Pune Police Crack Down on Late-Night Pubs And Bars : Goods Worth Rs 29 Lakh Seized 

In a stern move by Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, a midnight deadline has been set for pubs, bars, rooftop hotels, and restaurants across the city. The crackdown, led by the Crime Branch, aims to enforce this deadline rigorously, targeting establishments operating beyond permissible hours and without the necessary licenses.

The latest operation led by the Social Security Department of the Crime Branch resulted in the confiscation of valuables totaling Rs. 29 lakh. Among the seized items were sound systems, flavored tobacco for hookahs, and hookah pots. Two separate cases have been registered at the Yerawada police station in connection with these violations.

One of the cases involves violations related to tobacco products under Sections 7(2) and 20(2) of the Maharashtra Amendment Act 2018. Sandeep Harshvardhan Sahastrabuddhe, Aman Ida Sheikh, Rashmi Sandesh Kumar, Sumit Chaudhary, and others have been named in the case registered under Sections 188, 291, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.

The focal point of the operation was a rooftop hotel and pub named Elrow located on the eighth floor of a building in Cerebrum IT Park B3, Kalyani Nagar. During a police raid on April 8, it was discovered that the pub continued operating until six in the morning, well beyond the stipulated hours. The establishment was found playing loud music through the sound system, disturbing nearby residents.

Similarly, another establishment named Hotel Unicorn House, also located on the eighth floor of the same building, was found operating unlawfully until the early hours of the morning. Jointly operated by the same individuals, this pub faced the same charges of violating operating hours and causing disturbance through loud music. A sound system worth Rs. 7,50,000 was seized from this location.

Assistant Police Inspectors Aniket Pote and Rajesh Malegave are currently investigating both incidents, under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of the Crime Branch, Amol Zende. The operation was conducted with the assistance of Assistant Commissioners Satish Govekar and Sunil Tambe, as well as Senior Inspector Bharat Jadhav.