A view of the charred building in which a fire broke out in Mumbai on early Friday. At least 14 people were killed and as many injured after a major fire in Kamala Mills Compound in Lower Parel. | PTI

Mumbai Kamala Mills fire: Hotelier Vishal Karia sent to police custody for eight days

A Mumbai court today remanded a 42-year-old hotelier, arrested for allegedly sheltering the absconding accused in the Kamala Mills compound fire case, in police custody for eight days.

MUMBAI: The 42-year-old hotelier, Vishal Karia, who was arrested by the police late last night after a day-long interrogation was remanded to police custody for eight days on Wednesday.

Police on Tuesday had arrested Karia after finding a white Audi belonging to the wanted Abhijeet Mankar, co-owner of the 1Above pub where the inferno claimed 14 lives on December 29, at his residence.

Karia is believed to be shielding all the 1Above owners — Kripesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Mankar.

When produced at the magistrate’s court Karia was sent to police custody till January 17, said a senior police officer.

The police have announced price money of Rs 1 lakh for information of the trio who have been hiding since December 29.

According to senior officials involved in the probe the police are also examining the possibility of them having fled to Dubai.

The trio could have escaped via Nepal and are likely to be hiding at Kripesh and Jigar's father Mansukh Sanghvi’s residence in Dubai, police suspects.

Mansukh had been hiding in Dubai since 2015 when he was booked in a hawala case in Surat by the Enforcement Directorate. One Sanghvi brother named Ankit also lives in Dubai, said an officer.

Karia has reportedly told the police that Mankar’s car was handed over to him by Kripesh Sanghvi at 3.30 am on December 29, hours after the fire broke out.

Meanwhile, the co-owner of the other pub Mojo’s bresto Yug Tuli, who has been on run since last Saturday, too fled the police in Hyderabad. Tuli left for Hyderabad, where his grandparents live, in a jeep with his wife. Upon reaching Hyderabad, the police team realised that he has already left the place. “Now a team has gone to Kolkata,” said the officer.

Meanwhile, as a fallout of the Kamala Mills Compound fire, only one among 14 applicants got a nod for rooftop restaurant in Mumbai. BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had received applications from 14 entities to set up rooftop restaurants after the policy was made in this regard in November. But only one, the Hotel Four Seasons, has got the nod so far.

Seven entities from the Kamala Mills Compound, including the 1Above pub, had applied for the rooftop restaurant, the BMC officials have revealed.