Did Malviya Nagar hotel owner Lovkesh Bajaj walk away from disaster? Resident's claim adds new twist to fire probe

NEW DELHI: Did bed and breakfast owner, Lovkesh Bajaj, flee the scene of the fire? Of all the questions that have dogged the Hauz Rani B&B fire tragedy, this one is the most damning.

At least one person in the Hauz Rani neighbourhood has claimed that he had called Bajaj up to tell him about the blaze. TOI spoke to Wasim Khan, who said he informed Bajaj about the fire. Khan showed his phone’s call records that indicated he made a 26-second call to the B&B owner at 8.52 am on Wednesday. “I told him there was a fire. He said he knew about it. I also told him that no one would survive,” Khan said.

Khan also claimed that Bajaj reached the spot within about 10 minutes of the conversation. He said he remembers seeing Bajaj at the scene while the rescue operation was under way. “He was wearing a white T-shirt and was standing there watching the rescue effort,” Khan said. Arman, another resident, said Bajaj usually visited the B&B every day, either in the morning or evening.

Investigators are now examining Bajaj’s call detail records and other evidence, like CCTV footage, to ascertain his movements after the blaze broke out. Sources said that Bajaj did pass through the area during the day. Police said his location first popped up as Gurgaon. After that, he seems to have switched off his phone. He kept driving around Delhi trying to get a lawyer. His wife was with him. The police are also analysing his car’s fast-tag data which has confirmed his presence in south Delhi on Wednesday evening.

In Saket’s D-Block, where Bajaj lived, local people recalled seeing him on morning and evening walks, while exchanging pleasantries with residents or stopping by the neighbourhood temple.

When TOI visited the neighbourhood, people described Bajaj as a long-time local. Tucked away in a quiet lane lined with trees and overlooking a park, Bajaj’s house stood out among the surrounding houses. It looked modern and new.

Local people said the property was rebuilt about five years ago into a four-storey structure. Each floor had a single flat. Bajaj and his wife lived on the upper ground floor. The remaining flats on the first, second and third floors were rented out. “The family kept to themselves, but everyone knew them,” said an employee working at a nearby residence.

There were a few small rooms in the stilt parking area. Unlike the upscale apartments above, these rooms were rented out separately at lower rates. One such room was reportedly occupied by a foreigner who came to Delhi five to six months ago for medical treatment. Many of those who died in the bed and breakfast fire, too, had come to Delhi for medical treatment.

Residents said Bajaj had multiple businesses and owned several properties in the area. He often travelled abroad.

Some people claimed that Bajaj briefly visited the residence on Wednesday morning before leaving. By then, news of the deadly blaze was everywhere.

Many in the locality said they were struggling to reconcile the man they knew as a courteous neighbour with the B&B tragedy.

TOI visited another B&B in the area allegedly owned by Bajaj. It has a similar name as Flourish Stay Bed and Breakfast, niw reduced to ashes. The second one is called Flourish Inn Guest House. This building, too, was made with little care spared for safety and building rules. There was a single staircase adjacent to a lift. This was the only exit. Each floor has five to six rooms. None has a window. The only ventilation is through the AC. A small common area outside the rooms, with sofas and a refrigerator, has a glass window that is jammed shut.

The building’s exterior has toughened glass. The structure is open only on one side.

When TOI attempted to access the terrace, the door appeared either locked or jammed shut. The property also has rooms in the basement, raising further concerns about evacuation.