Madras HC orders closure of illegal bars across TN
Chennai, Feb 13: The Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered the concerned authorities to immediately close all illegal bars across Tamil Nadu and file a report by February 20.
Expressing surprise over a submission made on behalf of the state government, which stated that 3,326 FIRs had been against illegal bars, the court directed the home, prohibition and excise department secretary to shut them all forthwith.
The division bench comprising Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad passed the order after a petition from a Coimbatore resident, D Prabakaran, sought a direction against fraudulent acts in Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) with regard to issuing and collection of license fees from bars.
It was submitted before the bench that during April-December 2018 surprise checks were conducted by senior divisional manager and district managers of TASMAC and they found that 2,505 illegal bars were being run.
The head office squad detected 20 illegal bars and the deputy collectors and the flying squad detected 801 bars.
The petitioner alleged fraud in issuing purchase bills, rendering periodical accounts to the government, collection of license fees from the TASMAC bars, charging of excess rate, all of which cause loss to the exchequer.
He submitted that TASMAC allows illegal bars to run without maintaining hygiene and alleged that these bars do not display the price list of the eatables, which are sold at exorbitant rates. Besides, the bars don't have basic amenities like water and toilet facilities.
The petitioner said he moved court after his representations to authorities did not receive any response.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
