Case filed against Pitampura hotel for flouting COVID-19 guidelines

Cancelling invitations at last moment was impossible: organiser

The Delhi police have registered a case against a hotel in north-west Delhi’s Pitampura for allegedly organising a marriage function by violating the pandemic norms, said a senior police officer on Friday.

On Wednesday, the Delhi government had reverted the order of the Central government’s Unlock guidelines that allowed 200 guests at weddings. In the fresh order issued by the Delhi government, the limit of guests who can attend an event has been scaled down to just 50.

Complaint by visitor

According to the police, a visitor to the City Park Hotel at K.P. Block, Pitampura, on Thursday informed the police about the alleged violation of COVID-19 norms at the hotel. A marriage party was organised at the hotel and more than 50 people were present at a time in the hall, the visitor said. The complainant submitted a complaint and also a video of the event as proof.

“A police team reached the hotel and found that more than 150 people were attending the function and most of the guests were not even wearing mask and not following the COVID-19 guidelines,” an official said.

Thereafter, a case under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at Maurya Enclave police station, a senior police officer said, adding that further investigation into the matter is under way.

The hotel management refused to comment on the matter.

A police officer said that the organiser of the marriage party told the police personnel, who had gone to the hotel after receiving the complaint, that the marriage was scheduled on Thursday.

After the government issued COVID-19 guidelines that allow invitation of 50 people for an event instead of the earlier limit of 200, the invitation cards had already been distributed and it was impossible to cancel the invitations, the organiser said.