Fifteen godowns containing plywood and wooden articles at Byculla were completely gutted in a major fire which lasted nearly four hours early this morning. However, there were no casualties. According to the fire brigade, the fire broke out at 5.15 am at Mustafa Bazar, Sant Savta Marg, near Gloria Church. Fifteen galas where wooden and plywood articles were stored were reduced to ashes. Along with the above articles, electrical installations, the overhead roofs and office records were destroyed.

Gawli framed in Desai murder case

Additional Sessions Judge S R Jaiswal today framed charges against underworld don Arun Gawli in the Natwarlal Desai murder case. Desai, a builder, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside his office at Tulsiani Chambers, Nariman Point, on August 19, 1997. Gawli was held in connection with the case after his name was found mentioned in Desai's diary, which was recovered by the police.

2 MHADA officials nabbed

Two officials of theMaharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) and an agent were arrested by sleuths of the Economic Offences Wing of the crime branch today for illegally letting out rooms at transit camps.

The investigating officer, sub-inspector Shyam Parulekar said the three, namely Pushpa Madhu Sangwar alias Pushpa Madrasi, an agent, and MHADA officials Harishchandra Pawar, a mukadam with the registration department and Baban Mane, a rent collector, had let out rooms at the transit camp at Pratiksha Nagar, Sion, on a leave and licence basis by accepting huge deposits.

Writ against zoo authorities

The Municipal Karmachari Kamgar Sena has threatened to file a writ petition in the Bombay High Court against the negligence of the Jijamata Udyan authorities, blaming them for the death of a hippopotamus on Sunday. The secretary of the union, Sada Kametkar, said they're likely to file the petition today.