Malviya Nagar hotel fire: Delhi High Court grants 4 weeks interim bail to owner Lovkesh Bajaj on medical grounds

The Delhi High Court on Monday granted four weeks' interim bail to Lovkesh Bajaj, the owner of Malviya Nagar hotel where a fire killed 23 people in June.

Justice Sachin Datta passed the order noting that Bajaj had recently undergone a major abdominal surgery.

"In the above circumstances, having regard to the nature of the surgery undergone by the applicant and the short period that has elapsed since his discharge from the hospital, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the present case, the Court is of the view that the applicant deserves to be released on interim bail on medical grounds, for a limited period, so as to enable him to recuperate and recover adequately," the Court said.

A total of 23 people, including 13 foreigners, were killed in Malviya Nagar’s Hauz Rani area in a fire incident at Flourish Stays B&B on June 3.

Bajaj was arrested by the Delhi Police following the fire. He has been chargesheeted in the case under sections relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, mischief by fire, and negligent conduct with fire.

Delhi Police has alleged that his application for a hotel licence had been rejected over a lack of fire exit, and that he ran the property as a B&B instead of reapplying.

He had approached the High Court for interim bail, arguing that his surgical wound remained fresh and open and that he may not receive adequate care in jail.

The report from the Tihar Jail disclosed that Bajaj, a diabetic, had undergone an exploratory laparotomy on August 31 for intestinal obstruction, followed by a surgical site infection that required his sutures to be removed and the wound left open. He was discharged on September 15 but continued to need daily dressing and monitoring, with doctors noting he required assistance to avoid wound dehiscence.

Advocates Nitin Ahlawat, Preeti Yadav, Kanwar Abhay Singh, Kshitiz Ahlawat, Gautam, Ramit Bhasin and Gagan appeared for Lovkesh Bajaj.

Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Priyanka Dalal represented the State.

[Read Order]