A total of 52 cafés in Nashik, allegedly providing special facilities to young customers, have come under the scanner of the police and the Municipal Corporation. Following complaints about irregularities in some cafés, the police have submitted a list of these establishments to the Municipal Corporation, which has begun issuing notices to café operators for illegal operations and structural modifications.
The issue came to light after a complaint was lodged with MLA Devyani Pharande regarding a café near Vidya Vikas Circle on Gangapur Road. Upon inspection, officials found multiple hidden entrances, dim lighting, and curtain-separated tables creating a private space for couples. While the police collected information from the café, they did not file any criminal charges. Instead, they directed the Municipal Corporation to take action if the café was found to have illegal construction.
This incident raised concerns that such cafés were not limited to one location but were operating across Nashik. The police initially provided a list of 20 cafés to the Municipal Corporation, which was later expanded to 52. These cafés are mainly concentrated in areas like Gangapur Road, College Road, Mahatma Nagar, and Ashoka Marg.
A case has been registered against the owner of the raided café under IPC sections 296, 280, 54, 3(5), and 110. However, questions have been raised about why the police have not taken action against alleged inappropriate activities inside these cafés and have instead focused on encroachment violations.
The Municipal Corporation has started issuing notices to the listed cafés, and inspections are ongoing. Further actions will be taken based on violations found during these inspections.