Kamala Mills fire: Owners of Mojo's Bistro charged with culpable homicide

Mumbai: Owners of Mojo's Bistro, another pub at Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel, have been added as accused in the original FIR of the inferno that claimed 14 lives on December 29, 2017.

The owners of Mojo's Bistro have been booked for culpable homicide.

The development comes a day after Mumbai fire brigade department on Friday came out with their report concluding that flying embers from lighted charcoal used in illegal hookah at the Mojo’s Bistro probably led to the fire.

The fire department report stated that the source of the fire was from Mojo's restaurant and not 1-Above.

The report claims that the embers came in contact with the decorative curtains at the restaurant, which were combustible in nature, thus causing the fire to spread rapidly, fanned through a pedestal fan.

"It was revealed from most of the eye witnesses that hookah was served at Mojo's restaurant at the time of fire... There is every possibility that during removal of lighted charcoal from the segree (stove) and or transferring it into Hookah or during the fanning of the charcoal the flying burning embers came in contact with the combustible curtains/decorative material nearby and started the fire," the report stated.

The report has clarified that none of the two restaurants -- Mojo's and 1-Above -- had permissions to serve liquor and hookah but still they served them.

Although there was an emergency exit, the pub staff seemed to be unaware of it, it said.

Beer kegs near the exit path also blocked the escape and the kegs eventually exploded and escalated the fire, the report said.

Most of the victims were trapped in the toilet of the pub and died of suffocation, the police had said earlier.

Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta said the action against illegal alterations and constructions at commercial establishments will continue.

"We will start taking action across the city against all commercial restaurants and pubs and those who have illegal alterations. They have respite for 15 days so that they have time to remove the illegal constructions on their own without damaging their reputation," he said.

The Mumbai Police has announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh on Friday to those providing information on the whereabouts of the owners of ‘1 Above’ pub in the Kamala Mills compound, a police spokesperson said. The pub owners, Kripesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Mankar, have been absconding ever since a fire claimed 14 lives on December 29.