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ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2026, the Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against the three accused allegedly involved in the Malviya Nagar B&B fire of July 3, 2026. The fire broke out at the Flourish Stay Bed & Breakfast Hotel in Malviya Nagar and claimed the lives of around 22 people, including several foreign nationals who were visiting Delhi. The police have claimed that the fire started due to the negligence of cook Kesar Negi.

The Print quoted a police officer as saying, “The fire started when the electric stove burst out in flames on being turned on by Negi which eventually spread to the rest of the building.” The three accused named in the chargesheet are Lovkesh Bajaj, the owner of the hotel; Jay Mishra, the manager-cum-accountant; and Kesar Negi, the cook.

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New Updates in the Malviya Nagar B&B Fire Case 

The owner of the property, Bajaj, is currently hospitalized and in judicial custody. Mishra, the manager-cum-accountant, was produced before the Delhi court for judicial custody, while Negi is currently out on bail. During an earlier court hearing on July 27, 2026, the Saket court granted bail to Negi, observing that merely using kitchen appliances does not amount to criminal negligence.

“Merely because the applicant was required, in the ordinary course of his employment, to operate kitchen appliances such as the electric oil fryer, gas stoves and other cooking equipment, it cannot, by itself, lead to an inference that he was criminally negligent or legally responsible for the unfortunate incident,” the court held.

In the chargesheet, the police stated that while Bajaj is the owner of the property, it is registered under the name of Mishra. Speaking to The Print, the police said, “The two accused used it as a front to get permits for their properties and Mishra had suggested the expansion of the property.”

The chargesheet was filed in Saket court before Duty Magistrate Areeba Khan and is listed for consideration on Thursday, September 3, 2026. The chargesheet is almost 1,500 pages long and contains judicial and medical documents, along with the testimonies of several witnesses recorded during the investigation.

Mishra, Bajaj and Negi have been booked under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

According to the police, the charges include section 105, which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder; Section 326(g), relating to mischief by injury, inundation, fire or explosive substance; Section 324(5), relating to mischief; Sections 125(a) and 125(b), concerning acts endangering human life or personal safety and causing grievous hurt by such acts; and Section 287, which deals with negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter.

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What Happened in the Malviya Nagar B&B Fire?

The fire broke out on July 3, 2026, at around 8:30 pm at the premises of Stay Bed & Breakfast hotel in Hauz Rani, Malviya Nagar. Around 22 people, including several foreign nationals, lost their lives, while 25 others were injured. The incident at the Flourish Stay B&B was one of the deadliest fire accidents in Delhi in recent years.

A preliminary investigation by the Delhi Police revealed several major regulatory lapses. The first major lapse was that the hotel had only two gates—one entry gate and one exit point for people to leave the building—despite having a ground floor, five upper floors and a basement. There was also no dedicated fire exit in the building.

The Delhi government granted the establishment a licence for just six rooms, however, the property had 26 rooms, including rooms in the basement.  Many people died due to suffocation caused by smoke, particularly those who were in the basement and had no clear way to escape.

(Edited by Agniva Ray)

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