Delhi hospital fire: Owner, doctor sent to 14-day judicial custody

Delhi hospital fire: A metropolitan court here on Thursday sent to 14 days judicial custody the owner and on-duty doctor of the private hospital where a blaze on May 25 killed seven newborns and injured five.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vidhi Gupta Anand sent Dr Naveen Khichi, the hospital’s owner, and Dr Aakash, who was on duty at the time of the fire late last Saturday, to judicial custody.

Also Read: Flames spread through the entire hospital within minutes, heard 3-4 explosions, say eyewitnesses of Baby Care Hospital tragedy in East Delhi’s Vivek Vihar

Meanwhile, Dr Aakash has filed a bail plea, which will be heard on June 3.

A massive fire broke out on Saturday night at Baby Care New Born Child Hospital in east Delhi’s Vivek Vihar.

The hospital was allegedly operating illegally with an “expired” licence and without any clearance from the fire department.

Also Read: Unregistered nursing homes endanger lives in Delhi

A case has been registered at Vivek Vihar police station under IPC sections 336 (act endangering life and personal safety of others), 304A (causing death by negligence), 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide).

The two were arrested on Sunday and were remanded to police custody on May 27.    (With inputs from PTI)