Mumbai, March 28: In what is believed to be a 'gaffe' in Maharashtra’s scheme for registration of shops, it has come to notice that several ladies bars and hookah pubs in the state have been running under the names of several top authorities, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis'. According to a report by TOI, details like name, address, PAN details of Fadnavis and BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta have been used by unknown people to obtain the certificates. The report further adds saying that as per the forged documents received by the BMC, civic body commissioner Ajoy Mehta has got a certificate to start a hookah parlour under the ease of doing business policy, while the chief minister has one for a ‘ladies bar and restaurant’. Mumbai Dance Bar Girls Can Now Be Given Tips; List of New Rules After Supreme Court Order. 

According to reports, the certificates under the names of these top officials went viral on social media on Wednesday, which raised concerns about data theft across the state. Currently, all this comes at the time when hookah bars are banned in the state. However, there is no clarity on what a ‘ladies bar and restaurant’ stands for. The BMC started issuing registration certificates for businesses online in April 2018. No Dance Bar Given Licence in Mumbai Yet; Supreme Court Calls it 'Total Moral Policing' by Maharashtra Government.

After the certificates went viral, civic officials admitted the certificates had been generated through the BMC system, which only requires details like name, address, nature of the business, PAN, number of employees and email address. However, the report states that BMC has lodged police complaints against unknown persons for using Mehta and Fadnavis's details and uploading forged documents to obtain the certificates.

The report informs that a complaint which names Mehta as an employer has been lodged at MRA Marg police station, while the other regarding misuse of the CM's details was registered at Gamdevi police station. Members of several unions said there are several loopholes in the system that have come to light in the last few months. They claimed one of the most concerning loopholes that people were given certificates without any verification.

According to the TOI report, the applicants in the CM and Mehta cases got the certificates on 24th August 2019 where Mehta's certificate was issued under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishment Act, 1948, has his address as "municipal head office, second floor". This is the BMC chief's office address. Meanwhile, the certificate with Devendra Fadnavis as the employer for "nature of business" "Ladies Bar and Restaurant" has postal address mentioned as Varsha in Malabar Hill- the official residence of the chief minister. However, an official of the BMC defended the claims and said that the certificates clearly mention they are merely registration certificates and not licences.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 28, 2019 09:55 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).