By Reshma Pasupuleti Cases have been filed against 27 customers and seven staff members.
Mumbai:
A nightclub in Mumbai was raided early this morning for allegedly violating Covid rules, following which a case was filed against 34 people, including celebrities and staff at the club.
Cases have been filed against 27 people, including cricketer Suresh Raina, singer Guru Randhawa, and seven staff members. Bollywood celebrity and interior designer Sussanne Khan was served a notice.
The case was registered for allegedly keeping the nightclub called Dragonfly, near the airport in Sahar area, open beyond the permissible time limit and for not following the pandemic rules, such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.
The current time limit for pubs and nightclubs in Mumbai to stay open, set by the city’s civic body, is 11:30 pm. The nightclub in question was operating till 4 am, the police said.
The special squad of Mumbai Police conducted raids at around 3 am.
Suresh Raina’s management team said the cricketer was not aware of the local timings and protocols and that he immediately complied with the procedures. “Suresh was in Mumbai for a shoot which extended to late hours and was invited by a friend for a quick dinner post the same prior to him taking his flight back to Delhi,” his team said in a statement.
“He was not aware of the local timings and protocols. Once pointed out, he immediately complied with the procedures laid out by the authorities and regrets the unfortunate and unintentional incident. He always holds rules and laws laid down by governing bodies with the highest regard and will continue to do so in the future as well,” Mr Raina’s team said.
Mumbai Police, known for its digs and one-liners, tweeted this afternoon: “Party (Nahin) Chalegi Till Six In The Morning (Party will not go on till 6 in the morning)! A raid was conducted at a nightclub in Andheri at around 3 am, for flouting COVID prevention norms. Action has been initiated against 34 people, out of which 19 were from Delhi & Punjab, including some celebrities #NewNormal.”
Maharashtra on Monday imposed an 11 pm to 6 am night curfew till January 5 in Mumbai and other cities, and announced new quarantine rules for arrivals from the Europe and Middle East, in view of a fast-spreading strain of coronavirus that has emerged in the UK and caused several nations, including India, to temporarily ban flights from that country. Essential services, such as the supply of vegetables and milk, will remain unaffected. However, no more than five people can assemble at a given place in this time.
It was on October 4 that over four lakh restaurants, bars, and hotels in the state reopened after a gap of six months, as part of the fifth phase of easing COVID-19 restrictions, called “Unlock 5”.