Pune: Law enforcement agencies on Friday raided a bar in Yerwada area and arrested two persons for illegally selling foreign liquor and beer.
The Pune Police, the State Excise Department and the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) have started taking stringent action against pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels in the city for operating without licences and violating rules, including the working hours rule. These measures followed the recent drug party case at L3 pub on Fergusson College Road and the hit-and-run case in Kalyani Nagar last month.
However, some bar owners are still violating rules. The crime branch raided ‘Hotel Plink’, being run by King’s Food and Brewery, Helium Bar and Restaurant, located in Creaticity Mall in Yerwada. The Crime Branch’s Social Security Department team carried out the operation around 9:30 pm on Friday. After learning that illegal foreign liquor and beer was being sold at Hotel Plink, action was taken and valuables worth thousands of rupees were seized.
Krishna Ramchandra Nevpane (34), a resident of Sanjay Park, and manager Gaurav Mangesh Wagholikar (25), a resident of Vadgaon Sheri, were detained and handed over to the Yerwada Police by the Crime Branch. General manager Deepak Devidas Mandawale (43), a resident of Pimple Nilakh, and owner Vivek Dilip Chadda were also booked under sections 188, 34 of the Indian Penal Code and section 65(e) of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act by the Yerawada Police. Police Constable Avinash Konde of the Social Security Department lodged a complaint in this matter.
After the hit-and-run case in Kalyani Nagar, the issue of pub-bar-rooftop hotels in Pune has again come to the fore. The Pune Police have laid down rules and conditions for hotel operators. However, they are still being violated. After criticism by politicians, social activists and the media over the efficiency of the government agencies, the administration launched a series of action. The Pune Police, the State Excise Department and Pune Municipal Corporation have started taking stringent action.
The Chief Minister ordered action against illegal constructions related to the drug party. The Pune Municipal Corporation demolished illegal constructions of pubs, bars and hotels in the city. On the other hand, the State Excise Department closed 70 illegal bars as per the orders of the District Collector.
A team of the Social Security Department of the Crime Branch received a tip-off that foreign liquor was being sold illegally at ‘Hotel Plink’. Accordingly, after verifying the inputs received by the team, a raid was conducted at the place. The hotel was found to be selling foreign liquor and beer without a licence. Accordingly, a case was registered against the concerned at the Yerwada police station and two persons were detained.
In this regard, Ravindra Shelke, senior police inspector, Yerwada police station, said that the owner of the hotel was illegally selling liquor. Earlier, a report was sent to seal the hotel. On June 6, the Yerwada Police Station and the State Excise Department conducted a joint raid at Plink Hotel after finding them selling liquor on the sly. Shelke said that they would send a reminder again about sealing the hotel.
