Run bulldozers on drugs-linked pubs, make Pune narcotics-free: Shinde to cops after viral video
Pubs in the state's second largest city came into focus over the past 48 hours after a video
By Newsmeter Network Published on 25 Jun 2024 2:35 AM GMTMumbai/Pune: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday spoke to Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar and directed him to initiate strict action against illegal pubs and bulldoze all structures flouting building rules.
A statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in Mumbai said Shinde directed the police to initiate renewed action against peddlers to make Pune a drug-free city and use bulldozers against illegal structures linked to narcotic substances.
Pubs in the state's second largest city came into focus over the past 48 hours after a video, allegedly from Liquid Leisure Lounge or L3 on Fergusson College Road, showed some youths with a drugs- like substance.
According to the police, the bar was operating till 5 am on Sunday and liquor was being sold beyond permissible time limit. Bars and pubs in Pune are allowed to remain open till 1.30 am. Later in the evening, the state excise department said it had suspended the licence of Liquid Leisure Lounge (L3) and also arrested six waiters there for allegedly flouting liquor stock norms. They have been arrested under provisions of Maharashtra Prohibition Act, and have been remanded in custody till June 29.
14 arrested
The number of arrests in connection with a probe into a viral video allegedly from a Pune bar reached 14 on Monday evening after six waiters of the eatery were nabbed by the Maharashtra excise department, officials said. Earlier, the police had arrested eight persons and suspended four personnel from the force after the bar was found operating beyond the permissible time limit.
The eight persons, identified as Santosh Kamthe, Vitthal Kamthe, Yogendra Girase, Ravi Maheshwari, Akshay Kamthe, Dinesh Mankar, Rohan Gaikwad, Manas Mallick, were remanded in police custody till June 29 by a court here, the official said. According to the police, Santosh Kamthe, one of the accused, and Sachin Kamthe own the place and had given it to Utkarsh Deshmane, Yogendra Girase and Ravi Maheshwari on contract.
Deshmane, Girase and Maheshwari sold liquor to patrons beyond the permissible time limit. While Akshay Kamthe organised the party, Rohan Gaikwad gave entry to the patrons through the backdoor beyond operating hours of the bar, police said.
Citing the viral video, the prosecution told court it has emerged through social media that the accused had given narcotic like substance to its patrons in the hotel and they want to probe the issue further. Prima facie, it has been found that the accused used social media to invite patrons to the hotel to consume narcotics substances, alcohol and smoke cigarettes, the prosecution told court, adding police wants to probe further about these customers.
Police want to trace the youths as well as a minor seen in the viral video, it said in court.
Samples collectec from the toilet
Samples were collected from from the toilet L3 and sent for examination to check the presence of narcotic substance, police told court while seeking custody of the eight persons, including owners and staffers of the bar. The samples were collected from the cover of the toilet commode as the video showed the persons, who were having drugs like substance, there, a Shivajinagar police station official confirmed.
Police also told court they want to send blood samples of the arrested persons for tests to find out if they had consumed drugs.
One of the accused, event manager Akshay Kamthe, had invited patrons to L3 through social media platforms and Whatsapp and had accepted entry fees through online and cash modes, which need to be probed further, police told court. The prosecution told court large quantities of liquor was found in the bar and there was a possibility more was kept somewhere else, and this aspect needs further probe.
Those arrested have been booked under Indian Penal Code section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act, Maharashtra Prohibition Act, and the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, he said.
An inspector, an assistant inspector and two beat marshals from the Shivajinagar police station, who were on night duty, have been suspended in connection with the case.
Stone pelting by right wing outfit Patit Pavan Sanghatana
Earlier in the afternoon, members of right wing outfit Patit Pavan Sanghatana allegedly damaged the board of the bar, pelted stones at the bar and broke plant pots kept outside the establishment, a police official said.
Meanwhile, first time Pune MP and newly-appointed Union minister Murlidhar Mohol in a post on X said though the action of suspension has been taken immediately, the police commissioner has also been instructed to launch a dedicated drive against narcotics and depute separate manpower for it. "All colleges, pubs, hotels and other suspicious places should be searched with strict action. Police have been instructed to go to the root to see how drugs are available in the city," Mohol said.
CM orders for strict action
"Strict action should be taken against illegal pubs to make Pune city drug-free. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has given instructions to Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar that bulldozers should be moved on illegal constructions related to drugs," said the CMO statement.
The CM directed officials to initiate action against drug sellers and demolish illegal pubs and structures which flout building rules.