Mumbai: Yug Pathak, a co-owner of Lower Parel-based restobar Mojo’s Bistro, was remanded to police custody till Friday by a Bhoiwada holiday court on Sunday. Yug was arrested on Saturday by N.M. Joshi Police, a day after the fire department said in its report that the Kamala mill fire that killed 14 people on December 29 had started from Mojo’s Bistro.
The prosecution said that his custodial interrogation is required to ascertain the whereabouts of Yug Tulli, another co-owner of Mojo’s Bistro. The remand copy also stated that as per the fire department’s preliminary report the blaze had started from the hookah section of Mojo’s Bistro and hence only Pathak can reveal details about the managers and employees who worked in that section of the restobar.
Pathak is the son of former Pune commissioner K.K. Pathak. He lives in Nerul in Navi Mumbai.
After he was produced in the Bhoiwada court on Sunday, the police sought his custody. Sanjay Vadhavane, a public prosecutor, argued that Pathak’s custodial interrogation is required to question him about the whereabouts of other accused who are absconding since the incident. He also said the fire incident is very serious and therefore the police needs to conduct a thorough investigation in the case.
Pathak’s lawyer Swapnil Wagh argued, “After the fire incident Pathak himself approached the police. The police had interrogated him twice, and his statement was also recorded by the police. Hence his custodial interrogation is not required.”
“The fire department report is not correct and it is not a conclusive report. He is falsely implicated in the case and only arrested on suspicion,” argued Mr Wagh.
Mr Wagh also said, “The section 304 of culpable homicide not amounting to murder is not applicable to Pathak, because his employees had helped people to evacuate.” He also argued that Pathak has not asked other accused to remain absconding.
