25 June,2024 02:51 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent
Representative Image. File Photo
The Pune police have detained two people from Mumbai accused of the alleged use of drugs at a bar, a top official told PTI on Tuesday.
The detained duo was reportedly seen with a substance similar to drugs in a video that went viral earlier, he said.
Pubs in the state's second-largest city were noticed after the video, allegedly from a bar on Pune's Fergusson College Road called Liquid Leisure Lounge or L3, showed some youths with some drug-like substances, reported PTI.
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According to the news agency report, the police said the bar was operating until 5 am on Sunday, and liquor was being sold beyond the permissible time limit. Reportedly, bars and pubs in Pune are allowed to remain open until 1.30 am.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar told PTI, "We have detained from Mumbai a total of two persons who were seen in the viral video with the drug-like substance."
Earlier, the police reportedly arrested eight people in connection with the Pune bar case, including an event organizer, and suspended four police personnel after the L3 bar was found operating beyond the permissible time limit. Besides, the excise department has arrested six waiters at L3 for allegedly flouting norms related to the serving of liquor and its stock, as reported by PTI.
The police have collected samples from the toilet in L3 and sent them for an examination to check for the presence of a narcotic substance.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde spoke to Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar on Monday and directed him to initiate strict action against illegal pubs and bulldoze all structures flouting building rules, reported news agency PTI.
A statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in Mumbai said Shinde directed the police to initiate renewed action against peddlers to make Pune a drug-free city and use bulldozers against illegal structures linked to narcotic substances, reported PTI. The statement was released in the wake of the Pune bar case.
"Strict action should be taken against illegal pubs to make Pune city drug-free. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has given instructions to Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar that bulldozers should be moved on illegal constructions related to drugs," said the CMO statement, reported PTI.
The CM directed officials to initiate action against drug sellers and demolish illegal pubs and structures that flout building rules.
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 Pune bar case.
(With inputs from PTI)
