The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the demolition of a portion of Curlies restaurant in Goa, which was linked to the death of BJP leader Sonali Phogat. The Goa government had begun demolition of the restaurant in Anjuna on Friday morning, alleging that it violated Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.
The owners of the restaurant moved the apex court on Friday, challenging the demolition.
The stay order pertained to demolition of structures situated on a particular survey number only. A bench headed by Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit made it clear that unauthorised constructions situated on the land other than the specified survey number may be demolished.
Passing an urgent order, the bench asked the counsel for the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority to convey the order to the authorities instantly for compliance.
Setting September 16 as the next date of hearing, the SC directed the restaurant to suspend its commercial operations for the time being.
The restaurant was in news recently after Phogat was found partying at the outlet hours before her death. Its owner Edwin Nunes was among five persons arrested in the Phogat death case and he was later granted bail. According to police, Phogat, a former TikTok star and contestant on the reality show 'Bigg Boss', was allegedly drugged at the restaurant before her death on August 23.
The action against the restaurant was initiated after its owner failed to get any respite from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against the 2016 demolition order of Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA).
-with PTI inputs
