The Delhi Police are looking for the manager of Flourish Stay, the bed-and-breakfast (B&B) in south Delhi’s Hauz Rani near Malviya Nagar where a devastating fire on Wednesday morning claimed 21 people, including 12 foreign nationals. The B&B’s owner, Lavkesh Bajaj, arrested late Wednesday, told investigators that he had delegated day-to-day operations of the establishment to the manager, Jai Mishra.
Mishra has been absconding since the fire at the B&B around 8.45am on Wednesday trapped nearly 50 people, mostly guests, in its basement and the five floors. At least 49 people were rescued.
Bajaj ran the B&B for seven to eight years without a no-objection certificate from the Delhi Fire Services, violating multiple rules and regulations. The B&B was without a fire exit. It operated 26 rooms instead of the sanctioned six, officials said.
“Bajaj disclosed that Mishra handled the daily operations of the business establishment. We arrested Bajaj on Wednesday night. Mishra is absconding, and our teams are conducting raids to nab him,” said deputy police commissioner (south) Anant Mittal.
A second police officer said Bajaj told his interrogators that structural changes were made to the business establishment a few years ago, on the suggestion of a person who allegedly assured him that they were “routine” and “everything would be taken care of” in case of any administrative interventions.
“We have got the name of the person. He will be asked to join the probe. We will confront Bajaj and the person to verify all claims Bajaj has been making,” said a third police officer, asking not to be identified.
Officials said that the investigators are focusing on the exact cause of the fire and the violation of rules that led to the fire and the trapping of the victims. Bajaj was asked to produce documents related to the business establishment, including the licence to run it. He was questioned about the electric supply and permission letters from the agencies to make the structural changes.
Investigators are preparing a list of employees at the B&B to have them join the investigation. “It will also help investigators establish if any employee was also among the dead, as at least five deceased are yet to be identified,” a fourth police officer said.
Bajaj is likely to be produced in a court on Thursday afternoon to secure his police custody for further interrogation and investigation.
