# Delhi HC grants bail to Malviya Nagar hotel owner on medical grounds 2026-09-21T20:34:11+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets The Delhi High Court on Monday granted four weeks' interim bail to Lovkesh Bajaj, owner of the Malviya Nagar hotel where a fire killed 23 people in June. Justice Sachin Datta noted that Bajaj had undergone a major abdominal surgery on August 31 and was discharged on September 15, with a risk of complications requiring careful management. The court ordered Bajaj to furnish a personal bond of Rs 25,000 and a surety of the same amount, and to remain in Delhi. Bajaj was arrested after the fire at Flourish Stay B&B in Hauz Rani on June 3, which killed 23 people, including 13 foreigners, and injured 24. He has been chargesheeted for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, mischief by fire, and negligent conduct. Police allege his hotel licence application was rejected because the property had only one entry and exit point and lacked a fire exit, and he operated it as a B&B instead of reapplying. A trial court had rejected his earlier bail plea on September 3, saying he was receiving adequate medical care in custody. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both reports cover the same court order with near-identical facts, making this a straight procedural story. The Times of India led with the medical condition and the trial court's earlier rejection, while Barandbench added the specific surgery details from the Tihar jail report and the names of the lawyers. Neither outlet assigned blame or editorialised, so the coverage is uniform neutral reporting. The medical basis for the bail is the only substantive development, and the next legal milestone will be the end of the four-week interim bail period. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Straight court report, no editorialising - barandbench.com (neutral report) Straight court report, no editorialising Tags: Delhi High Court, Lovkesh Bajaj, Malviya Nagar fire Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-hc-grants-bail-to-malviya-nagar-hotel-owner-on-medical-grounds/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-hc-grants-bail-to-malviya-nagar-hotel-owner-on-medical-grounds/#story-in-brief