Police accused of violating SC order on live bands

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, APRIL 28. The recent police raids on live band joints, reportedly on the directions of the Chief Minister, Mr. S.M.Krishna, have evoked a strong protest from the owners of these joints.

The office-bearers of the Karnataka Live Band Restaurants Association, speaking to presspersons here on Saturday, alleged that the police were conducting raids and closing the live bands in violation of the Supreme Court order prohibiting them from interfering with the live band business.

The association office-bearer, Mr. Y.R.Manohar, said the police action amounted to contempt of court and the police should remember the ``Vasudevan episode'', wherein the senior IAS officer was jailed for contempt of court.

Further, he alleged that the police were preventing the live band singers and customers from entering restaurants by posting policemen near the joints. ``The police are even forcing the live band singers to leave the City,'' he alleged.

A live band singer present at the press conference alleged that the owners who rented houses to live band singers had been told by the police to evict the tenants.

``Mr. Krishna is trying to make Bangalore the Silicon Valley. The IT men work very hard and they need some sort of entertainment and our business is catering to their needs. Such entertainment centres are necessary for the growth of Bangalore,'' the association said in its press release.

When his attention was drawn to ``shady deals'' that took place in live band centres which subsequently lead to criminal activities, Mr. Manohar said: ``Nothing has happened in live band joints.''

When he was reminded of the kidnap of 25 live band singers by the Nusru gang and the acid attack on a live band singer recently, Mr. Manohar said it was the ``duty of the police to maintain law and order. Let them post some dynamic officers and check crimes. In no other City are there such restrictions on live music joints,'' he said.

The association president. Mr. Ranganath, admitted that there were some black sheep in the business and some violation might have taken place.

The association has appealed to the Chief Minister to instruct the police not to harass live band joint owners who were contributing to the State's revenue by paying licence fees, excise duty and sales tax.

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Section  : Southern States
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