Malviya Nagar hotel fire: Delhi HC seeks report from RML hospital on hotel owner’s health - The HinduPublished - September 16, 2026 12:10 am IST - NEW DELHIThe Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought a report from the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital here regarding the health of the jailed owner of a Malviya Nagar hotel where a fire claimed 23 lives in June.The court passed the order on a plea by Mr. Lovkesh Bajaj seeking interim bail in the case on the grounds that he was suffering from intestinal obstructions and his condition was “serious”.Noting that Mr. Bajaj was admitted in the hospital since August 24, the court called for a comprehensive report form RML Hospital. It listed the matter for hearing on Wednesday.The caseMr. Bajaj, presently in judicial custody, is named as an accused in the case over the fire at the five-storey ‘Flourish Stay’ B&B in Hauz Rani on June 3, in which 23 people were killed, while 24 others suffered grievous injuries.On September 3, a trial court rejected his plea seeking interim bail of four weeks on medical grounds, saying he was already receiving adequate specialised medical treatment in custody and that the medical exigency cited by the accused had already been addressed through surgery at RML Hospital.In his bail plea in the trial court, Mr. Bajaj had cited serious abdominal complications, saying doctors advised surgical intervention. The trial court noted that he was first taken to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital and subsequently referred to RML Hospital.Delhi Police has chargesheeted Mr. Bajaj, Mr. Jay Mishra, the manager-cum-accountant, and Mr. Keshav Negi, the cook in the case, alleging that the 26-room establishment was operating in violation of bed-and-breakfast rules that permitted only six rooms.InvestigationAccording to the investigation, Mr. Bajaj had applied for a hotel licence, but it was rejected as the property had only one entry and exit point and lacked a fire exit. Police have alleged that instead of reapplying, he operated the establishment under the B&B framework.The fire allegedly started in the kitchen after Negi left an oil fryer switched on while preparing tea. Police have alleged that the flames spread rapidly through the building, with inflammable material and the single entry-exit route aggravating the situation.Published - September 16, 2026 12:10 am ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }