The popular pub in Banjara Hills in Hyderabad, Thank God It’s Friday – popularly known as TGIF – was reopened for business last week, just sixteen months after it was sealed for serving alcohol to a 19-year-old underage drinker who later caused a car crash which killed three people, including 9-yr-old Ramya.
Times of India reports that the pub was opened last week after the pub management paid a fine of Rs. 1 lakh to start the operations.
The pub was sealed in July 2016 after the police found that it has served alcohol to 19-year-old Shravil, an engineering student. Shravil, and two other friends, later left the pub and drove off in a car, with Shravil on the wheel. Driving under the influence of alcohol twice the permissible limits, Shravil lost control of the car which hit a median and flipped several times, and fell onto another car which was driving on a parallel road below.
The car below was being driven by 9-yr-old Ramya’s grandfather – with Ramya and his uncle in the car. They were returning from her first day in school. Ramya died after battling for a few days in ICU, while the other two also succumbed to their injuries later.
Ramya’s family feels let down with the decision to allow the pub to reopen, reports TOI. “We are saddened by the development and feel let down. For international brands, Rs. 1 lakh fine is nothing. They do not mind serving liquor again to a minor. Government should punish such erring managements,'' Ramya's father Venkata Ramana told TOI.
TOI states that Excise department officials had failed to defend their decision when BISTRO Hospitality Pvt Ltd, which has the franchisee of TGIF, moved the Hyderabad High Court challenging excise department's order to shut TGIF operations.
The court had made it clear that the department had the authority to pass the orders they deemed fit, yet they decided to let the pub go scot free after a fine of Rs. 1 lakh.