Mumbai's Kamala Mills: Hotelier held for sheltering 1 Above pub owners

Mumbai, Jan 9: A hotelier was arrested for allegedly sheltering at his suburban residence in Juhu three owners of 1 Above pub wanted in connection with the December 29 Kamala Mills fire that claimed 14 lives, police said.

"Vishal Kariya, who owns hotels and pubs in the city, was placed under arrested after a team of N M Joshi Marg Police picked him for questioning," Deputy Commissioner of Police Akhilesh Mishra.

During investigation, it came to light that 42-year-old Kariya sheltered Kripesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Mankar-- the three owners of 1 Above pub-- at his residence, he said. Police recovered a high-end car of Mankar, which was found parked at Kariya's place, he said.

The Sanghvi brothers and Mankar are absconding since December 29 when the fire swept through 1 Above and adjacent Mojo's Bistro resto pub in Kamala Mills compound in central Mumbai.

N M Joshi Marg police station senior inspector Ahmed Pathan said the trio were booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other offences under various sections of the IPC. The Mumbai Police also announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for whereabouts about the accused trio, he said.

PTI