Delhi Police has arrested the owner of the multi-storey building that collapsed in south Delhi's Saket area on Saturday, killing six people and injuring eight others.
According to officials cited by news agency PTI, Karamveer, the accused, is the owner of the building in Saidulajab near the Saket Metro station that came crashing down on Saturday. It housed a coaching institute, cafes and offices, and construction work was underway on its uppermost floor at the time of the collapse, the officials said.
Police said Karamveer has been arrested as part of the investigation into the crash.
The building collapse triggered a massive rescue operation that lasted several hours.
Meanwhile, the MCD is set to launch a crackdown on illegal structures in south Delhi, officials said on Monday.
According to senior Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials, in the first phase of its inspection, the civic body has identified six buildings in the vicinity of the collapsed structure that violate building bye-laws and it is likely to begin a seal-and-vacate drive, reported PTI.
"We will be issuing notices to all the unauthorised buildings having more than ground plus three floors (G+3). The drive will start in Mehrauli, Saket and other adjoining areas," a senior MCD official said.
"Illegal construction is rampant in Saidulajab, Paryavaran Complex and Freedom Fighters' Enclave in the Saket area alone. Similarly, in Mehrauli and nearby areas, illegal structures will be identified during an inspection," an official added.
The officials said show-cause notices will be issued on Tuesday to the owners of the six buildings that have been identified in the area surrounding the collapsed structure.
After the mandatory 72-hour period, the notices will be converted into vacation-cum-sealing notices and the occupants will be asked to vacate the premises, they said.
The senior MCD official said that records indicate that the collapsed building was constructed in 2013 and was owned by a person named Manish Khatri.
"We are examining past complaints and applications related to the structure and are trying to ascertain whether any representations regarding unauthorised construction are pending at the field level," the official said.
According to the officials, the MCD seals properties or issues vacation notices for unauthorised construction, severe structural deviations or the operation of unpermitted commercial activities in non-conforming zones.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday said on X that strict action would be taken against all unauthorised constructions.
"Accountability will be fixed for negligence at every level. No builder, official or authority is above the law. Violations will not be tolerated. The Delhi government stands with its people: committed to justice, accountability and public safety," she had said.
The multi-storey building in Saket's Saidulajab area came crashing down on Saturday. The building housed a coaching institute, cafes and offices, and construction work was underway on its uppermost floor at the time of the collapse.
An FIR has been registered under relevant sections, including culpable homicide, and teams have been constituted to investigate the circumstances that led to the collapse and arrest the building owner, police said.
(With inputs from PTI)