Pune accident case: Two liquor serving outlets visited by teen driver sealed

The Porsche car found without number plate, in Pune. Pic/PTI

The Maharashtra excise department has sealed two restaurants, where a 17-year-old boy involved in a fatal car crash was allegedly served liquor, on orders of the Pune district collectorate, the local administration said, reported news agency PTI.

Pune accident case: The accused juvenile allegedly consumed liquor

The car, a Porsche, allegedly driven by the 17-year-old, who the police claim was drunk at the time, fatally knocked down two motorbike-borne software engineers at Kalyani Nagar in Pune city in the early hours of Sunday.

On the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, the accused juvenile along with his friends went to the two establishments between 9.30 pm and 1 am and allegedly consumed liquor, according to police, reported PTI.

The two outlets, Cosie restaurant and Hotel Blak Club, were sealed on Tuesday following orders of the district collectorate, reported PTI.

Pune accident case: Liquor serving outlets sealed

While Cosie is located in Koregaon Park, an area adjacent to Kalyani Nagar, the Blak Club is in Mundhwa, reported PTI.

"The Cosie restaurant and Blak Club in Marriot Suite have been sealed with immediate effect by the state excise department following orders from district collector Suhas Diwase," said a statement from the district administration, reported PTI.

Pune accident case: Decide a limit on serving liquor as customers drive vehicles to return home, says Court

A special inspection drive has been started by the excise department to ensure pubs and license holding restaurants do not serve liquor to underage patrons and operate beyond the 1.30 am deadline, said the statement.

If any violations are found, cases would be registered against such establishments and their licences will be cancelled, it added.

Meanwhile, a local court hearing the luxury car accident case on Tuesday remanded three accused in police custody till May 24, and directed the pub and bar operators to decide a limit on how much liquor should be served to their customers as the latter use their own vehicles to drive back home afterwards, reported PTI.

The court remanded the three accused - an owner and two managers of different restaurants - in police custody in the case of a car accident allegedly involving a 17-year-old boy that claimed the lives of two persons in the early hours of Sunday.

While seeking their custody for seven days, the prosecution told the court that the establishments owned or managed by the accused served liquor to the boy and his friends without confirming his age, reported PTI.

Expressing concern over the loss of two lives in the accident, the judge, while remanding the three accused into police custody, came down heavily on the pub and bar operators, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)