Bar licence of Delhi Gymkhana Club suspended

According to an order issued by deputy excise Commissioner Ranjeet Singh on Monday, the bar licence of the club has been suspended with immediate effect and the club officials concerned have been directed to appear before the excise department on October 27, for further proceedings in the matter.

The Delhi government has suspended the bar licence of Delhi Gymkhana Club for “misappropriation of liquor”, after a routine inspection by the state excise department found that the club was allegedly involved in the sale of liquor even during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, the city administration said on Tuesday.

The Delhi Gymkhana Club. (HT photo)

According to an order issued by deputy excise Commissioner Ranjeet Singh on Monday, the bar licence of the club has been suspended with immediate effect and the club officials concerned have been directed to appear before the excise department on October 27, for further proceedings in the matter. Other operations of the club will, however, continue as usual, senior government officials said.

A detailed questionnaire sent to the email IDs of the managing committee members mentioned on the club’s website went unanswered till the filing of this report. An official who answered the phone said they are preparing a reply and would release it to the media soon.

The Delhi government said the enforcement team of the excise department had inspected the club’s premises on September 17.

“During the inspection, a bar sub-store was found in the club for which no approval of the excise department was taken. Further, a club official informed that some liquor stock was found to be missing from the bar sub-store as a former official had taken stock from there during the lockdown. This was done without bringing it to the knowledge of the manager or the members of the club’s managing committee,” a senior government official said.

The order, which HT has seen, stated: “It is reasonably clear that the licensee was involved in selling of liquor during the period of lockdown in violation of this office order dated 21.04.2020, wherein all the licensees-wholesale, retail, hotels, clubs and restaurants were warned to refrain from indulging in the unlawful activities of sale of liquor during the lockdown.”

In the order, the excise department has quoted the manager of the bar, who has accused a former office bearer of taking out at least 69 bottles of liquor during the lockdown. The order also mentions that the club management informed that office bearer was terminated from the club’s membership.

HT contacted the former office bearer, who refused to comment saying he has approached court. “I have approached court against my illegal termination. The matter is subjudice,” he said.

After being closed for over 170 days, bars in hotels, clubs and restaurants had reopened in Delhi on September 10 after the Centre released Unlock-4 guidelines.