Pune: The owner and operator of the 'L3' bar, located on the mezzanine floor of the Rainbow Hotel on Fergusson College (FC) Road, are facing legal trouble over illegal construction and violation of building regulations.
The Shivajinagar Police registered a case against Santosh Vitthal Kamthe, the property owner, and Ravi Maheshwari, the bar operator, following a complaint from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
The PMC's building inspector, Rahul Ajit Rasal, filed the complaint, citing violations under the MRT Act of 1966. According to Rasal, Kamthe and Maheshwari initiated the 'L3' bar's operations without proper authorization.
Despite a notice issued by the municipal corporation on May 28 demanding a clarification within 15 days, the duo failed to provide a satisfactory response.
On June 25, a team led by Deputy Engineer Sunil Kadam, Executive Engineer Bipin Shinde, and Encroachment Department Officer Chandrakant Kadam, along with other officials, took action to dismantle the illegal structure.
The state excise department, which had initially sealed the 'L3' bar, temporarily lifted the seal to facilitate the demolition. Inspector Dhawal Golekar of the excise department supervised the operation.
The issue came to light after a video surfaced showing narcotics being consumed at a party in 'L3' bar. This led to the arrest of Kamthe, Maheshwari, and six others.
Subsequent investigations resulted in the arrest of Nitin Thombre, who had brought mephedrone from Mumbai, and Karan Mishra, both found consuming the drug at the party.
The L3 Bar had made unauthorized changes to its approved layout, including a hidden pathway to the upper floors. The state excise department discovered significant alterations, leading to the immediate suspension of the bar's license.
Superintendent Charansingh Rajput confirmed the license cancellation. Senior Police Inspector Chandrashekhar Sawant of the Shivajinagar Police Station is overseeing the ongoing investigation.
