Yug Pathak, one of the owners of Mojo’s Bistro – where the Kamala Mills blaze reportedly broke out – was sent to police custody till 12 January by the Bhoiwada court in Mumbai on Sunday, 7 January.
Pathak was earlier arrested on 6 January by the Mumbai Police, in connection with the deadly fire on 29 December.
Pathak, the son of a retired IPS officer, and his partner, Nagpur-based businessman Yug Tulli, had been booked under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life and personal safety of others) and other relevant provisions.
A few hours before the arrest, the names of Pathak and Tulli had been added to the FIR, which was lodged on 29 December against the owners of 1 Above – Kripesh Sanghavi, Jigar Sanghavi and Abhijeet Mankar.
After the arrest, Ahmed Pathan, a senior police inspector, had said:
As of now, we have arrested Pathak, while his partner Tulli has been summoned as he is also wanted in the case. We will produce Pathak before a court soon.
Owners of 1 Above on the Run
The three owners of 1 Above have been on the run since the tragedy occurred. According to a statement given by a police officer to The Times of India, they have switched off their phones.
Police officer to Times of IndiaTheir Whatsapp is not working. Moreover, they have deleted their Facebook profiles in order to avoid arrest. They must be thinking police could track them down with the help of technology.
The police also told the newspaper that look-out circulars or LOCs have been sent out to all airports, so that if the trio tried to leave the country, the cops would immediately be alerted. The police further said that the accused’s families have not been cooperating with the investigation.
Hookah at Mojo’s Bistro Blamed for Blaze
A preliminary investigation report by the Mumbai fire brigade on Friday, 5 January, had revealed that the blaze in the Kamala Mills compound started at Mojo’s Bistro pub – and spread to the adjacent rooftop pub 1 Above. Flying embers from illegal hookah being served at Mojo’s Bistro was the probable cause of the fire, the report said.
The fire that broke out in Lower Parel’s Kamala Mills compound early on 29 December claimed 14 lives. Most of the victims were trapped in the toilet of the pub and died of suffocation, the police had said earlier.
According to the report, most eyewitnesses confirmed that hookah was being served at Mojo’s Bistro at the time of the fire.
Mumbai fire brigade’s investigative reportThere is every possibility that during removal of lighted charcoal from the stove and/or transferring it into hookah or during the fanning of the charcoal, the flying burning embers came in contact with combustible curtains/decorative material nearby and started the fire.
Neither of the restaurants – Mojo’s Bistro and 1 Above – had permissions to serve liquor or hookah. But they still served them nonetheless.
There were several violations of fire safety norms by both the pubs.
Emergency Exit Blocked
Although there was an emergency exit, the pub staff seemed to be unaware of it, the report said. Beer kegs near the exit path blocked the escape, and the kegs exploded and escalated the fire, the report said.
Use of bamboo and cloth to make the roof led to the fire spreading quickly, fuelled by wind velocity and direction, the report said.
Mumbai municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta said the action against illegal alterations and construction at commercial establishments will continue.
“We will start taking action across the city against all commercial restaurants and pubs and those who have illegal alterations. They have respite for 15 days so that they have time to remove the illegal constructions on their own without damaging their reputation,” he said.
Report Sought From BMC
In the meantime, the State Human Rights Commission on Thursday, 4 January, sought a detailed report on the tragedy from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
In a letter to Mehta, the human rights body sought a report by 29 January. This follows a complaint lodged by activist Vivekanand D Gupta.
The incident prompted the BMC to launch the single-biggest demolition drive of all illegal constructions and structures in hotels, restaurants, eateries across the city for four consecutive days – in around 700 locations.
Now, the drive has been halted but all such outlets have been given two weeks time to demolish all the structures on their own, failing which the BMC would dispatch its bulldozers. (Sources: The Quint)
