Malviya Nagar Fire Case (Image Internet)
New Delhi: The investigation into the deadly fire at a guest house in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar has widened beyond the hotel management, with authorities now examining possible lapses in the licensing and regulatory system. The June 3 blaze at Flourish Stay B&B claimed 21 lives, making it one of the capital’s worst hotel fire tragedies in recent years.
As investigators continue to piece together the circumstances surrounding the incident, attention is increasingly focused on how the establishment received permission to operate despite alleged irregularities in documentation and compliance.
According to officials, the hotel’s accountant, Jai Mishra, informed investigators that he had provided his personal documents for obtaining the bed-and-breakfast licence at the request of owner Lavkesh Bajaj. Mishra reportedly stated that the licence application process was managed by the owner, while he worked as a salaried employee.
The revelation has raised concerns about whether the ownership and operational details submitted during the licensing process accurately reflected the hotel's actual management structure.
Investigators are now scrutinising the procedures followed while granting approvals to the establishment. Officials are examining whether verification measures were properly conducted and if any discrepancies in ownership, control or documentation were overlooked.
The probe will also assess whether mandatory inspections and periodic compliance checks were carried out as required under existing regulations.
Police findings suggest that Mishra’s responsibilities extended beyond accounting. Investigators believe he played a significant role in the hotel's daily operations, including supervising staff, maintaining guest records, managing administrative work and handling licence-related paperwork.
Authorities are also examining whether safety-related documentation and compliance requirements were adequately maintained.
During questioning, Mishra reportedly claimed that guest registers, identity records and licensing documents were destroyed in the fire. Investigators, however, are attempting to reconstruct the hotel's records through government departments, online booking platforms and other sources.
While the liability of the owner and management remains central to the case, the investigation is increasingly exploring whether regulatory failures contributed to the tragedy. The focus now extends beyond who operated the guest house to whether oversight mechanisms functioned as intended.
