Eight held, 4 cops suspended as bar operates past deadline in Pune

Pune: Eight people have been arrested and four police personnel suspended after a bar in Pune was found operating beyond permissible time limit, an official said on Monday.

Police had launched a probe after a viral video purportedly showed some persons with a drug-like substance at the bar located on Fergusson College Road in Maharashtra's Pune city.

According to police, 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.

"We have arrested eight persons, including owners and employees of the Liquid Leisure Lounge (L3) after it came to light that the establishment was operating beyond the permissible time limit on Sunday," Pune Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar told PTI.

Those arrested have been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act, Maharashtra Prohibition Act, and the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, he said.

An inspector, an assistant inspector and two beat marshals from the Shivajinagar police station, who were on night duty, have been suspended in connection with the case, the official said.

Asked about the video showing some persons with a drug-like substance at the bar, another police official said they were looking into it.

Pune MP and Union minister Murlidhar Mohol in a post on X said though the action of suspension has been taken immediately, the police commissioner has also been instructed to launch a dedicated drive against narcotics and depute a separate manpower for it.

"All colleges, pubs, hotels and other suspicious places should be searched with strict action. Police have been instructed to go to the root to see how drugs are available in the city," he said.