Karnataka HC Directs Bengaluru Police To Check IDs And Prevent Underage Drinking
Karnataka HC directs Bengaluru police to bar minors from pubs and microbreweries and strictly check IDs.
The Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed Bengaluru police to enforce a strict ban on minors entering pubs and microbreweries, mandating ID checks for all customers who appear under 18. The order comes in response to a case involving schoolboys visiting microbreweries, which ended tragically with the suicide of one student.
The bench, headed by Justice M Nagaprasanna, had been hearing a petition filed by V Chitti Babu, a partner in RR Nagar wines and microbreweries, seeking to quash an FIR registered against him under the Juvenile Justice (Children Treatment and Protection) Act and the Karnataka Excise Act. The case arose after a group of SSLC students visited the microbreweries on January 31 following a school send-off gathering. One student reportedly committed suicide near his apartment, fearing parental backlash for consuming alcohol.
Advocate Sharath S Gowda, representing the petitioner, argued that the microbreweries had not served alcohol to the students, who allegedly brought liquor from outside. He emphasized that the establishments had always followed the law and displayed notices prohibiting the sale of alcohol to minors.
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The government’s advocate, B.N. Jagadish, noted that police investigations are ongoing and additional charges could be added as required. He also suggested that staff present at the time of the minors’ visit should be included in any investigation, given the petitioner’s role as a partner in the business.
Justice Nagaprasanna instructed the City Police Commissioner to implement strict measures citywide to prevent underage drinking and ensure that no liquor is served to minors. The court’s oral directions underline the need for vigilance and strict enforcement of age restrictions in Bengaluru’s pubs and microbreweries.
The High Court’s ruling reinforces the legal responsibility of establishments to monitor the entry of minors, signaling a zero-tolerance approach toward underage drinking amid rising concerns over youth safety in the city.
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