Malviya Nagar fire: BJP MP backs cook Keshav Negi, seeks fair probe
Synopsis
A 65-year-old Uttarakhand cook arrested for alleged negligence in the Malviya Nagar hotel fire — which killed 21 people including 13 foreigners — has drawn the intervention of two BJP MPs who met Delhi Police demanding a fair probe. Meanwhile, the hotel reportedly ran over 20 rooms on a six-room permit and operated for nearly a decade without a fire NOC.
Key Takeaways
The Malviya Nagar hotel fire on 3 June killed 21 people , including 13 foreign nationals , at the Flourish Stay B&B in New Delhi .
Cook Keshav Negi, 65 , from Uttarakhand , was arrested on Saturday over alleged negligence; hotel owner Lavkesh Bajaj was arrested earlier.
BJP MP Trivendra Singh Rawat and Garhwal MP Anil Baluni met senior Delhi Police officials seeking a fair, transparent investigation.
The hotel had permission for only 6 rooms but was reportedly operating more than 20 at the time of the fire.
The property allegedly operated for 7–8 years without a mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Delhi Fire Services .
Investigation is ongoing; further details are awaited from Delhi Police.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Trivendra Singh Rawat on Sunday, 7 June extended full legal support to Keshav Negi, a 65-year-old cook arrested in connection with the Malviya Nagar hotel fire that killed 21 people on 3 June in New Delhi. Rawat, along with Garhwal MP Anil Baluni, met senior Delhi Police officials to demand a fair and transparent investigation.
Background: The Malviya Nagar Hotel Fire
A devastating fire tore through the multi-storeyed Flourish Stay B&B hotel in Malviya Nagar on 3 June, killing 21 people — including 13 foreign nationals — and injuring dozens more. The property's owner, Lavkesh Bajaj, was arrested in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy.
Investigators subsequently arrested Keshav Negi on Saturday, alleging that his negligence was a contributing cause of the blaze. Negi hails from Uttarakhand, a fact that drew the attention of the state's elected representatives in Parliament.
What the MPs Said and Did
In a post on social media, Rawat stated that he and Baluni held discussions with senior Delhi Police officials regarding Negi's arrest. 'Garhwal MP Shri Anil Baluni and I have held discussions with senior Delhi Police officials regarding the arrest of Shri Keshav Negi, who hails from our Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, in connection with the Malviya Nagar fire incident,' Rawat wrote in Hindi, in a roughly translated version of his post.
Rawat pledged concrete legal assistance: 'We will stand by Shri Negi and provide all possible legal support in the effort to secure justice for him.' He simultaneously underscored that accountability must follow the evidence — 'The guilty must be punished, but the innocent must certainly receive justice.'
Regulatory Failures at the Hotel
Officials revealed serious compliance lapses at the Flourish Stay B&B. The hotel had permission to operate only six rooms but was reportedly running more than 20 at the time of the fire. According to officials, the property had allegedly been operating for seven to eight years without a mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Delhi Fire Services — a significant regulatory failure that investigators are examining as a key factor in the scale of the tragedy.
The Uttarakhand Angle
Rawat invoked the cultural identity of his constituency in his appeal: 'People from Devbhoomi Uttarakhand are known across the country and the world for their honesty, hard work, and values. We have full faith in the judicial system... We remain steadfastly committed to upholding the truth and the honour of Devbhoomi.' The statement reflects a pattern of regional MPs intervening when workers from their home states face legal jeopardy in other cities.
Investigation Ongoing
Delhi Police have confirmed that the probe into the fire is continuing, with further details awaited. The dual arrests — of the hotel owner and the cook — suggest investigators are examining both structural negligence and on-ground conduct. The scale of the regulatory violations, particularly the absence of a fire NOC over nearly a decade, is expected to draw scrutiny toward civic and fire-safety enforcement agencies as well.
Point of View
But the more pressing accountability question is how a non-compliant guesthouse in a busy South Delhi neighbourhood evaded fire-safety enforcement for so long. If the cook's alleged negligence is the headline, the regulatory vacuum that enabled the conditions for 21 deaths deserves equal scrutiny.
NationPress
23 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Malviya Nagar hotel fire?
A fire broke out at the Flourish Stay B&B hotel in Malviya Nagar, New Delhi on 3 June, killing 21 people including 13 foreign nationals and injuring dozens more. The hotel was reportedly operating over 20 rooms despite permission for only six, and had allegedly functioned for seven to eight years without a mandatory fire NOC.
Why was cook Keshav Negi arrested?
Keshav Negi, 65, was arrested on Saturday after investigators allegedly found that his negligence contributed to the outbreak of the fire. He is one of two people arrested in the case; hotel owner Lavkesh Bajaj was arrested earlier.
What support are BJP MPs providing to Keshav Negi?
BJP MP Trivendra Singh Rawat and Garhwal MP Anil Baluni met senior Delhi Police officials to urge a fair, thorough, and transparent investigation. Rawat has pledged full legal support to Negi to ensure no innocent person faces injustice.
What regulatory violations has the hotel been accused of?
According to officials, the Flourish Stay B&B had permission to operate only six rooms but was running more than 20 at the time of the fire. It had also allegedly been operating for seven to eight years without obtaining a mandatory No Objection Certificate from the Delhi Fire Services.
What is the current status of the investigation?
Delhi Police have confirmed the investigation is ongoing and further details are awaited. The dual arrests of the hotel owner and the cook indicate that investigators are examining both ownership-level negligence and on-ground conduct.
