Kamala Mills Fire: Rajendra Patil had given NOC

After arresting the owners of 1 Above pub and Mojo's Bistro in Kamala Mills fire in which 14 people had died and at least 22 were injured, the NM Joshi Police had arrested a fire brigade official and two others, including the co-owner of Kamala Mills Compound and the supplier of Hookah at the pubs.

The arrests took place after a report was submitted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief Ajoy Mehta to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

According to the police, Rajendra Patil (52), the fire official had allegedly certified that the restaurants were fire compliant and a week before the fire, he had stated that the terrace was not covered. However, investigations revealed that the restaurants were covered with inflammable materials and sheets, which fuelled the December 29 fire. Patil is the first BMC officer to be arrested in the case.

"Patil had conducted an inspection at the pubs on December 22, 2017, and he had issued No Objection Certificate (NOC) stating that there is no rooftop even though the terrace was covered," said Ahmed Pathan, senior police inspector of NM Joshi Marg police station.

The police have alleged that the co-owner of Kamala Mills, Ravi Bhandari, allegedly misused additional floor space index (FSI) by renting out the terrace to the two pubs.

The three accused were produced before the Bhoiwada court on Sunday and will remain in police custody until January 25.

The police had argued in court that there is a chain of sanctions given illegally to the restaurants and they are probing that angle.

Besides the trio, the police have arrested 11 people, including three owners, two managers of 1Above, their friends for sheltering them, and two owners of Mojo's Bistro.