Pune Police have ordered the closure of Plunge pub in Koregaon Park until further orders after an inquiry found that the establishment allegedly continued operating beyond the permitted 1.30am deadline, according to a report by Punekar News. The action followed instructions from Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar after information was received that the pub was violating prescribed operating hours.
The inquiry found that Plunge was functioning after 2am, although pubs, bars and restaurants in the city are permitted to remain open only until 1.30am. Police have directed the establishment to remain shut until further orders.
As part of the inquiry, police marshals visited the pub at around 1.30am to check whether it had stopped operating. The management reportedly told the marshals that the establishment had closed for the night. After confirming that it was shut, the marshals left the premises, the report said.
Police later found that the pub had resumed operations shortly after the marshals departed. The sequence has led the police administration to examine whether the establishment temporarily stopped operations during the inspection and reopened after the personnel left. The circumstances surrounding the alleged reopening will form part of the further investigation, according to the report.
The action places enforcement of closing-time rules in focus in Koregaon Park, one of Pune’s best-known nightlife and hospitality districts. The area has a concentration of pubs, bars and restaurants, making compliance monitoring dependent on inspections and action against establishments that operate beyond permitted hours.
Police said strict action would be taken against establishments found violating the prescribed closing hours. The administration is also expected to continue monitoring pubs and bars in Koregaon Park after the action against Plunge, although the report did not specify any separate closure orders against other establishments.
The closure will remain in force until Pune Police issue further directions. The police investigation will also examine why Plunge resumed operations after the marshals had confirmed that it was closed.
