Surathkal: The Karnataka High Court on Monday granted bail to Rehmat, primary accused in businessman Mumtaz Ali death case.

Alongside, Rehmat, the High Court has granted bail to the 5th accused in the case, Shuaib, a resident of Krishnapur 7th block, Surathkal, Rehmat's husband, Abdul Sattar, the second accused in the case, Kalandar Shafi, a resident of Nandavar, Mustafa, the fourth accused in the case, and Siraj, the sixth accused in the case.

The Kavoor police had submitted a 2,255-page chargesheet in the case to the Mangaluru 3rd Additional District Court.

However, the accused had filed a bail application in the Karnataka High Court.z

In the meantime, a team led by the investigating officer, Police Inspector Mahesh Prasad of Surathkal Police Station, had approached the High Court to hand over three of the accused for additional investigation. However, the Supreme Court had dismissed the additional custody application.

On October 7, 2024, Mumtaz Ali's car was found in mysterious circumstances at the Kulur bridge.

Initially it was suspected that he had jumped into the Falguni river, and a missing person complaint was lodged by his daughter in this regard.

However, later Mumtaz’s bother Haider Ali filed a complaint alleging that Rehmat, Abdul Sattar, Qalandar Shafi, Mustafa, Shuaib, Siraj were mentally harassing Mumtaz and that they abbeted him to commit suicide

Based on Haider Ali’s complaint, the Kavoor police had registered a case and initiated an investigation into the matter.

The Police conducted search in the Kulur river over suspicion of alleged suicide and on October 8, Mumtaz Ali’s lifeless body was discovered in the river.

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Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.

Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.

Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.

An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.

The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.

A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.

Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."

"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.

"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.

A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.