Mumbai architect, Pune techie seen consuming substance in L3 bar video arrested

PUNE: The city police on Tuesday arrested a software engineer from Mundhwa and an architect from Mumbai's Goregaon East after identifying them as the two men seen in a viral video clip consuming some substance at Liquid Leisure Lounge (L3) bar on FC Road during an illegal party on Sunday.
Senior inspector Chandrashekhar Sawant from the Shivajinagar police station identified the two as Nitin Thombre (34), the architect, and Karan Mishra (34), who are good friends.
"We produced the two men before a city court that ordered their police remand till June 29," he said.
The bar was raided on Sunday afternoon amid allegations of use of drugs at the party that went on till 4.30am in violation of the 1.30am closure deadline. Dust and powder swabs collected from the establishment have been sent to forensic experts for chemical analysis.
A group of 40-50 revellers - mostly IT and private firm employees and regular partygoers - in the 22-35 age group had attended a late-night 'after party' though police probe revealed that the two arrested men were not part of that group. Before reaching L3, the group had partied in a pub in Hadapsar.
Cops find 5g powder similar to MD drug from Mumbai man's possession
A crime branch team had identified some of those who had participated in the party based on the UPI transactions they made to pay the entry fees to the bar's event manager. The team circulated the video among the participants and one of them knew the duo who were then detained at their residences, police said.
Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar said, "As of now, we can say that Thombre brought the contraband to Pune. Thombre, Mishra and one more person entered the bar's washroom to divide the substance into three parts for consumption. When our team reached Thombre's Mumbai home, we found a five-gram powder in his possession. The powder is similar to MD drugs and it is being verified by the forensic experts."
Thombre is changing his statements but police are questioning him over the source from where he procurred the substance, Kumar said.
Senior inspector Sawant said Thombre was on a visit to Pune to attend an exhibition organised by his relative, who is an artist. After the exhibition, he contacted Mishra and the latter approached the bar's event manager, Akshay Kamthe, before they reached L3, the police officer added.
One of the two bar owners and three licence holders operating the facility were among eight men arrested on Monday on charges of conspiracy to organise an illegal party and disobedience. All eight are in police custody till June 29.