After Delhi hostel operator’s arrest, a rent agreement question

He was in charge of installing the 16-bed facility with amenities, looking after maintenance, and overseeing the repair and construction work needed at the 50-year-old building, said police.

Police sources said Sudhanshu was the main man prospective tenants met when they came to get a room in the hostels.

Sudhanshu, police officers, said was also allegedly in charge of getting the rent agreement signed, which mentioned that the PG owners are not responsible for any casualty or death of students residing there.

The rental agreement, accessed by The Indian Express, appears to absolve the owners of responsibility for risks to students’ lives. It also gives the management the power to ask students to vacate their rooms at its discretion, without citing a legitimate reason.
Officers said that Sudhanshu is being questioned to ascertain details of his whereabouts on the day of incident, and how he managed the property.

Fifth arrest

His arrest is the fifth in the case; the owner, Hari ram, his son Mahesh, wife Urmila, and labour contractor Saroj were nabbed earlier.
“The owners allegedly knew that the budding wouldn’t be able to bear the weight of four additional floors. And yet, they decided to give the construction a go-ahead and lease it out to a PG company,” a senior police officer said.

Police are also investigating whether the PG operator took due diligence to ensure the building could be safely occupied.

On Wednesday morning, the demolition of a building adjoining the collapsed structure — which housed a girl’s hostel — started after it was deemed ‘dangerous’.