Delhi HC questions partial FIR quashing plea by cook in hotel fire case

The Delhi High Court has asked the counsel for Kesar Negi, a cook accused in the Malviya Nagar hotel fire case, to provide judgments supporting his plea for partial quashing of the FIR, specifically the charge of culpable homicide.

The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the counsel for accused Kesar Negi to place judgement which allowed the partial quashing of the FIR.

Kesar Negi has approached the High Court for a quashing of the offence of Section 105 BNS (culpable homicide not amounting to murder). This petition is connected with a fire that broke out on June 3 in a hotel in Malviya Nagar, in which 23 people, including foreigners, died.

Justice Manoj Jain heard the initial submissions led by Advocate Deepak Prakash alongwith Advocate Priyamvada Singh Solanki and said, " You are seeking partial quashing, which is not permissible."

He said that the petitioner is a cook and he had no intention to kill anybody. His act can be called a negligent one only as far as he is concerned.

The counsel further submitted that there are judgments which allowed the quashing of one particular offence. The court asked the counsel to place the judgments on the next date. The next date of hearing is October 9.

Three Accused in Judicial Custody

Kesar Negi was a cook in the hotel of Malviya, where a fire broke out on June 3. He is running in judicial custody. His first bail plea was rejected by the trial court on June 8.

His other bail application is pending before the trial court in the coming week.

Delhi police has arrested three accused, including hotel Owner Lovkesh Bajaj, Manager Jay Mishra and Cook Kesar Negi. All three accused are in judicial custody.

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