With 2 claims on what started fire, all eyes now on FSL

The only way to know for sure would be an arson report by the Forensic Science Laboratory. So far, three divisions of the FSL have lifted around six exhibits — including cloth material, hair, burnt and semi-burnt articles — but police are yet to hand them back to the laboratory.

At the building where the fire broke out.

There are two conflicting eyewitness reports in the Karol Bagh fire — while one claims the fire was due to an inflammable solvent being spilled, the other says he saw sparking near the steam press machine.

The only way to know for sure would be an arson report by the Forensic Science Laboratory. So far, three divisions of the FSL have lifted around six exhibits — including cloth material, hair, burnt and semi-burnt articles — but police are yet to hand them back to the laboratory.

FSL officials said it takes around three weeks to prepare the final report, but police claimed that at times, the final report can take months, delaying the filing of chargesheets.

Following a fire, the police depends on three reports. One is prepared by the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), which incorporates the origin and extent of fire, the colour of flame and smoke, the number of fire tenders and other vehicles used, and how the fire was extinguished. “It takes 72 hours for us to prepare the report and send it to police,” said Chief Fire officer (DFS) Atul Garg.

Police also rely on an opinion of a medico-legal expert to ascertain if the injuries were ante-or post-mortem which may also take around two weeks. The third report comes from the FSL.

After lifting exhibits, the investigating officer collects them in an air-tight plastic container to avoid contamination. Samples are then sent to the explosive unit under the chemistry division. An FSL official said, “In case of a fire due to solvent, it first needs to be extracted from the debris.” The solvents are isolated through a distillation technique which takes up to 48 hours.

Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, the crime scene management in charge at FSL, said the chemistry division uses “a gas chromatographer to find out about the make-up of the chemical residue”. FSL officials then spend a few days interpreting the results before submitting the report to the IO.

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Following the Bawana fire that killed 17, police took around 90 days to file a chargesheet. However, after the Narela factory fire that killed five in June this year, it took around five months to get the arson report.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More