Cops bust gay party, detain 130 revellers

Cops have arrested the organiser for not taking police permission for the bash, and the DJs for playing loud music beyond permissible hours

Cops bust gay party, detain 130 revellers

Cops have arrested the organiser for not taking police permission for the bash, and the DJs for playing loud music beyond permissible hours

Police raided a hotel in the wee hours yesterday, after receiving a tip-off that a rave party was in progress within its premises.

Police sources revealed that the bash was hosted specifically for members of the gay community. Television personality Bobby Darling was one of the invitees at the party.

Policemen have arrested Tejas Yogani, the organiser of the party, for conducting a party in a residential area without obtaining police permission, and for allowing guests to engage in allegedly promiscuous activities.

Yogani owns Spanish Villa Hotel on SV Road in Jogeshwari (West) where the party was under way. The DJs who were entertaining the guests have also been arrested for playing loud music beyond the permissible hours.

Although cops did not seize any drugs from the premises, they penalised about 130 of the revellers for consuming alcohol and engaging in obscene acts. They were let off after paying a fine. The officers of the Oshiwara police station received a tip off about the party at 2 am on Saturday night.

"We entered the premises, and discovered that about 350 revellers, who were under the influence of alcohol, were dancing and engaging in indecent acts. Some of them had shed some of their clothes," said a police officer from the Oshiwara police station.

Policemen added that Yogani had invited members of the gay community through SMSes, offering free-flowing alcohol and revelry till 4.30 am at a cost of Rs 450.

"We were able to detain 130 revellers, who tested positive for alcohol. We fined them Rs 1,200 each, and let them go after verifying their identities and noting down their addresses and other contact details," said Dilip Rupwate, senior inspector of Oshiwara police station.

When contacted, Bobby Darling confirmed that he had received an invite through an SMS from the organiser.

He said, "I was invited as a celebrity guest, for which I was paid. I reached the party half an hour before the police arrived. I didn't know that the organiser had not obtained permission from the police for the party." Bobby was let off, as he was not found to be under the influence.

The organiser and the DJs have been detained under Sections 34 and 110 of the IPC, for acts committed by several persons in furtherance of a common intention, and for abetment. They will be presented before the court today.

One of the revellers, who was let off with a fine, said, "I did not know that the organiser had not taken permission for the party. However, I had a hunch that I could be detained for revelling and drinking till late in the night, and was carrying Rs 1,200 with me, which is usually the amount fined for these activities."

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