent to 14 days of judicial custody.

‘Scapegoat’ allegations surface

But critics aren’t buying the police narrative. Former MCD City Zone chairperson Renuka Gupta questioned why no senior hotel owner or municipal engineer has been arrested under similar charges. “The primary responsibility for fire safety lapses rests with the management and the officials who cleared illegal construction,” she said.

Sources familiar with the matter said the hotel had allegedly built 20 rooms in violation of norms. Gupta also raised questions over the role of the Delhi Tourism Development Corporation, pointing out that the hotel’s licence had expired in March – yet it continued operating for two more months without action.

 MCD licence expired, Form C rules ignored

Social activist Sardar Inderjeet Singh Nirmal levelled more serious allegations against local police. He noted that every hotel housing foreign nationals is legally required to submit a ‘Form C’ within 24 hours of their stay. “Local police are responsible for maintaining records of foreign guests. Where was the monitoring?” he asked.

Records show police had taken hotel co-owner Lovkesh Bajaj into custody on the night of June 3, but no charges under culpable homicide have been filed against him so far. Bajaj was later released.

 Power shutdown helped, say officials

Interestingly, local SDM Jitendra Kumar has acknowledged that the timely disconnection of electricity actually helped prevent an even larger disaster. Civil defence experts have backed this view, noting that cutting power is standard firefighting protocol to avoid electrocution and further spread.

Negi’s supporters point out that he previously served as a Civil Defence volunteer and had received formal training in firefighting, rescue operations and emergency response. “Disconnecting power is the first step in any fire situation. He followed what he was taught,” said a family friend.

 What next

With Negi in judicial custody and public pressure mounting, the Delhi Police face uncomfortable questions about why the investigation appears focused on a cook rather than those who profited from running an unsafe hotel for months after its licence expired.

The MCD has initiated its own inquiry into the building violations, but no timeline has been given for action against erring officials. The next hearing in the case is expected later this week.