Grant Rd bar owner released on bail

Parvez Raisi, the owner of Topaz Bar who was arrested on September 28 on charges of having forcibly vacated a tenant from his Grant Road building, was on Monday released on a bail of Rs25,000.

An officer of the DB Marg police station said that Umaima Chittalwala, 42, proprietor of N Lukmanji Mithaiwala in Ali Mohammed Mansion on Grant Road, had lodged a complaint against 14 people for breaking into her shop on September 27. 

Police had detained the 14 people. Investigations revealed that they had entered the shop at Raisi’s instance. Raisi, 52, was arrested on September 28 and later remanded in police custody till October 1.

Police said that Raisi had bought the building in 1994. An agreement was reached between Chittalwala and Raisi that the bar owner would give her an alternative space before the building was renovated. If Raisi was unable to provide an alternative space, he would pay her Rs60,000 every month. However, Raisi did not adhere to the agreement. When DNA called up Topaz Bar, an employee said Raisi was not available for comment.