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Kamala Mills owner moves Supreme Court against arrest, says it's illegal detention

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Mar 23, 2018, 10:09 AM IST
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At least 14 people died and several others injured in a tragic fire that engulfed a multi-storey building in Kamala Mills. Photograph:(ANI)

The owner of Mumbai’s Kamala Mills today moved the Supreme Court challenging his arrest in connection with a fire that claimed 14 lives in December last year.

A bench of Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan asked Ravi Bhandari to serve a copy of his petition to the Maharashtra government. The top court listed the matter for further hearing on March 27. 

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Bhandari, said his arrest is illegal detention and he can’t be booked for the offence of culpable homicide. He said the apex court has already held in the Bhopal gas tragedy and Uphaar cinema hall fire case that they are cases of negligence, which is a bailable offence.

Earlier, the Bombay High Court had dismissed Bhandari's bail application.Bhandari was arrested in January along with fire officer Rajendra Patil and Utkarsh Pandey, who supplied hookahs to the pubs Mojo’s Bistro and 1 Above  where the fire started. All three are in judicial custody.

Earlier on January 25, a Mumbai court rejected the bail applications of all five accused- Yug Tuli, Yug Pathak, Abhijit Mankar, Jigar Sanghvi and Kripesh Sanghvi, in connection with the fire case.