New Delhi [India], July 1 : The Delhi Police are likely to file a chargesheet next week in connection with the devastating fire at the Flourish Stay hotel in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar area, which claimed 23 lives, including those of several foreign nationals, senior police sources confirmed.
According to sources, the investigation has entered its final stage. Investigators are currently finalising the chargesheet after a thorough examination of forensic reports, CCTV footage, witness statements, and other technical evidence collected during the probe. The document is expected to be submitted before the competent court next week.
Following the incident, the police arrested the hotel owner, the manager, and a cook. Investigators have alleged that blatant violations of fire safety norms and other statutory provisions came to light during the course of the inquiry.
The massive fire broke out on June 3 at the Flourish Stay hotel, located in the Hauz Rani area of Malviya Nagar, killing 23 people and injuring several others. Sources state that the chargesheet will detail the exact sequence of events leading up to the tragedy, the institutional lapses, the specific roles of the accused, and the evidence gathered.
Further legal proceedings will commence once the court takes cognisance of the chargesheet.
On June 22, the Saket Court had extended the judicial custody of 'Flourish Stay' hotel owner Lovkesh Bajaj, Keshav Negi and Jay Mishra for the next 14 days. They have been arrested in a case linked to the Malviya Nagar hotel fire in which 22 people were killed.
Duty Judicial Magistrate First Class (Duty JMFC) Ankita Bhatia extended the judicial custody of all three accused persons till July 6.
The accused were produced before the court through video conferencing after expiry of judicial custody.Delhi police moved an application seeking extension of Judicial custody, saying that the investigation is going on and further Judicial custody of the accused persons is required.
During the course of the investigation, authorities allegedly uncovered multiple safety violations and serious deficiencies in the building's fire safety infrastructure. According to sources, the windows and glass panels of the building were completely sealed, leaving no outlet for smoke to escape. Investigators also found that the entrance to the basement was locked from the inside.
It reportedly took rescue teams nearly 10 minutes to gain access to the basement, from where six to seven people were subsequently rescued.The investigation has further revealed that the building lacked adequate ventilation arrangements and did not have an emergency exit gate. According to sources, these shortcomings allowed smoke to rapidly spread throughout the structure, trapping occupants inside and significantly hampering evacuation efforts.