Nagpur: In a dramatic late-night operation, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Lohit Matani and his team raided a dance bar located barely half a kilometre from the MIDC Police Station in Nagpur. The raid, conducted at around 1:45 am on Sunday, uncovered women performing obscene dances while customers showered currency notes on them.
Acting on the directives of Commissioner of Police Ravinder Singal and Joint Commissioner of Police Nisar Tamboli, DCP Matani has been spearheading a series of raids within his jurisdiction. This particular operation targeted a dance bar, along with a Dharampeth hookah parlour and two dhabas in Bajaj Nagar and Hingna where liquor was being consumed without proper permissions.
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Friday 17 Jan. 2025
The dance bar, permitted only for orchestra music, was found hosting performances that violated Section 8(4) of the Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance Act and the Protection of Dignity of Women Act, 2016. Additionally, charges under Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for insulting the modesty of women were filed against the establishment.
Cops seized Rs 37,500 worth of currency notes that had been thrown at the dancers over the course of a couple of hours. Customers were reportedly making obscene gestures, and bar management was found playing music from laptops tailored to their requests. Police in plain clothes initially infiltrated the premises, documenting the activities under the glow of pink-hued disco lights before initiating the raid.
A total of 21 individuals were booked, including four women singers and dancers. Notices were served to these women, including one from Navi Mumbai, to appear before investigating officers. Among the accused were:
• Bar Owner: Jai Baldeo Hirani (42), resident of Pande Layout, Khamla
• Manager: Raju Lalchand Zamba (59), resident of Mahadeo Heights, 502, Nari, Jaripatka
• Cashier: Devendra Ramkrushna Shende (38), resident of Ekatmata Nagar, Shivangaon Road, Jaitala
Reports suggest that a person named Vicky, suspected to have connections with both law enforcement and gangsters, is a key backer of the bar. A notorious city gangster, Maroti, is also said to frequent the establishment. Sources claim the bar operated with stringent entry protocols, allowing access only to select patrons referred by insiders. Special guests allegedly received exclusive entertainment, with the premises locked from the outside to maintain secrecy.
The raid is part of a broader crackdown led by DCP Matani. In an earlier raid, the management of a Dharampeth hookah parlour was booked for destroying evidence after CCTV cameras were shut down during the police inspection. Such operations have raised questions about the involvement of local police personnel in facilitating illegal activities, especially given the proximity of the dance bar to the MIDC Police Station.
The raid has sent shockwaves across Nagpur, triggering widespread discussions about the accountability and integrity of law enforcement in curbing such unlawful establishments. Further investigations are underway to trace the network and ensure stringent actions against those involved.
