New Delhi, Feb 17 (PTI) Rakesh Goel, the owner of Hotel Arpit Palace, has been arrested in connection with a massive fire which killed 17 people on its premises last week, police said on Sunday.

The Crime Branch made the arrest from the IGI Airport on Saturday, after the Delhi Police received a tip-off that Goel (63) was travelling from Qatar by Indigo flight 6E 1702, they said.

The immigration officials were alerted as a look out circular (LOC) had been issued against him. On his arrival, he was detained and handed over to the Crime Branch. Goel was arrested after a brief questioning, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), Rajesh Deo, said.

He was in Qatar to attend a wedding, the DCP said.

Goel was not in Delhi when the incident took place, so he will be questioned about the fire safety violations and if he was aware of them, Deo added.

Goel was taken into custody and produced in court, he said.

The court sent him to two days police custody, the DCP said.

The court also extended the police custody of the hotel's general manager and receptionist, who were arrested after the incident, by two days, Deo said.

Goel owns the hotel, while his brother Shardendu, is the licensee and is still absconding, he said.

He will be arrested soon and won't be able to leave the country as LOC was also issued against him, the officer said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)