The police on Sunday raided the residences of the two lawyers accused of causing a ruckus in the premises of the MRA Marg police station, following a raid on an “overcrowded” city pub. The ensuing confusion enabled detained pub revellers to escape in the early hours of Saturday morning. Both of them are untraceable and have been declared absconding, the police said.
According to the MRA Marg police, teams were sent to the Peddar Road residence of Archit Jayakar and the Chembur residence of Ritik Bhasin on Sunday morning.
“We had sent teams on Saturday night as well. On Sunday, we conducted detailed raids at both their houses. They were not at home and their cellphones are switched off. We have declared them absconding and are conducting inquiries to trace and apprehended them,” said Padmakar Juikar, senior police inspector, MRA Marg police station.
The police questioned the families of both the lawyers to try and find out their whereabouts, but did not get any relevant leads. Jaikar is reportedly a member of the MNS. However, the police has denied confirmation of the same.
Jaikar and Bhasin were among the 100 odd youngsters detained in a raid on LIV pub in Kala Ghoda at around 2.30 am on Saturday. The raid was conducted as it was hosting customers far beyond its capacity and was operating past the 1.30 am deadline.
The revellers were taken to the police station, where Jaikar and Bhasin allegedly sparked off a ruckus, inciting the detainees to interfere in and try to obstruct police procedure. The duo is accused of getting into arguments with policemen, abusing and trying to intimidate them.
In the ensuing confusion, most of the revellers pushed open the gate of the police station compound and escaped. The police managed to catch 21 of them, who were booked under section 110 of the Bombay Police Act.