Delhi Police: Chargesheet Filed in Malviya Nagar Flourish Hotel Fire

• Delhi Police filed a chargesheet on September 1, 2026, against three individuals in the Malviya Nagar Flourish Hotel fire that killed 22 people.
• Hotel owner Lovkesh Bajaj, accountant Jay Mishra, and cook Kesar Negi are accused, with Bajaj and Mishra in judicial custody and Negi out on bail.
• Charges against Bajaj include BNS Section 105 for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, along with other sections related to mischief by fire and negligent conduct.
• The Saket Court is scheduled to consider the chargesheet on September 3, marking the next stage of criminal proceedings.

This development highlights the severe criminal liability under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for hotel owners and management in cases of fatal safety lapses, particularly under Section 105 concerning culpable homicide.

The Delhi Police have formally initiated criminal proceedings in the devastating Malviya Nagar Flourish Hotel fire, which tragically claimed 22 lives, including thirteen foreign nationals. On Tuesday, September 1, 2026, authorities filed a comprehensive chargesheet against three individuals implicated in the June 3 blaze. The incident, one of the city's deadliest hotel disasters in recent years, also left several others injured, with at least 58 people successfully rescued from the burning building.

The chargesheet, submitted before Duty Magistrate Areeba Khan at the Saket Court, names hotel owner Lovkesh Bajaj, hotel accountant Jay Mishra, and cook Kesar Negi as the accused. The court is scheduled to consider the chargesheet on September 3. Many of the deceased were attendants and relatives of patients receiving treatment at a nearby hospital, who had been residing at the hotel. While twenty-one victims were initially declared dead, the death toll subsequently rose to 22 after a foreign national, who had been undergoing treatment, succumbed to their injuries on a Sunday following the incident. Nine victims remain admitted at Max Hospital, Saket, with one patient in the Intensive Care Unit and the others under observation in general wards, all reported to be clinically stable and recovering satisfactorily.

The Delhi Police chargesheet against the accused in the Malviya Nagar Flourish Hotel fire prominently features provisions of the recently enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), signaling a robust application of the new criminal code. Hotel owner Lovkesh Bajaj faces charges under multiple BNS sections, including Section 105 for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, Section 326(g) for mischief by fire, and Section 324(5) for mischief causing damage to property. Further charges against Bajaj include Section 125, concerning acts endangering life or personal safety of others, and Section 287, pertaining to negligent conduct with fire.

Regarding the status of the accused, Lovkesh Bajaj remains in judicial custody, though he is currently hospitalised. He was previously remanded to four days of police custody on June 4 in connection with the devastating fire. Hotel accountant Jay Mishra, who reportedly absconded since the day of the fire on June 3, surrendered before the court on June 8 and is also now in judicial custody, having been produced from custody before the court. The third accused, cook Kesar Negi, was arrested in connection with the case but was later granted bail by the Saket Court on July 27.

This development highlights the severe criminal liability under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for hotel owners and management in cases of fatal safety lapses, particularly under Section 105 concerning culpable homicide. The filing of the Delhi Police chargesheet in the Malviya Nagar Flourish Hotel fire marks a critical juncture in the criminal proceedings against Lovkesh Bajaj, Jay Mishra, and Kesar Negi. It underscores the authorities' commitment to pursuing accountability for the tragic loss of life and injuries sustained.

The ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the blaze and the alleged lapses that contributed to the fatalities continues, even as the chargesheet moves forward for judicial consideration. This case serves as a significant precedent for how the justice system will address negligence leading to such catastrophic outcomes under the new legal framework. Compliance officers in the hospitality sector should review fire safety protocols rigorously, while legal counsel should be aware of the expanded scope of criminal negligence under BNS, especially as this Delhi hotel fire criminal proceedings unfold.

This development highlights the severe criminal liability under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for hotel owners and management in cases of fatal safety lapses, particularly Section 105 (culpable homicide). Compliance officers in the hospitality sector should review fire safety protocols rigorously, while legal counsel should be aware of the expanded scope of criminal negligence under BNS.

Source: Original reporting via news updates