The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the authorities at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital to submit a detailed assessment regarding the medical condition of Lovkesh Bajaj, the incarcerated proprietor of a south Delhi guest house where a massive blaze claimed 23 lives in June.
Justice Manoj Jain issued the order during the hearing of an interim bail petition filed by Bajaj, who submitted that he was suffering from severe intestinal obstructions and required temporary release due to his critical health state. The court scheduled the matter for further proceedings on Wednesday.
Prior Rejection of Interim Relief by Trial Court
Bajaj, who remains in judicial custody, has been receiving medical care at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital since August 24. He moved the High Court after a trial court on September 3 dismissed his application seeking four weeks of medical bail.
In rejecting that plea, the lower court observed that the emergency cited by Bajaj—severe abdominal complications requiring surgery—had already been addressed through an operation conducted at the hospital. The trial court maintained that Bajaj was receiving adequate specialized treatment while in custody, noting that he was originally admitted to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital before being transferred to RML Hospital.
The June Tragedy and Investigation Findings
The case originates from a major fire on June 3 at the five-storey Flourish Stay facility situated in the Hauz Rani area of Malviya Nagar. The blaze killed 23 people and left 24 others with critical injuries.
In its chargesheet, the Delhi Police cited Bajaj along with the guest house manager-cum-accountant, Jay Mishra, and cook, Keshav Negi. Investigators alleged that the building contained 26 guest rooms, operating in direct breach of bed-and-breakfast guidelines that restrict such establishments to a maximum of six rooms.
Structural Flaws and Origin of the Fire
Police inquiries revealed that Bajaj had earlier applied for a hotel licence for the property, but municipal authorities denied approval due to the absence of a designated emergency fire exit and the presence of only a solitary combined entry and exit point. Investigators stated that rather than resolving these safety issues and submitting a fresh application, Bajaj ran the commercial lodging under the bed-and-breakfast framework.
According to the police probe, the blaze was triggered inside the ground-floor kitchen when Negi left an electric oil fryer activated while preparing tea. Investigators stated that the fire intensified swiftly, as combustible materials within the structure and the lack of alternative escape passages trapped guests inside the building.
