Maharashtra govt should move HC in Kamala Mills fire case: BJP ML Shelar

MUMBAI: Two days after a Mumbai court discharged two owners of Kamala Mills Compound here in connection with a fire in the premises in 2017, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar on Thursday said the Maharashtra government should move the Bombay High Court against those accused in the case.

A blaze erupted at 1 Above restaurant and Mojo's Bistro pub located in the Kamala Mills Compound on December 29, 2017, killing 14 people and injuring several others.

The police had booked 14 persons in the case, including owners and employees of the establishments, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials and owners of the Kamala Mills compound.

A sessions court here on Tuesday discharged the compound owners Ramesh Gowani and Ravi Bhandari, but rejected the discharge pleas of owners of the pub and restaurant, BMC officials and other accused.

Shelar in a statement said an inquiry committee had admitted that there were violations related to the floor space index (FSI) allotment in the Kamala Mills.

"It was expected that the accused persons would be booked under the MRTP (Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices) Act, 1969, but nothing happened.

If owners, despite being prima facie accused in the incident, are set free, it could pave way for the other accused as well," he said.

How were the accused discharged when they were found guilty in inquiry? the former state minister sought to know.

"Who should be held responsible for such fraud in FSI? Did police not do their investigation properly or the state government failed to present its case strongly?" he asked.

The state government should approach the high court to give justice to the 14 people who died in the incident, the BJP leader said.