The Mumbai Police cracked down on an early morning party at the Dragonfly Pub in JW Marriott and booked at least 34 persons, including some celebrities, for allegedly violating COVID-19 protocols, an official said.
The raid was carried out around 3am by two Mumbai police stations after a large number of people were found partying without maintaining protocols like wearing masks and observing social distancing.
In an interview with India Today, a senior police officer was quoted as saying that among the persons found on the premises in the raid included Bollywood singer Guru Randhawa, actor Hrithik Roshan’s former wife Susanne Roshan Khan and Indian cricketer Suresh Raina. News reports also claimed another prominent singer reportedly managed to escape via a back door.
However, several individuals who attempted to flee the spot were stopped by the police team.
Indian Express quoted Inspector S Mane adding: “There were some women celebrities as well but we did not arrest them. They were served with a notice and allowed to go."
In a statement posted on their official Twitter account, Mumbai Police stated: “A raid was conducted at a nightclub in Andheri at around 3am, for flouting COVID prevention norms. Action has been initiated against 34 people, out of which 19 were from Delhi & Punjab, including some celebrities.”
“Offences registered under Indian Penal Code Section 188, 269 and NDMA Section 51 against (34) after raid carried out at 2.50 am at the Dragonfly Pub, for keeping the establishment beyond permissible time-limit, not following Covid-19 norms such as social distancing, not wearing face masks,” said a Mumbai Police Spokesperson.
In another update, the police said that all the accused were released after getting notices.
The Mumbai Police have intensified vigil after the decision of the state government to impose a seven-hour night curfew in the jurisdictions of 27 municipal corporations including BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, starting from December 22.
