Popular among domestic as well as international tourists, Curlies is considered to be one of the most happening nightlife destinations in Goa. Director general of police Jaspal Singh had on Tuesday told TOI that Phogat had visited the shack on Monday night, where she complained of uneasiness, and had later left for her hotel room. The politician was declared ‘brought dead’ by a private hospital at Anjuna on Tuesday morning.
Inspector general of police (IGP) Omvir Singh Bishnoi on Friday said, “Sudhir Sangvan and his associate Sukhwinder Singh were partying with Phogat at Curlies.”
The shack, which was touted to be “untouchable due to its owner Edwin Nunes reportedly being well-connected with BJP”, had a brush with the law in 2017 when the then chief minister Manohar Parrikar had Nunes arrested after a waiter was found to be in possession of drugs on the establishment’s premises. Upon receiving a tip, the Anjuna police had raided the parking area of Curlies shack and had caught waiter Manjunath Anverikar of Nanerwada, Pernem, with 7.3gm of charas worth Rs 7,500.
The charge against Nunes was that he had allegedly permitted the waiter to push drugs.
Parrikar had also directed the food and drugs administration (FDA) to inspect Curlies. The FDA had subsequently ordered the closure of the restaurant after it was found that it was operating under extremely unhygienic conditions. It had noted 30 deficiencies, including food cooked in the open, kitchen having direct access to washrooms, and use of food colour in cooking, among others.
In 2012, the Anjuna police had registered a case against Curlies for playing music beyond the permissible decibel levels, thereby causing a nuisance to members of the general public.
Watch Sonali Phogat’s death mystery puts spotlight back on Goa’s ‘Curlies’ after 14 years