State will take action against senior cops

Senior police officers, including zonal deputy commissioners, will be suspended within 24 hours if dance bars and hookah parlours are found to be operating in the areas under their command.

Senior police officers, including zonal deputy commissioners, will be suspended within 24 hours if dance bars and hookah parlours are found to be operating in the areas under their command.

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Dance bars were banned in the state six years ago.

Home minister RR Patil, who had taken the decision to ban dance bars, made the announcement in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday after a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Devendra Fadnavis produced a digital recording of live shows held at dance bars in Kandivli, Dahisar and Lamington Road.

Opposition leader Eknath Khadse accused senior police officers — of the rank of deputy commissioner of police (DCP) and joint commissioners — of having business partnerships with the dance bar owners.

Nagpur legislator Vikas Kumbhare (BJP) had raised the matter in the Assembly through a calling attention notice.

Defending police inaction, Patil said the bar owners took benefit of the fact that the police force was always busy in other works (he did not specify the nature of the work).
“However, from now on we will suspend senior police officials, including DCPs, if they are found guilty of dereliction of duty. The suspension order will be issued within 24 hours.”

Patil said the recording submitted by Fadnavis would be checked and verified before taking action against the officers and dance bar owners.