Court rules to arrest owner of Il Pittore restaurant Suren Mkrtchyan.

A Moscow district court has used arrest as a measure of restraint in relation to the owner of II Pittore Italian restaurant where an explosion and a fire earlier this week killed three and injured around 40, Russian media reported.

Russian-Armenian Suren Mkrtchyan had been arrested on January 12 under the criminal case launched over the incident.

His lawyer had submitted a motion and asked the court not to use arrest as a measure of restraint, adding that the defendant is ready to financially support those suffering damages because of the incident.

The lawyer had also said that the Suren Mkrtchyan and his son also sustained physical injuries because of the explosion.

Investigators, however, said that the arrest is a necessity as Mkrtchyan might exert pressure on his employees. 
Suren Mkrtchyan is accused of “involuntary manslaughter,” “delivering services that do not meet safety requirements” and of “recklessly causing damage or destroying property”.