No bail for pub owners in Kamala Mills fire case

The rooftop of Trade House building in Kamala Mills, Lower Parel, ablaze on December 28. Pic/Sameer Markande

A magistrate's court in Mumbai on Friday rejected the bail applications of owners of the two pubs in Kamala Mills compound here where a massive fire claimed 14 lives last month. Magistrate V B Bohra rejected the bail applications of owners of the '1 Above' pub Kripesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Mankar, and those of the adjoining 'Mojo's Bistro' Yug Pathak and Yug Tulli.

The lawyers of the accused contended that section 304 of the IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) was not applicable in the case, and the police should have instead invoked the less stringent section 304(A) (death due to negligence). Police had interrogated the accused thoroughly and now all five are in judicial custody, hence they should be set free on bail, the lawyers argued. The prosecution opposed their pleas, insisting they were individually and jointly responsible for the death of 14 people.

They did not take any precaution to prevent the incident, it said. After hearing the arguments, the court declined bail to all five. The court also remanded fire brigade officer Rajendra Patil and director of Kamla Mills Ravi Bhandari in judicial custody as their police remand got over today. On December 29, a massive fire swept through the two roof-top pubs located in Kamala Mills compound, resulting in the death of 14 patrons.

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