The Goregaon police on Monday arrested three people in connection with Sunday’s fire in Techniplus building.
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The three men, Nitin Kothari, owner of Pranam Enterprises, and labour contractors Ramzan Khan and Salim Maniyar, have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Senior police inspector Dhanaji Nalavade of the Goregaon police station said, “The office [where the fire broke out] belonged to a company called Eti Salata, which used to manufacture SIM cards in 2008. The company soon went bankrupt. In 2012, the Bombay High Court ordered that the company’s movable property be auctioned to recover lenders’ dues. Pranam Enterprises was appointed for the auction. The court order states that Pranam will be responsible for damage or loss to labourers on the premises.”
Mr. Kothari had appointed Mr. Khan and Mr. Maniyar to hire labourers to dismantle the offices. The police are also awaiting a report from the fire brigade for further investigation.
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“The three accused were placed under arrest on Monday afternoon and produced in court, which remanded them in judicial custody. The exact extent of their negligence with regard to fire safety and other aspects is still being investigated,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone XI) Vikram Deshmane said.