Covid restrictions violation case: GM of hotel summoned

Kolkata: The Kolkata Police has summoned nine employees including the general manager of a star hotel in central Kolkata in connection with the incident in which the police arrested 37 people, for holding a party till late Saturday night defying Covid protocols.

Sources said that the police received information that hotel rooms used to get booked in names of some women and even foreigners. The investigating officers are trying to ascertain the reasons behind the same.

The employees of the hotel have been summoned to turn up on Monday at the city police's headquarters at Lalbazar.

The Excise Directorate had earlier put a restriction on serving liquor at all nine bars at the five-star hotel on Park Street till the ongoing inquiry ends.

A case has already been started under Excise Act to probe into the incident. A notice has been served to the authorities to ensure that there is no service of liquor offered at the bars till the inquiry gets completed.

Sources said that the authorities of another city hotel, which also being accused to allowing holding party violating the set norms during the Covid pandemic, stated to the Collector of Excise of South Kolkata about its failure to provide clear footages of surveillance cameras.

According to an officer of the state Excise directorate it has been stated that clear footages cannot be made available as there was no proper maintenance of the same was carried out.

Meanwhile, 41 people were arrested at Siliguri for remaining present in a restro bar violating the Covid norms. There are 15 women among the arrested people. The police are also taking action against the restro bar.

It was at around 9.30 pm when the police from Bhaktinagar police station conducted a raid after receiving a tip off and arrested the 41 people.

It needs mention that the state government has allowed the restaurants and hotels to keep open till 8 pm considering that people can easily return home within an hour.

The reason being the complete restrictions on outdoor activities remain imposed from 9 pm to 5 am.

So the people are not supposed to freely move out without any emergency work after 9 pm.

The state secretariat has directed all districts to take stringent measures if anyone is found violating the Covid norms.