Kamala Mills Fire: 3 accused remanded in police custody

But Bhandari’s lawyer said his client’s only mistake was that he was in an agreement with the accused. He added that Bhandari was a businessman and his office premises had already been seized. Arguing against police custody for Bhandari, the lawyer said that Bhandari has been cooperating with the law enforcement agencies and has submitted all documents.

The investigating officer told the court that Patil, the fire officer, had given a ‘fake certificate’ incorrectly stating that the two restaurants were open air restaurants a week before the fire. Patil was also negligent in not ensuring there were fire exits, he added.

But Patil’s lawyer, Sahil Salvi, argued that the No Objection Certificate given by the fire officer was a conditional one and based on the documents the police cannot seek his custody. Pandey, the owner of the hookah supply firm, had an internal agreement with Yug Tuli, one of the partner’s of Mojo’s Bistro, over supplying hookah at Mojo’s Bistro, Naikwadi told the court. He said hookah should not have been served there as the Bistro did not have permission for it. This showed negligence on Pandey’s part, Naikwadi said. But Pandey’s lawyer, Sayaji Nangre, said his client was not present at the place of offence and should not be sent to police custody.

After hearing the contentions of both sides, the court remanded the trio in police custody till January 25.
The three arrests were made last evening after Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta submitted his report to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. In the report, he mentioned factors which caused the tragedy last month. The owners of the 1 Above pub, Jigar Sanghvi, Kripesh Sanghvi and Abhijit Mankar, as well as the owners of the adjoining Mojo’s Bistro, Yug Pathak and Yug Tuli, have been arrested by the police.