Police videograph lawyers' consuming liquor without permit and take 18 into custody; ministers and industrialists call cops to ask them to let off men
Police videograph lawyers' consuming liquor without permit and take 18 into custody; ministers and industrialists call cops to ask them to let off menAfter the striplings from the Marathi film and television industry, it was the turn of the lawyers to find themselves on the wrong side of the law. The Satara police took at least 18 lawyers into custody after a raid conducted at a private bungalow in Yavateshwar area, found them carousing in a manner not conducive to neighbourhood tranquility. They were charged with possessing and consuming liquor without having the necessary permit.
The raid -- which was video recorded by the police -- took place on Wednesday night around 11.30pm and the medical tests of all the allegedly 'high' lawyers went on till 6.30am, last morning.
Lawyers objected to the video shooting of the raid, but the newly amended Criminal Procedure Code under sections 161, 162 allows the police to video shoot, said Police Inspector Shreedhar Jadhav from the Satara city police station, who was part of the operation.
A Deputy Superintendent of Police, one Police Inspector, several police sub-inspectors, men and women police constables were included in the police team at the time of conducting the raid.
The Satara police refused to reveal the names of lawyers who were taken into custody. The police, however, confirmed that breathalyser and blood tests were conducted on the lawyers at the civil hospital last morning, after which they were released. The private bungalow is owned by one person called Bagal, and the police were still collecting information on him.
Wheedling futileWhile the raid was going on for the entire night, several influential politicians including ministers, legislators and industrialists kept on calling senior police officers to settle the issue and leave their men without registering any case, said a high-ranked officer on condition of anonymity.
Nuisance"The raid was conducted after a person informed the police about the party of lawyers going on in Yavateshwar. Although there was no loud music being played or other suspicious activity going on, the informer claimed that the party was causing nuisance to passers-by on the road where the bungalow is located," Jadhav said. "We have followed a proper procedure before and after conducting the raid. Our senior officers were kept in the loop and a station diary entry was also made after the informers call was received," he said.
