Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has intervened in the arrest of a state resident held in connection with the recent Malviya Nagar hotel fire in south Delhi that killed 21 people earlier this week. Dhami spoke with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to seek a fair probe for the accused, Keshav Negi, who was employed as a cook at the hotel.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Dhami said that the Delhi chief minister assured him no innocent person would face injustice and that the investigation would proceed strictly based on facts and evidence. He expressed confidence that the Delhi government and relevant agencies would ensure a fair inquiry to uncover the truth.
The Uttarakhand chief minister also spoke to Negi's daughter and assured her of all possible assistance, adding that his government stands firmly with the migrant Uttarakhand community across the country.
Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand Congress has strongly condemned the arrest, terming it an attempt by the Delhi government and police to shield the actual culprits.
Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Ganesh Godiyal questioned the basis of the arrest, pointing out that Negi was merely employed as a cook at the hotel and held no responsibility for fire safety protocols.
In a video message on Facebook, Godiyal said that it was natural for individuals to run for safety during a fire, adding that the investigation should instead focus on whether the hotel had proper fire-fighting arrangements and if local municipal inspectors had done their duty.
He warned that the discrimination against the over 10 lakh migrants from Uttarakhand residing in Delhi would not be tolerated.
The Delhi Police arrested Negi on Saturday. Investigators alleged that preliminary findings indicate his negligence may have played a role in triggering the blaze on Wednesday morning.
Police officials are currently examining the exact sequence of events and questioning the hotel staff and other associated individuals.
A Delhi court on Saturday sent Negi to two days of police custody. Judicial Magistrate Bhanu Pratap Singh allowed the Delhi Police's plea seeking custody of the accused for interrogation.
The fire tore through the hotel on Wednesday morning, killing 21 people, including a 16-year-old girl and several foreign nationals from Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Iraq, Congo, Mozambique, and Liberia.
The police had earlier arrested the hotel owner, Lavkesh Bajaj, and booked him under charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
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