30 November,2010 07:20 AM IST | | Atul Krishan
FIR lodged against fashion designer's bistro situated inside a Connaught Place hotel
Is he just a disgruntled customer or is there some truth in Masood Pracha's allegations? The Daryaganj resident has claimed in an FIR that the high-profile Cibo bar in Connaught Place's Hotel Janpath is a pick-up joint. The matter gains significance because the owner of the establishment is renowned fashion designer Rohit Bal.
New Delhi is part-owned by famed fashion designer Rohit Bal with
colleague JJ Valaya.
According to his FIR, a copy of which is with MiD DAY, Masood had gone to the bistro on the night of October 22. "He said that he went to Cibo at around 1 am. He paid Rs 2000 for a drink but before he could consume it, the manager of the bar Subroto Das asked him to leave.
Masood objected saying that why was he served liquor worth Rs 2000 if the bar had to be closed. But the manager did not listen to him. When Masood insisted on finishing his drink inside the bar, he was beaten up and thrown out by the management," said a police source.
Dirty business?
Masood has also alleged that the girls offering drinks to the customers were making suggestive gestures. He also claims that there was an assemblage of girls outside the establishment and it seemed like a pick-up joint.
The police source said that after Masood was thrown out, he made a call on PCR in this regard and has now alleged that cops did not take action on his complaint. Sources said that it was an interesting fact that the complainant visited the bar four to five times after the incident and made call on PCR each time when he found the bar open.
"The second time, when I found the bar open at around 1.30 a.m., I called the police. However, the cops who arrived there were served liquor by the bar officials and they shared drinks together. The proof of their actions can be obtained from the CCTV footage of the bar. Police officials assured me that they would talk to senior officers about possible action against the bar management but nothing happened," Masood's FIR says.
A car chase
He has also alleged that on the 31st of October he found some girls serving liquor at the bar who were also making provocative gestures towards customers. According to his complaint, this time when he left the bar he was chased by employees of the establishment and was again beaten up.
"A Scorpio bearing number plate UPF0069 overtook my car. Employees of the bistro were travelling in it. Some goons got off the car and broke my vehicle's windowpane.
They beat me up, snatched my gold chain and threatened me of dire consequences if I came back to the bar again," alleged the complainant.
| Bar code |
| Opening a bar in Delhi City needs government approval and license permit as per laws. Every year Government of Delhi formulates the Excise Policy and in pursuance to this policy all the liquor Licences are granted. Off Site Consumption Licenses includes L-1, L-2 and L-6. L1 Licenses are granted for the wholesale vending to a Company or a society or a partnership firm or proprietorship firm provided the applicant owns distillery / breweries / manufacturing units. |
| The Other Side |
| Meanwhile, Alok Aggarwal, co-owner of the bar, called up this reporter and said that Masood is cooking up stories and trying to extort money from them. "This is a fictitious account. In fact we are the victims. We have been silently suffering his excesses. Masood has demanded Rs 1 lakh and free liquor from us. We also have complained against him to the police," said Aggarwal. |
