Pub fire tragedy: Kamala Mills owner sent to police custody

A Mumbai court today remanded Ramesh Gowani, co-owner of Kamala Mills compound, in police custody till January 29 after he was arrested in connection with the deadly fire at two pubs which claimed 14 lives last month.
He was arrested yesterday.
"Today we produced him before the court, which sent him in police remand till January 29," said Virendra Mishra, Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone-III).
"We will investigate his role in the lapses that led to the fire," the DCP added.
Gowani was arrested on the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under the IPC. Earlier, police had pressed charges under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act against him when the FIR was lodged.

His partner Ravi Bhandari, station fire officer Rajendra Patil and the owner of Nirvana Hookah, Utkarsh Pandey, were arrested by the police recently.

The owners of both the pubs at Kamala Mills compound -- Mojo's Bistro and 1 Above -- which were engulfed in fire on December 29 have already been arrested.
According to the Mumbai municipal commissioner's report, flying embers from hookah which was illegally served at Mojo's Bistro started the fire.
Illegal alterations at these two adjoining roof-top pubs aggravated the situation, it said, adding that owners of Kamala Mills compound too were responsible for allowing illegal use of the terrace by the two pubs.