Fire: Raids on to nab Arpit Palace Hotel owner, says Police

Police are raiding at possible hideouts of the absconding owner of Arpit Palace Hotel in Karol Bagh where a massive fire broke out Tuesday which claimed lives of 17 people, officials said.

Police are looking for the accused, Shardendu Goel, who also owns a hotel in Gurugram and other areas across Delhi, a senior police officer said Wednesday.

His residence at Bank street in Karol Bagh was found to be locked on Tuesday when a police team went to track his whereabouts. They are questioning his relatives and associates including his brother who stays in Gurugam, the officer said.

Two accused, Rajender, the General Manager and Vikas, the manager of the hotel who were arrested in connection with the incident are taken into police custody for two days.

The case was transferred to the Crime Branch on Tuesday.

The FIR highlights serious violations by the hotel. It states that extensive inflammable materials were used in the hotel and sufficient arrangements were not made to ensure the safety of the guests.

During inspection, it was found that there were no panic alarm at the place of occurrence. There was only one emergency exit, and since it was closed due to uncertain reason no one could come out during the incident, it said.

Lot of combustible or plastic material used on the walls and for making partition walls which triggered the fire. Also, there were no proper signage display for emergency exit, the FIR stated.

A temporary makeshift made up of inflammable material was erected at the rooftop for the kitchen which was unauthorized similarly the kitchen in the basement was also operating illegally, it stated.

Meanwhile, the Embassy of Myammar are in contact with Delhi Police. The embassy has given its No Objection Certificate to carry out the autopsy of two Myanmar nationals who were killed in the incident. The post-mortems will be conducted on Thursday and taken to their home country the same day, police said.