Dehradun:
Dhami spoke with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and sought a fair investigation into the arrest of Keshav Negi, a resident of Uttarakhand who was employed as a cook at the hotel where the deadly blaze occurred.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Dhami said that the Delhi Chief Minister assured him that no innocent individual would face injustice and that the investigation would proceed strictly on the basis of facts and evidence. He expressed confidence that the Delhi government and the concerned agencies would conduct a fair inquiry and bring the truth to light.
The Uttarakhand Chief Minister also spoke to Negi’s daughter and assured her of all possible support. He reiterated that the Uttarakhand government stands firmly with members of the state’s migrant community living across the country.
Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand Congress strongly criticised Negi’s arrest, alleging that the Delhi government and police were attempting to shield the real culprits behind the tragedy.
Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Ganesh Godiyal questioned the grounds on which Negi had been arrested, arguing that he was employed merely as a cook and had no responsibility for ensuring compliance with fire safety regulations at the establishment.
In a video message posted on Facebook, Godiyal said it was natural for people to try to save themselves during a fire. He maintained that the focus of the investigation should instead be on whether the hotel had adequate fire-fighting arrangements and whether the concerned municipal authorities and inspectors had performed their duties properly.
Godiyal further warned that any discrimination against the more than 10 lakh migrants from Uttarakhand residing in Delhi would not be tolerated.
Delhi Police arrested Negi on Saturday. Investigators have alleged that preliminary findings suggest his negligence may have played a role in triggering the fire that broke out on Wednesday morning.
Police officials are currently examining the sequence of events leading up to the blaze and are questioning hotel staff and other individuals associated with the establishment as part of the ongoing investigation.
A Delhi court on Saturday remanded Negi to two days of police custody. Judicial Magistrate Bhanu Pratap Singh allowed the Delhi Police’s application seeking custodial interrogation of the accused.
The fire tore through the hotel on Wednesday morning, killing 21 people, including a 16-year-old girl and several foreign nationals from Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Iraq, Congo, Mozambique and Liberia. The incident has triggered widespread scrutiny of fire safety compliance in commercial establishments across the national capital.