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Delhi Court denies bail to cook Keshav Negi (Img: Internet)
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday rejected the bail plea of Keshav Negi, the cook accused in the deadly Malviya Nagar hotel fire case that claimed 22 lives. The Saket Court sent Negi to 14 days of judicial custody after Delhi Police opposed his bail request.
Keshav Negi was arrested on Sunday in connection with the massive fire at Flourish Stay hotel in south Delhi’s Hauz Rani area. The tragedy has become one of the deadliest fire incidents reported in the national capital in recent years.
Hotel owner Lavkesh Bajaj was also produced before the court after completion of his earlier police remand. The court granted Delhi Police two more days of custody for further investigation into the case.
Meanwhile, another accused, Jay Mishra, identified as the accountant of the hotel, surrendered before the court on Monday after allegedly remaining absconding since the fire incident on June 3.
During the hearing, Negi’s lawyer argued that the cook was being wrongly blamed for the tragedy. According to the defence, Negi was preparing tea when a sudden blast took place in the kitchen.
The lawyer claimed that Negi immediately tried to control the flames using a fire extinguisher and informed the hotel management about the emergency. The defence also stated that Negi had previously warned the management about safety concerns and repeatedly requested that the kitchen be shifted out of the basement area.
Negi’s counsel maintained that the 57-year-old cook was experienced and there was no evidence of gross negligence on his part.
Stove Exploded, Then I Cut Off Power: Cook’s big revelation in Delhi Malviya Nagar fire case
Delhi Police, however, opposed the bail plea and informed the court that preliminary findings pointed towards negligence linked to a cooking gas leak. Investigators also claimed that several serious fire safety violations were found at the hotel premises.
According to police sources, the hotel was allegedly operating more rooms than officially permitted and lacked adequate emergency arrangements. Rescue teams reportedly had to break open a locked basement entrance during the operation.
The death toll in the Malviya Nagar fire tragedy rose to 22 after a Nigerian national undergoing treatment succumbed to injuries. Several foreign nationals were among those killed in the devastating blaze.
Police are continuing their investigation to determine the exact sequence of events and identify others who may have played a role in the incident.
