Malviya Nagar B&B Owner Had Hotel Application Rejected in 2022 Before Deadly Fire

The owner of Flourish Stay in South Delhi's Malviya Nagar, where a recent massive fire killed 23 people, had his application to operate a hotel on the premises rejected by the Delhi Police in 2022, investigators revealed. Lavkesh Bajaj's application was turned down because he lacked mandatory clearances, including a fire safety certificate and municipal licences.

According to police sources, Bajaj applied for a hotel licence through the Delhi Police Licensing Department in August 2022. However, the application was rejected because he did not possess a mandatory health and trade licence from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) or a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Delhi Fire Service (DFS). At the time, the Delhi Police only issued final hotel licences after applicants submitted all such clearances.

Bajaj, who lived in the nearby Hauz Rani area, had been involved in the medical tourism business since 2012. After the Covid-19 pandemic, he sought to expand his operations. In 2022, he purchased a three-storey house in Hauz Rani and began constructing three additional floors to increase the number of guest rooms.

Following the rejection of his hotel licence application, Bajaj allegedly bypassed the regulations by applying for approval under the Bed and Breakfast (B&B) scheme administered by the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC).

Rules for the B&B scheme mandated that the owner must reside on the premises. To circumvent this, police alleged that Bajaj represented his accountant as the owner of the property to the DTTDC, which then issued the B&B licence.

Investigators stated that Bajaj went on to operate 26 rooms at the establishment, despite having official approval for only six rooms under the B&B scheme.

Bajaj and two of his employees have been arrested in connection with the fatal fire. Police confirmed they have collected all relevant documents linked to the B&B facility to strengthen their ongoing case.

Additionally, officials noted that the licensing system was revised in 2025, and the Delhi Police no longer issue such licences.