14 Held So Far In 'Pune Bar Drug Video' Case As Police Intensifies Probe

Six waiters of the eatery were nabbed by the Maharashtra excise department.

Six waiters of the eatery were nabbed by the Maharashtra excise department.

Maharashtra News: Six more persons were arrested in connection with a probe into a viral video allegedly from a Pune bar, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 14 on Monday evening, news agency PTI reported, citing officials. Six waiters of the eatery were nabbed by the Maharashtra excise department.

Earlier, eight persons were arrested by police and four personnel were suspended from the force after the bar was found operating beyond the permissible time limit.

A probe was launched in the case after a viral video purportedly showed some persons with a drug-like substance at Liquid Leisure Lounge, also called L3, located on Fergusson College Road in Maharashtra's Pune city.

The eight persons, identified as Santosh Kamthe, Vitthal Kamthe, Yogendra Girase, Ravi Maheshwari, Akshay Kamthe, Dinesh Mankar, Rohan Gaikwad, Manas Mallick, were remanded in police custody till June 29 by a court here, the official said, as reported by PTI.  According to the police, one of the accused, Santosh Kamthe and Sachin Kamthe own the place and they gave it to Utkarsh Deshmane, Yogendra Girase and Ravi Maheshwari on contract.

Liquor Sold Beyond Permissible Time Limit 

Deshmane, Girase and Maheshwari sold liquor to patrons beyond the permissible time limit. The police said that Akshay Kamthe organised the party, Rohan Gaikwad gave entry to the patrons through the backdoor beyond operating hours of the bar, as reported by PTI.

The prosecution cited the viral video and told the court that it has emerged through social media that the accused had given narcotic like substance to its patrons in the hotel and they want to conduct a further investigation in the matter. Prima facie, it has been found that the accused used social media to invite patrons to the hotel to consume narcotics substances, alcohol and smoke cigarettes, the prosecution told court, as reported by PTI.

Police wants to probe further about these customers, prosecution further stated. They want to trace the youths as well as a minor seen in the viral video, it said in court.

Samples Sent For Examination

While seeking custody of the eight persons, including owners and staffers of the bar, Police told court that samples were collected from from the toilet L3 and sent for examination to check the presence of narcotic substance, PTI reported. A Shivajinagar police station official confirmed that the samples were collected from the cover of the toilet commode as the video showed the persons, who were having drugs like substance there.

Police also told court they want to send blood samples of the arrested persons for tests to find out if they had consumed drugs. One of the accused, event manager Akshay Kamthe, had invited patrons to L3 through social media platforms and Whatsapp and had accepted entry fees through online and cash modes, which need to be probed further, police told court.

Bar Was Operating Till 5 AM, Say Police

According to the police, the bar was open till 5 am on Sunday and liquor was being sold beyond permissible time limit, as per PTI. Bars and pubs in Pune are allowed to remain open till 1.30 am.

Later in the evening, the state excise department said that it had suspended the licence of Liquid Leisure Lounge (L3) and also arrested six waiters there for allegedly flouting liquor stock norms. The accused have been remanded in custody till June 29. They have been arrested under provisions of Maharashtra Prohibition Act, and 

The prosecution told court large quantities of liquor was found in the bar and there was a possibility more was kept somewhere else, and this aspect needs further probe. The total number of arrests in connection with the viral video reached 14, officials said.

Speaking to PTI, Pune Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar said, "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."

Those arrested have been booked under Indian Penal Code 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, he said.