Hardlook: Law and behold

Police officials claimed that it was a “cocktail party” with a bar set up inside the privately-owned property, where alcohol was openly served and consumed. In fact, an officer who was part of the raid said that the number of guests consuming alcohol was “unexpected” and included women – something that the police party was unprepared for. A second reinforcement of the force sent to deal with the number of people included women officers, which is mandatory in case of women offenders. According to the police, a bar had been set up inside the venue and foreign liquor was free-flowing. The FIR states that Jitendra and Alay Shah had stationed two of their drivers to “watch over” the stash of alcohol at the venue. Officers added that the alcohol was put away close to one of the lesser-known exits of the farmhouse, but the raid had taken the owners by surprise and the alcohol was seized. State Home Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja also put out a statement that “no one would be spared, no matter how influential”. His statement also had details of the liquor seized.

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Vadodara SP Saurabh Tolumbia said he had acted on a tip-off received about the ongoing booze party and sent out 50 policemen in five teams — comprising the local crime branch, Special Operation Group, taluka police and Padra police station staff – to raid the venue. Tolumbia added the police had no idea about the identities of the guests either.

Dr Nayna Patel, surrogacy specialist and a gynaecologist based in Anand who was also at the wedding, says, “The police must see to it and think that not everyone is an offender.” Patel says that the way the party was portrayed was humiliating. “We understand that the policemen were doing their duty by following the law and the protocol, but there is a serious need for amendment and consideration for not looking at everyone with the same lens. It was not a rave party nor was it a dirty party. The law is in place, but it needs amendments. May be there should be one warning given. This kind of raid violates the privacy of many people. The entire episode was a bit of humiliation and embarrassment.”

Read: Easier for outsiders to get liquor than locals in Gujarat

Another businessman and a guest at the party told The Indian Express he had tested negative for Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) himself, but his businessman father’s report was positive.

On the condition of anonymity, the guest said, “My father is a permit holder. We are not denying that we consumed alcohol, but it is time to allow citizens to make their choices. By prohibiting the sale and consumption of alcohol, you cannot infringe on someone’s privacy. There was no nuisance in the party. Everyone knew their limits and we were all celebrating a private function. The police exceeded its powers by taking everyone into the dock.”

The police, “However, say that some of these were “repeat offenders”. “In fact, the law allows us to seek cancellation of the permits of all these offenders,” says, an officer.