Sleuths from the Central Crime Branch (CCB) carried out raids on hotels, pubs, bars, and restaurants across the city and found many minors consuming alcohol, and smoking, and booked 390 cases against these establishments.
Following a complaint from school management that many of their students were visiting pubs regularly to drink and smoke, requesting the city police to take preventive measures, city Police Commissioner B. Dayananda ordered the special drive.
As many as 701 establishments have been checked and many were found to be selling minors alcohol and tobacco products. Three cases under Juvenile Justice Act, 9 cases under Karnataka Excise Act, 1967, and 494 cases under Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 have been registered.
The police have been directed to book cases against the management of the pubs, bars, and restaurants for serving liquor to minors and allowing them to smoke, Mr. Dayananda said.
Several teams carried out surprise checks at over 700 bars, pubs, and restaurants serving liquor in Koramangala, Indiranagar, HSR Layout, Banaswadi, Hennur, and in the Central Business District. Many of the minor customers caught in an inebriated state started dropping names of former Ministers and MLAs, a senior officer said. However, the police have recorded their details for further action.
The checks will continue and necessary action will be taken against the managements which have violated the rules under Karnataka Excise Act, 1967, and Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, sources said.
The city police commissioner B. Dayananda has warned the establishments to strictly follow the regulations failing which legal action will be initiated against them. Selling liquor and tobacco products to minors below the age of 18 years is illegal, he reiterated.
