Uttarakhand chief minister discusses Malviya Nagar fire suspect arrest with Delhi chief minister

On June 3 a fire broke out at the Malviya Nagar hotel in Delhi, killing 13 foreign nationals and a total of 21 people, with dozens more injured. The hotel owner, Lovkesh Bajaj, was arrested shortly after the blaze. Investigators later arrested 65‑year‑old Keshav Negi, a resident of Uttarakhand, alleging his negligence contributed to the fire.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pashkar Singh Dhami contacted Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to raise concerns over Negi’s arrest. Dhami said Gupta assured a fair, transparent investigation based solely on facts and evidence and pledged that no innocent person would be wronged. Gupta reaffirmed that all agencies would conduct the probe within legal bounds. Dhami also offered assistance to Negi’s family and expressed solidarity with Uttarakhand migrants across the country. BJP MPs, including Trivendra Singh Rawat and Anil Balu Ni, have called for an impartial inquiry, noting that the hotel operated many more rooms than permitted and lacked a fire‑service No‑Objection Certificate.