SC stays demolition of iconic Goa restaurant linked to Sonali Phogat's death
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After granting an urgent hearing, the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday stayed the demolition of Curlie's restaurant in Goa. Earlier, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered the restaurant's demolition, alleging that it was flouting the coastal zone regulation.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) UU Lalit stayed the demolition but directed the owners to suspend all commercial activities till further orders from authorities. It issued a notice to the Goa government to respond by Wednesday and slated the hearing for Friday.
The restaurant recently came to the news for its link to the death of BJP leader Sonali Phogat. It was alleged that Phogat was drugged at a party at the restaurant, hours before her death.
The Goa government on Friday morning had begun demolishing the controversial restaurant over violations of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms, an official said.
Senior advocate Ahmadi appearing for the restaurant told the bench that the NGT order was passed on September 8 and the demolition started the next day, on Friday.
He said the entire proceedings happened before the NGT and stated that the property in question has been in existence since 1991 and no changes have been made since then.
Taking note of the statement, the bench made it clear that only the property identified as plot 42/10, which is the old shack in the restaurant, will not be demolished. It said any other unauthorized construction at Anjuna can be demolished.
The court made it clear that there would be no stay on demolitions in general.