Mumbai fire in pubs: Kamala Mills owner remanded in police custody till January 29

The NM Joshi Marg police arrested Ramesh Gowani on Monday for culpable homicide not amounting to murder

Ramesh Gowani, owner of Kamala Mills compound, was on Tuesday remanded in police custody till January 29.

Kamala Mills owner Ramesh Gowani was produced in Bhoiwada court in Mumbai on Tuesday. (Bhushan Koyande/HT)

The NM Joshi Marg police arrested him on Monday for culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with the Kamala Mill fire that killed 14 people and injured 55 others.

According to the police, a report filed by the BMC suggested that the owner of the Kamala Mills be arrested along with a fire brigade official and a hookah supplier to the rooftop restaurants Mojo’s Bistro.

A director of Kamala Mills compound, the fire officer and the hookah supplier were arrested on Saturday. The police said as illegal renovations were carried out on Gowani’s property, he was liable to face criminal action.

The police int their remand copy stated that they wanted to probe if Gowani knew of illegal alterations starting from 2017 by 1Above and Mojo’s Bistro

They also said that the fire-fighting equipment of Trade House building owned by Gowani was not working and illegal constructions were ongoing in the basement.

Gowani’s lawyer Ajinkya Bagad argued that his client was not responsible for the illegal construction. Meanwhile, the Bhoiwada court adjourned till Thursday hearing on bail application filed by the owners of 1Above and Mojo’s Bistro.