Malviya Nagar hotel fire: Lavkesh Bajaj was arrested in 2025 in fake passport case, spent 15 days in jail

New Delhi: In the Malviya Nagar hotel fire incident case, past criminal records of accused Lavkesh Bajaj have surfaced, Delhi Police sources said on Friday.

According to police sources, Lavkesh Bajaj, who has been arrested in connection with the hotel fire, was previously held by the Delhi Police last year in a fake passport case involving the alleged provision of forged Indian documents and passports to Bangladeshi nationals.

The case was reportedly registered in January 2025, and Bajaj was arrested following an investigation into his alleged role. He spent around 15 days in Tihar Jail before being released on bail. The proceedings in the fake passport case are still pending before the court.

In the ongoing hotel fire investigation, police teams are also searching for the hotel’s accountant, Jai Mishra, and manager Rakesh. Jai Mishra, a resident of Chhatarpur in Delhi, has been absconding since the incident.

Police are further gathering information about manager Rakesh and other staff members associated with the hotel as part of the continuing probe into the case.

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will chair a meeting to discuss measures to prevent the recurrence of fatal incidents such as the Malviya Nagar fire in the capital and to effectively curb unauthorised construction.

Taking a strict stance on the entire matter, the government has made it clear that no building owner, official, or any other guilty person found responsible for the Malviya Nagar fire incident will be spared.

The Chief Minister stated that to ensure public safety in the national capital, it is essential to work holistically on all aspects, including compliance with safety standards, effective monitoring systems, and an accountable mechanism, so that such tragedies can be prevented in the future and Delhi can be made safer.

Lavkesh Bajaj, the property owner, was arrested after a massive manhunt by Delhi Police, which conducted raids across the national capital, and was sent to four days of police custody.

He was produced before a Delhi court on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the accused man’s lawyer said they have not received a copy of the First Information Report (FIR), to which Delhi Police said they would provide the copy.

Seeking Bajaj’s four-day custody, the police have sought information about the hotel staff, saying that details of only two staff members have been provided so far.

Investigators also sought information related to the hotel’s documents and records.

Stating that Lavkesh Bajaj is the owner of the hotel, his lawyer argued that Delhi Police must explain why Bajaj was arrested. According to the defence, Bajaj has been arrested solely because he owns the hotel.

Delhi Police had stated that the fire was so severe that the forensic investigation has not yet been completed.

IANS