Inspect ‘unauthorised’ bars and pubs in Humayunpur village each week: Delhi HC to police, excise dept

It further, orally, said how the authorities could be so innocent to believe that pubs/clubs/bars were being run in the area without serving alcohol. It, thereafter, directed the excise department officers and the local police to inspect the area “at least once a week” and file a comprehensive report a week before the next date of hearing. The plea is next listed on February 27, 2024.

The status report filed by the Delhi Police submits that between June 1, 2022, till date, a total of 60 kalandaras under sections 28 (power to make regulations for regulating traffic and for preservation of order in public places, etc)/112 (penalty for not obtaining licence in respect of place of public entertainment or certificate of registration in respect of eating house or for not renewing such licence or certificate within prescribed period) under the Delhi Police Act and 39 case FIRs under the Delhi Excise Act, have been registered against certain clubs/bars/pubs in the area. It further states that regular raids are being conducted in Humayunpur, Arjun Nagar and “19 such clubs/bars/pubs have been closed” after taking action against them this year itself.

The petitioner, in the plea, has claimed that these pubs, operating in a residential area, have become a “source of nuisance” not only for the residents in the neighbouring area but also for people like him who visit the nearby public places.

The plea, further stated that the locals have often allegedly witnessed public nuisance in the form of fights between people in an intoxicated state while coming out of the clubs/bars. It also claimed that these places play loud music, which also causes problems for locals.

In the previous hearing, the petitioner’s counsel had said that clubs/bars were allegedly being run in the basements of Humayunpur village without an excise licence or fire safety permissions.

After perusing through the department’s status report in the last hearing, the bench had expressed its concern observing that the “status report does not inspire confidence” while noting that the department had visited the establishments and “found nothing”.

The Delhi government counsel had said in the previous hearing that there was only one establishment against which an FIR has been registered, liquor was not found on the premises of others, adding that certain places were also found locked during inspection.