Owners protest licence withdrawal to 10 clubs on Gurugram’s MG Road

Owners and employees of clubs on MG Road gathered at Central Arcade, DLF Phase 2 on Sunday afternoon and protested against Gurugram police for withdrawing the No Objection Certificates(NoCs) issued to 10 nightclubs operating on the stretch.

Saying they have already invested crores of rupees in the business and are paying hefty excise and taxes to the government, the protesters said they will be in dire straits in the event they are forced to wind up. They said 1,500 people, who work at the clubs that are facing closure, will have a hard time providing for their families if they are rendered jobless.

KK Rao, city police commissioner, had written to deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh on July 24, stating that the ‘NOC’ issued to these clubs stand withdrawn with immediate effect. He also recommended that the excise department cancel the licences issued to these establishments. “We have written to the deputy excise taxation commissioner seeking cancellation of their licences in public interest,” Rao said.

Sneh Lata Yadav, deputy excise and taxation commissioner (east) said, “We have sent the file to our headquarters in Panchkula, which grants licences to clubs. Now, it is up to our higher ups to take the final call.”

The protesting owners alleged that police teams visit their clubs regularly and make videos of the premises because of which customers have stopped visiting their establishments, leaving them staring at the prospect of incurring heavy losses.

“There are 15 clubs on MG Road and only 10 have been targeted. This smacks of discrimination. They (the police) should either close all 15 clubs or allow all of them to operate,” Vijaypal Yadav, president, MG Road Club Association, said.

The city police has drawn up a list clubs, which they alleged, are involved in immoral activities and has recommended to the excise department that the licences issued to them be withdrawn forthwith. These clubs include Prison, Ipsa, Odyssee, Sydney and Ignite at Sahara Mall, Empire, Queen, and Phantom at MGF Metropolitan Mall and King and Ion at JMD Regent Mall.

Police said the action was taken in response to regular complaints by residents and residents’ welfare associations, alleging immoral activities at these clubs. “People have raised objections against these clubs for their involvement in illegal activities,” Rao said.

The club owners said the department had renewed their licences three months ago and they have paid nearly ₹4.5 crore to the department as licence fee. The staff and owners also denied any immoral activities in their establishments.

On July 4, police arrested seven people, including two nightclub owners, from Sahara Mall and MGF Mall for their alleged involvement in sex trade. The arrests followed a midnight raid at these establishments.

On July 19 raid, the police arrested four people, including two nightclub dancers, for their alleged involvement in sex trade.

First Published: Jul 30, 2018 12:50 IST