False reports on dance bars: Fadnavis suspends four policemen

Mumbai, March 18: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday ordered the suspension of four policemen for filing false reports on compliance of conditions by dance bars before they are allowed to reopen for business, officials said here.

The four policemen, including three inspectors and an assistant inspector, have been accused of dereliction of duty and false reporting on compliance of conditions set by the state government with Supreme Court approval to grant licences to the dance bars.

Fadnavis has also ordered a departmental enquiry against the four police personnel in this regard.

Following an apex court order, the Mumbai Police issued licences to four dance bars on Tuesday (March 15), after a gap of 11 years since they were shut down.

Besides, more dance bars applied for police permissions to reopen even as the Maharashtra government announced it would bring in new legislation to completely ban them.

"Mumbai Police Commissioner D.D. Padsalgikar had sought a report from these officers regarding compliance of conditions set out by the state government with the Supreme Court's approval for granting licenses to dance bars," said Fadnavis in a series of tweets.

The dance bars have been ordered to comply with a stringent set of conditions before they can be allowed to reopen and the four policemen suspended have been charged with misreporting on the compliance of the same, the officials said.

IANS