New Delhi: A major revelation has emerged regarding Lavkesh Bajaj, the owner of the hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar where a devastating fire recently claimed 21 lives. Bajaj had already been charge-sheeted by Delhi Police for allegedly assisting illegal Bangladeshi migrants. According to investigators, the migrants used his residential address to obtain Indian identity documents.
Police records show that in January 2025, a case registered at Paharganj Police Station led to the exposure of a large network of Bangladeshi nationals allegedly living illegally in Delhi using fraudulently obtained Indian documents.
During the investigation, police identified two Bangladeshi women—Sweety Sarkar alias Beauty Hawladar alias Zohra Khatun and her daughter Pushpo Sarkar alias Puspo Syeda Akhtar—along with a minor child. The individuals were allegedly residing illegally in the Paharganj area using forged Indian identity documents, including passports and Aadhaar cards.
Investigators found that Sweety Sarkar had obtained an Indian passport using the address of a property located in Chhatarpur Enclave. Verification of the address revealed that the property belonged to Lavkesh Bajaj, a resident of Saket.
According to police, Bajaj allegedly admitted during questioning that he had knowingly allowed the accused to use his address in exchange for a substantial sum of money to obtain Indian identity documents. Investigators concluded that he facilitated their illegal stay in India by providing proof of address for official documentation.
Following the investigation, police arrested Bajaj along with the two Bangladeshi women. A charge sheet was subsequently filed in court against all three accused. Separate legal proceedings were initiated regarding the minor child involved in the case.
The disclosure of Bajaj's previous criminal case has drawn renewed attention following the tragic fire at the Malviya Nagar hotel, where investigators are already examining possible violations of fire safety regulations and licensing conditions. Authorities are now conducting a detailed inquiry into whether negligence and regulatory lapses contributed to one of Delhi’s deadliest fire incidents in recent years.
The fire broke out at Flourish Stay B&B, a hotel that primarily accommodated foreign patients and their caregivers. The incident resulted in the deaths of 21 people and left several others injured.
Multiple agencies, including Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, and the municipal authorities, are currently conducting parallel investigations into the matter.