Delhi building collapse: FIR filed against building owner, MCD says sealing drive to follow

The Delhi Police has registered a case of culpable homicide and negligence against the owner of the private hostel in Delhi’s Satya Niketan that collapsed on Sunday, leading to the death of at least five people, while the Delhi government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

Earlier during the day, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site to take stock of the rescue operations, and later visited AIIMS Trauma Centre, where many of the injured are currently being treated. Gupta ordered the magisterial inquiry into the incident following her visit to the site, also stating that she ordered an FIR against the owner of the building.

“Those found responsible for this grave incident will be held fully accountable and dealt with under the strictest provision of the law,” a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, meanwhile, read. The building, which housed an establishment called Hostel Daze, was owned by one Hari Om, a resident of Gurgaon, sources said.

Police said they have registered a case against Hari Om under sections of the BNS pertaining culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligence in repairing or constructing buildings, and acts endangering the lives and personal safety of others.

He had not been arrested as of Sunday night. “It is alleged that renovation work was underway on the ground floor, which led to the collapse of the building. Multiple teams have been formed to trace the people responsible for the incident,” DCP (South-West) Amit Goel said.

Police sources, meanwhile, said they are looking into claims that the building had been sealed earlier, and had only been operating as a private hostel following that. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), however, has denied having any record related to the sealing of the building.

A police source also said that it will be investigated if Hari Om’s brothers, Anand and Azad Bansal, were co-owners of the building. The MCD, on the other hand, announced on Sunday that it will carry out a sealing drive in the area.

Reacting to the incident, Mayor Pravesh Wahi said: “The culprits will not be spared under any circumstances. All illegal constructions with more than four floors will be immediately sealed, and strict action will be taken against officials found guilty, leading to their immediate dismissal.

These orders will be implemented with immediate effect.”