Police arrest Ramesh Govani, owner of Kamala Mills compound
Police arrested Ramesh Govani on Monday (Representational Image)
Mumbai police on Monday arrested Ramesh Govani, the owner of Kamala Mills, in connection with the pub blaze that claimed 14 lives on December 29 and left more than 50 injured.
Govani, who was arrested in Mumbai’s Chembur area today evening, has been booked under section 304 ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ by N.M Joshi Marg police.
The businessman has also been named in two FIRs for violating the norms of Maharashtra Regional Town Planning (MRTP) Act and allowing pubs to make illegal constructions. He had been questioned in connection with the same earlier this month.
Govani’s arrest comes days after cops arrested three more persons in connection with the blaze – Ravi Bhandari, a partner in Kamala Mills, station fire officer Rajendra Patil, and Utkarsh Pandey, owner of Nirvana Hookah.
Meanwhile, owners of the 1 Above pub Jigar Sanghvi, Kripesh Sanghvi and Abhijit Mankar, as well as owners of the adjoining Mojo’s Bistro, Yug Pathak and Yug Tulli, are already arrested.
According to the fire brigade as well as an enquiry report submitted by the Mumbai municipal commissioner, the fire started because of flying charcoal embers from hookah which was illegally served at Mojo’s Bistro. It then spread to 1Above.
Most of the deceased, however, were visiting 1 Above. Owners of both the pubs were booked for ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ and other offences under the Indian Penal Code.
The families of the victims strongly opposed granting bail to the owners of both 1Above and Mojo’s Bistro.
The municipal commissioner’s report had said the owners of Kamla Mills allowed illegal alterations and usage of terrace by the two pubs. It also said that departmental inquiry will be conducted against some fire brigade officials for lapses in duty.
