Nagpur: Nagpur’s booming club and lounge culture is once again under the scanner after illegal liquor worth ₹1.16 lakh was seized from an SUV allegedly linked to a prominent city-based club operator -yet the owner of the vehicle and the business remains conspicuously untouched.
According to a local Hindi daily, Bajaj Nagar police on December 19, around 9 pm, noticed a suspiciously parked Thar SUV (UP 16 DC 3444) near PVK Wine Shop at Bajaj Nagar Chowk. A search of the vehicle revealed a large cache of premium foreign liquor bottles and beer cartons concealed in multiple boxes.
The occupants of the SUV-Sunil Shamrao Uike (54) of Pandharabodi and Yogesh Dattu Meshram (34) of Pulgaon – failed to produce valid bills or transport permits. Police seized liquor worth ₹1.16 lakh and the SUV, taking the total value of seized property to ₹19.16 lakh. A case was registered under the Maharashtra Prohibition Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and both men were arrested.
Gold Rate
29 dec 2025
Owner Missing from FIR, Questions Multiply
What has raised serious eyebrows is that the SUV is reportedly owned by Tausif alias Janu, who operates a high-end modern dine-in club located in a high-rise building at Dharampeth Extension. Despite the vehicle being directly linked to him-and despite his business dealing in alcohol-police have so far not named him as an accused.
This selective action has sparked criticism, especially when small-time bootleggers are routinely booked for selling just a few bottles. In this case, a commercial-scale consignment was caught, yet the trail appears to stop at the drivers.
Excise Department’s Deafening Silence
Even more puzzling is the complete inaction by the Excise Department. As per law, illegal liquor transactions attract liability for the transporter, buyer, and supplier. Wine shops supplying liquor without proper billing or documentation are also liable for prosecution. However, no action has been taken against the wine shop from where the liquor was allegedly sourced.
This silence mirrors past cases. Earlier, Crime Branch Unit-5 had seized liquor worth ₹40 lakh from liquor mafia Chelani, revealing illegal supply of premium liquor to bars and clubs across Nagpur. That case, too, eventually faded without visible consequences.
Clubs Breaking Rules, Authorities Looking Away
Across the city, clubs continue to operate from basements and high-rise floors, openly flouting fire safety norms. A fundamental question remains unanswered: do these establishments even have valid Fire Department NOCs?
Rules clearly prohibit serving liquor at venues hosting dance performances, yet dance floors and alcohol operate side by side. Performance licences, mandatory under law, are reportedly missing in most cases. Despite these violations being visible and well-known, enforcement remains weak, and senior officials remain silent.
Sources further claim that a Dubai-based cricketer named Hitesh is associated with the same club, reinforcing suspicions that the seized liquor was meant for commercial consumption, not personal use.
Case Headed for Cold Storage?
Perhaps the most glaring question remains: why has the wine shop supplying liquor without documentation not been booked? In standard practice, both ends of an illegal liquor transaction face action. The reluctance of Bajaj Nagar police to widen the probe has fueled speculation that the case may already be headed for cold storage.
As Nagpur’s club culture grows unchecked, the combination of selective policing, administrative apathy and regulatory violations is increasingly threatening public safety, governance and the rule of law — with ordinary citizens left asking whether laws apply equally to everyone, or only to the expendable.
