Mundka fire tragedy: Chargesheet filed against building owner

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has filed a charge sheet against five accused persons, including the owner of the building, in connection with the Mundka fire tragedy in the national capital. In the massive fire on May 13, a multi-storey building located near a metro station was guttedd, leaving 27 people dead and 12 others injured in west Delhi's Mundka area.

The charge sheet in this regard was filed recently in the Tis Hazari District Court by the Delhi Police including many documents and attachments over thousands of pages. The hearing in the matter would be held on August 26.

On May 17, Manish Lakra, the owner of the building along with the owners of a company in the same multi-storey structure -- Harish Goel and Varun Goel, were sent to 1-day police custody by a city court. Both Harish Goel and Varun Goel were arrested a day after the incident but the owner of the building Manish Lakra was absconding. During preliminary enquiry, it was revealed that Lakra was present at his residence on the top floor at the time of the incident.

"When the fire broke out, Lakra was at his residence on the top floor and when he sensed that smoke was coming from the floors below, he immediately left everything and rushed out of the building with his wife, mother and two kids," DCP (Outer) Sameer Sharma said. Lakra had switched off and destroyed his mobile phone so that he could not be located.

"However, we pressurised his friends and family members which ultimately led to the revelation of his location," the DCP said. "When we arrested him, he was trying to flee to Haridwar," the police officer said, adding, he had also collected money from one of his friends while he was absconding.