Order not to raid night club baffles police
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, MARCH 30
In an interesting development, a deputy Collector and sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) today issued an order restraining the police from entering or raiding a famous night club in Anjuna but had to withdraw the controversial order within hours of issuing it, on the intervention of the North Goa Collector.
What took the administration as well as the top police officers by surprise was that the SDM came out with an order at a time when the top brass of the Goa Police has been tightening the screws on drug pushers as well as night spots where availability of drugs is suspected.
Club Paradiso at Anjuna was raided by the Director General of Police (DGP) Bhimsain Bassi in mid-March for playing loud music beyond stipulated hours but the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and Deputy Collector Mapusa, Dasharath Redkar today issued an order asking the police not to raid the night club. Until recently, Redkar was also the under secretary (revenue) at the Secretariat, Porvorim and was mamlatdar of Bardez some years ago.
Bassi during one of his surprise visits to the coastal area had ordered a rave at the Club Paradiso to be stopped for violating the amplified music regulations in the state.
While Vardhan was unable to explain why such an order was issued, Redkar refused to speak to the media on the issue.
“The order asking the police to stay away from the night club was issued by the Sub Divisional Magistrate Dasharath Redkar today but was withdrawn immediately,” District Magistrate Mihir Vardhan told reporters, here.
The police in their recent raids had nabbed a notorious drug dealer, who was found hanging around the club premises in February, this year.
The club was, thereafter, under a scanner and has been frequently checked by the police during their routine sortie.
The club management had complained to the deputy collector about the police keeping a constant check on their activities and asking it to stop the music beyond 10 p.m. in the night, which is not permissible as per local laws.
Collectorate sources stated that the deputy collector responding to the complaint restrained the police from even entering the premises.
“We have received the order but just now I have got the communication that it is withdrawn,” Anjuna Police Inspector Manjunath Desai said.
The withdrawal of the controversial order came after District Collector Mihir Vardhan personally intervened in the matter, this evening.
