Sonali Phogat's death case: Supreme Court stays demolition of Goa's Curlies restaurant

On September 6, the case was heard by the NGT bench chaired by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel. The bench had upheld the order of GCZMA disposing of the petition filed by the restaurant management.

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the demolition of Curlies restaurant in Goa that came to limelight in recent days following the death of Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sonali Phogat.

It is reportedly said that the top court issued the stay order subject to the condition that no commercial activities will take place at the popular beach shack on Anjuna beach in North Goa.

"There shall be a stay on demolition with respect to structure in Survey No. 42.10 subject to the appellants not undertaking any commercial activities in respect of structures," the court said.

On Friday morning, the Goa government began razing down the controversial restaurant for violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.

"The demolition squad of the district administration along with Anjuna police personnel arrived at the beach around 7:30 am to demolish the restaurant that was built in 'no development zone' in violation of the CRZ norms," the official said.

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).

On September 6, the case was heard by the NGT bench chaired by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel. The bench had upheld the order of GCZMA disposing of the petition filed by the restaurant management.

On Thursday, the district administration had issued a notice asking its demolition squad to raze the structure on Friday. Deputy collector of Mapusa sub division Gurudas ST Desai had issued the notice.

In August this year, BJP leader Sonali Phogat was declared dead on arrival at a hospital in Goa. The BJP leader was allegedly drugged at Curlie's by her two aides.

The police had initially registered an accidental death report on Phogat's death. However,, they soon turned it into a murder investigation. This was triggered by CCTV footage from the restaurant where the TikTok star was seen hours before her death.