The owner, lessee, and architect of the four-storey building, which housed the old Mehfil Hotel, in Sector 17 were responsible for its collapse on January 6, according to the inquiry report.
Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Naveen who conducted the inquiry submitted the report to UT estate officer-cum-deputy commissioner of Chandigarh, Nishant Yadav on Monday, following which show-cause notices were issued to all three individuals, directing them to submit their responses within seven days, or face further action.
The inquiry report stated that the building owner, Ishwar Chand Bansal was required to obtain a structural stability certificate from the authority concerned, as mentioned in the lease agreement, but he failed to do so.
The lessee, Malabar Gold and Diamonds owner, also violated the regulations by commencing renovation work without having an approval for the building plans and failing to implement safety measures during the renovation. The removal of slabs further destabilised the structure.
The architect, Vinod Joshi, permitted the renovation to proceed without securing approval for the revised drawings, the report stated.
Contractor didn’t appear before inquiry officer
The report also stated that the contractor engaged by Malabar Gold and Diamonds for the renovation work failed to appear before the inquiry officer.
A senior UT estate official said once the responses are received, appropriate action will be taken. Possible actions include imposing penalties, debarring the owner from future construction, and blacklisting the architect.
Constructed in the 1960s, the old Mehfil Hotel building comprised a ground floor and four upper floors, covering an area of 5,500 square feet. It was initially owned by former Union minister Harmohan Dhawan and had been rented out but remained vacant through the last decade. The current owner purchased the building for ₹30 crore, and the ownership was officially transferred to him on August 13, 2024.
On January 28, the police registered a case against nine individuals associated with Malabar Gold and Diamonds under Sections 125 (endangering life or personal safety of others) and 324(5) (mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Sector 17 police station, for allegedly carrying out unauthorised structural modifications that led to the collapse of the building, causing damages worth crores.