Friendship Day turned bitter for 500 students of Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies, as police arrested 88 of them for partying late without permission and drinking without permit.
The police produced the students before a magistrate at a makeshift court that later released them on conditional bail.
Those who were not booked by police were let go immediately after medical tests.
The police booked the revellers under various sections of the Bombay Prohibition Act and Bombay Police Act for consuming alcohol without permit and organising a party without permission, which attract jail terms of two to three years.
The party was organised by seniors for juniors from the Khadaki campus here on Sunday evening at a private bungalow on Pune-Solapur Road near Theur, 26 km from here.
Some residents in the neighbourhood called up the police, complaining about loud music and too many vehicles parked indiscriminately, causing traffic jam.
Around midnight, the police raided the place to find some students to be drunk. But the police made it clear that no contraband item was recovered from the students.
Additional Superintendent of Police Ravindrasinh Pardeshi said, “It was not at all a rave party. We have recovered an alcohol stock worth Rs 18,000. Seven of the 88 booked were party organisers.”
{{/usCountry}}Additional Superintendent of Police Ravindrasinh Pardeshi said, “It was not at all a rave party. We have recovered an alcohol stock worth Rs 18,000. Seven of the 88 booked were party organisers.”
{{/usCountry}}Institute director Vidya Yerwadekar said, “The students sought permission from the hostel authorities for late return. But they failed to return within the prescribed time limit. Yerwadekar said the college had ordered an internal inquiry.