The Local Crime Branch (LCB) unit of the Thane (rural) police raided a bar in Bhayandar which was found to be selling Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in a clandestine manner despite a ban during the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
Acting on a tip-off that the bar operator was selling liquor, the LCB team led by Assistant Police Inspector Pravin Salunkhe under the instructions of SP Dr. Shivaji Rathod, sent a dummy customer to Aqua Family Restaurant and Bar (Hotel Satish Enclave) in the Golden Nest area of Bhayandar (E) on Thursday.
After confirmations, the LCB team raided the bar and seized 60 boxes of beer and IMFL worth more than Rs 2 lakh and registered an offence under the relevant sections of the Bombay Prohibition Act, IPC, Disaster Management Act and Maharashtra Covid-19 Rules against the bar operator Gopi Naidu (37).
“As per due process of law, we will seek cancellation of excise license granted to the establishment,” said Sr Police Inspector Vyenkat Andhale.
Saddled with a daunting task of implementing the lockdown, the overburdened police force is trying hard to weed out the illegalities; however, officials from the excise wing are apparently playing blind to the activities.
