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Police lodge FIR against L3 pub owner, manager
Moreover, following a complaint from the civic officials, Shivajinagar Police filed a case against the property owner, Santosh Vitthal Kamthe, and the pub manager Ravi Maheshwari for making illegal changes in the building
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Wednesday continued the demolition drive against unauthorised constructions including bars, shops and restaurants on FC Road and Shivajinagar areas. Moreover, following a complaint from the civic officials, Shivajinagar Police filed a case against the property owner, Santosh Vitthal Kamthe, and the pub manager Ravi Maheshwari for making illegal changes in the building.
Reacting to the development, PMC deputy engineer Sunil Kadam said, “Following raids at the Rainbow bar and L3 pub, the PMC has filed a police complaint against the owners of the property. The civic authorities had issued a notice to the pub in May for unauthorised construction. Following the drug party at the premises, PMC requested that the excise officers allow them to inspect and remove the illegal structures at the premises. In the presence of excise officers, PMC officials razed counters and seating arrangements that were built illegally.”
On Tuesday, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde spoke to the CP Pune and directed him to initiate strict action against illegal pubs and bulldoze all structures across the city.
Patil suggests action against bars
State cabinet minister Chandrakant Patil on Wednesday suggested the closure of pubs and bars in the city for about a week and said citizens should come on one platform during this period to chalk out rules for these establishments.
He was responding to questions about the Pune bar case on the sidelines of an event organised to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, observed every year on June 26.
Pubs and bars in the state’s second-largest city came under the spotlight after a viral video, allegedly from Liquid Leisure Lounge or L3 on the Fergusson College Road, showed some youths with a drug-like substance. Police said the bar was operating till 5 am on Sunday and liquor was being sold beyond the permissible time limit. Bars and pubs in Pune are allowed to remain open till 1.30 am. Drug menace in Pune has increased and has become worrisome but it won’t be appropriate to portray an image that the entire city is ruined due to it, said Patil.
The administration should take strict measures as a preemptive step to curb this challenge and not after some incident, the BJP leader said. If a vigilance team is being set up against such menace, citizens should also be inducted into it, he said.
“All Punekars should think of keeping the pubs and bars (in the city) closed for at least three days or seven days and everybody should come together on one platform and chalk out rules for the timings of these establishments,” Patil suggested.
He said “clear dry days” for seven days should be observed and a rule book should be made besides putting in efforts towards its effective implementation.
“These establishments are not grocery shops so keep them closed for seven days,” he said. (With agency inputs)
