Retired Indian cricketer Suresh Raina and singer Guru Randhawa were arrested in Mumbai after a raid at the Mumbai Dragonfly club near the Mumbai airport. Both were later released on bail.

A total of 34 people were arrested in the raid, including seven staff members of the Mumbai club. Bollywood celebrity Sussanne Khan was also arrested in the raid at the Mumbai club.

Suresh Raina
File photo: Suresh Raina comes back into the T20I side after a year's absence.PRAKASH SINGH/AFP/Getty Images

The arrests were made after a raid at Dragonfly pub for keeping the establishment open beyond the permissible time limit and not following Covid norms.

Why were Raina, Randhawa and others arrested? 

Mumbai Police has issued an official statement which says that an "offence has been registered u/s 188, 269, 34 IPC and u/s 51 NDMA against 34 persons at Sahar police station after the raid was conducted at 2.50 AM at Dragonfly pub, for keeping establishment open beyond the permissible time limit, not following Covid norms such as social distancing, not wearing a face mask."

About 34 people including cricketer Suresh Raina, singer Guru Randhawa and others were booked under

  • Section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant),
  • 269 (whoever unlawfully or negligently does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life),
  • 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC and provisions of NMDA.

Ahead of the New Year, the Maharashtra government has imposed a series of restrictions on public activity in the state and particularly in Mumbai from December 22 to January 5 as a precautionary step.