Party all night: On New Year’s Eve, Maharashtra govt allows eateries, bars to stay open till 5 am
Mumbai (PTI): In view of New Year’s Eve celebrations across Maharashtra, the state government has permitted establishments like eateries, restaurants, hotels, orchestra bars and pubs to operate till 5 am on January 1, officials said on Wednesday.
The home department issued a "permanent" order on Tuesday night, permitting extended hours to the entertainment and hospitality venues, an official said.
This order will now remain in force for Christmas Eve (December 24 night), Christmas (December 25 night) and New Year’s Eve (December 31 night) in the future, as hotel and restaurant associations make these requests every year. Many a time, approval gets delayed due to administrative paperwork, he said.
While the establishments will be allowed to stay open till 5 am on the specified nights, they will also have to follow specific terms and conditions, the official said.
According to the conditions, establishment owners will arrange private security guards inside and outside their premises to avoid law and order issues. In case of any such problem, the owner or licence holder will be held responsible, he said.
The order also makes it clear that the time relaxation applies only for the use of the premises. Existing rules about the use of sound and music systems will continue to apply, including all directives issued by the Supreme Court and the Bombay High Court.
As per the order, the time extension applies to establishments operating from building premises and enclosed places. It is not applicable to open venues, said the official.
The home department, headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has also instructed the police department to keep adequate vigil to maintain law and order during the New Year’s Eve celebrations, the order stated.
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₹5.30 crore job scam busted in Bengaluru; family of three among accused
Bengaluru: A major job fraud case involving ₹5.30 crore has come to light in Bengaluru, where a family of three and their associates allegedly cheated more than 20 job aspirants by promising government employment using fake political influence, The New Indian Express reported on Wednesday.
According to police, the accused posed as influential political office-bearers and claimed close connections with ministers, legislators and senior government officials to gain the confidence of victims.
According to a police complaint filed by Sangamesh Rachaiah Vastrada (40), who hails from Vijapura, he was introduced to Shamshad Begum, who claimed to be the general secretary of the Women’s Wing of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. She introduced her father, Mansoor Ahmed, as a joint secretary of Congress.
The accused allegedly assured the complainant that they could secure Group D and other government jobs in various departments in exchange for money. The complainant introduced them to 14 other candidates.
Police said the accused collected ₹56 lakh in cash, promising jobs in the water resources, health and social welfare departments. Fake examination hall tickets were issued, and candidates were told they would appear for a “special examination” after the regular recruitment tests. Later, the accused claimed the candidates would be accommodated under government backlog vacancies.
Shamshad Begum allegedly produced forged identity cards and documents, claiming she was a member of the Airport Advisory Committee. She also assured victims of jobs in the Railways as ticket collectors and commercial clerks. Seven candidates allegedly paid ₹2.56 crore through online transfers, following which fake appointment letters were emailed to them.
The accused conducted fake training sessions for three months in Kolkata, followed by another three months near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai. In a separate instance, ₹30 lakh was allegedly collected from another candidate by promising tax assistant’s post in Income Tax Department.
Investigators said Shamshad Begum, her father Mansoor Ahmed, her sister Shamee Begum and their associates collected a total of ₹5.30 crore through cash and online transfers between July and October 2023.
An FIR has been registered against five accused, and further investigation is underway, police said.
