Now, top IPL official faces arrest for noise pollution

Mumbai: Barely a week after being summoned by the I-T department for tax irregularities, the chief operating officer of IPL, Sundar Raman, is now facing arrest for noise pollution as the matches have crossed the 10-pm deadline.
    Navi Mumbai police officials confirmed that a number of complaints had been filed over the use of loudspeakers and fireworks at the Nerul stadium during the recent IPL matches.
    Since March 28, the Navi Mumbai police have filed four criminal cases against Sunder Raman under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Bombay Police Act and Environmental Protection Act. “We have filed an FIR against Sunder Raman after it was confirmed that there was a blatant violation of breach of conditions,’’ a senior police official told TOI.
    On March 5, Raman had submitted a letter to Thane collector A L Jarad asking for an extension for the use of loudspeakers from 10 pm to 11.30 pm.Permission, however, was granted only for the opening match on March 12. But complainants said that the loudspeakers were being used even after the deadline. “We had asked the organisers to adhere to the 10 pm deadline, failing which, the police will be compelled to take action. It was found that the organisers violated the orders on use of loudspeakers,’’ said Jarad.
    A senior Navi Mumbai police official said that Sunder Raman has been booked under Sections 188 (disobedience of government order), 280 (punishment for causing public nuisance, 291 (continuance of nuisance after injunction to discontinue) and 15 of the Environmental Protection Act. Offenders face a fine of Rs 1 lakh or imprisonment of five years or both. “The first offence was registered against Sunder Raman on March 29. Another two were then registered on April 22 and a fresh offence on April 23,’’ said a police official.
    The matches, however, will not be discontinued. “We will not halt the match if they use loudspeakers after the deadline, but will register new cases against him,’’ the official added.
    The Navi Mumbai police said once the IPL events come toa close on April 25, officials will record Raman’s statement. “We will not hesitate to arrest him if there is a need to do so,’’ said the police official.
    Anti-noise pollution activist Sumaira Abdulali said: “The state government can relax the noise rule for only 15 days in a year and that too for cultural and religious functions. These dates have to be notified and listed at the start of the year.’’
    —Inputs by Vijay Singh