The Delhi Police on Sunday arrested the owner of Hotel Arpit Palace where a fire broke out last week, which claimed 17 lives, PTI reported. Rakesh Goel was arrested after the Delhi Police Crime Branch received a tip-off that he was travelling from Qatar to Delhi on Sunday.
“Since a look out notice had already been issued, he was detained and handed over to the crime branch,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Deo told The Times of India. Goel will be produced in the court soon where the police would seek a remand to question him in connection with the investigation.
The police had registered a case under sections of the Indian Penal Code related to attempt to commit culpable homicide and punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. On February 12, the Delhi Police had arrested the hotel’s general manager and the manager in connection with the fire.
The Delhi government has suspended the fire safety clearance of 30 out of 45 hotels in Karol Bagh. This also means that the hotels’ health trade licences stand cancelled.
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