The rent agreement for the paying guest (PG) accommodation in Delhi’s Satya Niketan building that collapsed has now been found to contain a clause saying the PG authorities would not be responsible for any casualty or risk to tenants. The five-storey building collapsed on Sunday, 6th September, killing seven people and trapping several others under the debris.
#BREAKING | "PG not responsible for deaths": PG rent agreement accessed by NDTV @anushkagarg2000 reports pic.twitter.com/1thkWzFbyM
— NDTV (@ndtv) September 7, 2026
A copy of the agreement showed that students staying at the PG had agreed to a clause that specifically sought to keep the management away from responsibility for any casualties or risks. The agreement stated, “The PG authorities are not responsible against any casualties or risk to me.”
The clause has gained attention following the collapse, particularly as the building was being used to house students. Rescue teams have so far pulled out several people from the rubble, while seven people were declared dead after being brought to hospital.
Owner arrested by Delhi Police
Delhi Police have arrested Hariram Bansal, the owner of the five-storey PG accommodation that collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area. Bansal was apprehended from Bhiwadi in Rajasthan on Monday, 7th September. He is currently being questioned by the police in connection with the building collapse.
An FIR was registered against Bansal after Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. The case has been filed under Sections 105, 290 and 125(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deal with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligence related to construction or repair of buildings, and acts that endanger life or personal safety.
Police teams had earlier been searching for Bansal at multiple locations before tracing him to Bhiwadi.
BJP’s RK Puram MLA Anil Sharma said the exact number of people inside the PG when the building came down was not immediately clear. Based on his estimate, around 13 students and three to four labourers may have been inside, taking the total number of people to around 16-17.
Repair work and basement water under probe
Investigators are also looking into the condition of the old building and the repair work being carried out before the collapse. Sharma said the roughly 40-year-old structure was undergoing work in the basement or ground-floor area, possibly because of dampness or other changes.
He said that one or two load-bearing walls may have been disturbed or removed during the repair work, which could have affected the stability of the building.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said around 80% of the debris had been removed, while rubble from the basement was still being cleared. She said water was found in the basement and suggested that the water accumulation, along with repair work on the old structure, led to the collapse.
Delhi: Satya Niketan building collapse | Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta says, "… The government, in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation, is formulating a policy mandating that any building intended for public use—whether a PG, nursing home, school, or any other… pic.twitter.com/1dH9YI6Yyz
— Economic Times (@EconomicTimes) September 7, 2026
The MCD has also ordered the demolition of the building at Property No. 13, Satya Niketan, within three days. The civic body cited its “ruinous/dangerous condition” and said the structure posed a threat to occupants as well as people living in the surrounding area.
Delhi Government orders crackdown
A day after the tragedy, the Delhi government ordered authorities to immediately seal illegal five-storey buildings across the city. It also directed officials to carry out detailed inspections of nearby PG accommodations and other buildings, with action to be taken wherever violations are found.
The government has also installed iron jacks to support buildings located close to the collapse site. Gupta said the Delhi government and MCD are working on a policy for regular structural audits and safety certificates for buildings used for public activities, including PG accommodations, nursing homes and schools. Buildings that fail to meet the required safety standards will not be allowed to continue such activities.
