‘Routine kitchen work not criminal negligence’: bail for head chef in Malviya Nagar B&B fire case
A Delhi court granted bail to a head chef accused of criminal negligence following a fatal B&B fire. The judge ruled that performing routine kitchen tasks does not constitute criminal liability for structural or safety failures.
Why it matters
This case clarifies the legal distinction between operational duties and management responsibilities in workplace safety incidents.
Holding that merely operating kitchen appliances as part of his employment could not by itself amount to criminal negligence, a Delhi court on Monday granted bail to Keshar Negi, the head chef arrested in connection with the June 3 fire at the Flourish Stay Bed & Breakfast in Malviya Nagar, in which 23 people, including several foreign nationals, lost their lives.
Additional Sessions Judge Samar Vishal of the Saket Courts observed that while the tragedy was of “extreme gravity”, the seriousness of the offence alone could not justify the continued incarceration of the accused. Mr. Negi has been in judicial custody since June 6 and had no criminal antecedents, the court noted.
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