Pune rural police seal Lonavala dhaba for violating Covid norms

PUNE The Pune rural police fined a restaurant and sealed it until the state government lifts its curbs, for violating restrictions implemented in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19

PUNE The Pune rural police fined a restaurant and sealed it until the state government lifts its curbs, for violating restrictions implemented in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

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Identified as Babbi Da Punjabi Dhaba, the restaurant is located along the old Mumbai-Pune Highway in Naygaon, Lonavla.

“ ₹10,000 fine has been taken and It has been sealed,” said Navneet Kanwat, sub-divisional officer of Lonavla division, in a text message.

The restaurant was found operating after midnight which violates the Covid-19 regulations that require restaurants and public places to shut by 8pm. The restaurant had allegedly failed to maintain social distancing, control the number of people seated, or provide sanitisers, according to police.

The owner was identified as Karamjit Bakarsingh Multani (27), who lives on the restaurant premises. Along with Multani, Vinorramshankar Yadav, Jainarayan Sudama Shah, Butasingh alias Happysingh Mukhtyarsingh Multani, Ranjit Darasingh Bhati, Gorakh Shantaram Moduley, and Sajansingh Satnamsingh Malle, all residing in the same place, have also been booked.

This action came one day after a family was fined for ₹50,000 for holding a wedding ceremony with more than allowed number of people in presence.

A fine of ₹50,000 was levied on Kumar Parswani, while the venue owner, Hemant Sukheja (42), was booked under Sections 188 and 269 of the Indian Penal Code. Among the 74 people in attendance, 14 were fined and a total of ₹14,000 was levied upon them for not following social distancing, according to inspector Dilip Pawar of Lonavala city police station.