Cricketer Raina among celebs booked for violating Covid norms in Mumbai pub

Among the persons found on premises in the raid include cricketer Suresh Raina, singer Guru Randhawa, Susanne Roshan Khan, while another prominent singer reportedly managed to escape from a backdoor

The Mumbai Police cracked down on an early morning party at the Dragonfly Pub in JW Marriot and booked at least 34 persons including some celebs like cricketer Suresh Raina, for allegedly violating Covid-19 protocols, an official said here on Tuesday.

The raid was carried out around 3 am jointly by Gamdevi and Sahar police stations after a large number of people were found partying without maintaining protocols like wearing masks and observing physical distancing.

Among the persons found on the premises in the raid include cricketer Suresh Raina, singer Guru Randhawa, Susanne Roshan Khan, while another prominent singer reportedly managed to escape from a backdoor, but some other girls who attempted to flee the spot were stopped by the police team.

The police said that among the 34 persons who have been booked include 19 outsiders from New Delhi and Punjab, and the rest are from Mumbai, including several celebrities from the film and glamour world.

"Offences registered under Indian Penal Code Sec. 188, 269 and NDMA Sec. 51 against (34) after raid carried out at 2.50 am at the Dragonfly Pub, for keeping the establishment beyond permissible time-limit, not following Covid-19 norms such as social distancing, not wearing face masks," said a Mumbai Police Spokesperson.

In another update, the police said that all the accused were released after getting notices under CrPC. Sec. 41(A)(1), and the people from north India left for Delhi by a morning flight.

The Mumbai Police have intensified vigil after the Monday night decision of the state government to impose a 7-hour night curfew in the jurisdictions of 27 municipal corporations including BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, starting from Dec. 22.