Pune police have ordered the Plunge pub in Koregaon Park to remain closed until further orders after an inquiry found that the establishment was operating beyond the permitted closing time of 1.30am. The action was taken on the instructions of Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar and is likely to bring greater scrutiny to pubs, bars and restaurants in the neighbourhood.
According to a report by Pune Mirror, police received information that Plunge was continuing business after the prescribed operating hours. During the inquiry, police marshals visited the venue at around 1.30am to check whether it had shut for the night. The management reportedly told them that the pub had closed, and the marshals confirmed this before leaving.
The inquiry later found that the venue had reopened shortly after the marshals departed. Police are examining whether the establishment temporarily stopped operations during the inspection and resumed business once the enforcement team had left. The report does not provide details of the formal closure order, including its duration or the process the pub must follow before reopening.
The permitted closing time for pubs, bars and restaurants in the area is 1.30am. Police officials said strict action would be taken against establishments found violating the prescribed operating hours. The action against Plunge places the enforcement of these timings at the centre of the police response to late-night commercial activity in Koregaon Park.
The case also highlights the practical challenge of enforcing operating-hour rules in a busy nightlife district. A venue may appear to have shut when an inspection team arrives, while questions about activity after the inspection can require further monitoring and inquiry. In this instance, police are looking into why Plunge resumed business after the marshals left, according to the report.
Koregaon Park has a concentration of pubs, bars and restaurants that operate late into the night, making compliance checks relevant not only to individual establishments but also to the wider management of the area. The police action has reportedly put other pub and bar owners in the neighbourhood on alert, with venues expected to face closer monitoring if they continue operations beyond the permitted time.
The enforcement issue involves more than a venue’s licence to operate. Closing-hour rules require coordinated ground-level implementation, including inspection visits, documentation of violations and follow-up action when an establishment is found to have resumed operations. The police inquiry into Plunge is expected to establish the circumstances under which the venue reopened and whether further action is warranted.
Police are likely to continue monitoring venues in Koregaon Park that remain open after 1.30am. The Plunge pub will remain shut until further orders, while officials assess the reported violation and determine the next steps.
