Lessee jewellers' MDs, contractor among nine booked for Mehfil building collapse

Twenty-two days after the catastrophic collapse of Chandigarh's iconic Mehfil building, police have booked nine individuals tied to Malabar Gold and Diamonds for allegedly orchestrating unauthorised structural modifications in the building that led to destruction of the property worth crores.

- Naina Mishra

CHANDIGARH:

In the FIR, complainant Ishwar Chand Bansal, director of Paramatama Builders Private Limited, named Sparkle Gold Retail Ventures LLP managing director (MD) Muhammed Asher Ottamoochikkal and his five partners- Abdul Majeed Mozhangal, Shafeekh Veerankutty Safiya, Shareej Veerankutty Safiya, Muhammed Jishad and Abdul Jaleel Rayaroth.

Other four individuals named in the complaint include construction supervisor Vivek, construction manager Anuraj and Ajmal, manager of Malabar Gold and Diamonds store.

Malabar Jewellers have taken the building's basement, ground and first floors on lease for nine years at a monthly rent of ₹18 lakh.

The complainant, a resident of Sector 11, is the lawful owner of the commercial property, previously housing Hotel Mehfil, located at SCO 183-184-185, Sector 17 C, which he purchased for ₹30 crore.