Pune Court Convicts 3 for Defying DJ Ban; Seized Sound System to Remain in Police Custody for 3 Months
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 3rd September 2026: A Pune court on Thursday convicted three people, including two office-bearers of a local group and a DJ sound-system owner, for violating police restrictions and causing a public nuisance during a procession held as part of the Milad-un-Nabi celebrations, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Krushikesh Rawale said.
The convicted persons were identified as Wahid Kasam Maniyar, president of Al Madina Young Boys; Zaid Majid Sheikh, the group’s vice-president; and Prakash Krushnat Asawale, a DJ sound-system owner and operator from Sangawade Budruk in Kagal taluka of Kolhapur district, DCP Rawale said.
“The Judicial Magistrate First Class, Court No. 6, Shivajinagar, convicted the three accused under Sections 223 and 292 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, on September 3. The court also ordered that the DJ sound system seized in the case be kept at the police station for the three-month appeal period,” DCP Rawale said.
According to DCP Rawale, the Pune police commissioner had issued an order prohibiting the use of DJ sound systems, laser lights and firecrackers during processions organised on August 26. Police officers across the city were also instructed to act against procession organisers, office-bearers and sound-system owners or operators found violating the restrictions or causing inconvenience to citizens.
“Despite the order, the office-bearers of Al Madina Young Boys, based at 54-B, Lohiyanagar, installed Asawale’s DJ sound system near the Lohiyanagar arch on a public road during a Milad-un-Nabi procession on August 26,” Rawale said.
“They gathered a crowd and played the sound system above the decibel limits prescribed by the Supreme Court and the government, causing inconvenience to local residents and people using the road,” he said.
Police officers and personnel from Khadak police station asked the organisers not to play the sound system at excessive volume. The accused were also served a written notice under Section 168 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and repeatedly instructed to reduce the volume, DCP Rawale said.
“However, they disregarded the instructions and continued playing songs loudly. Their actions created a disturbance and violated the police commissioner’s order and applicable noise-control regulations,” Rawale said.
Khadak police subsequently registered a case on behalf of the state under Sections 223 and 292 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. After completing the investigation, police filed a chargesheet against the accused before the court, which found all three guilty and sentenced them, he said.
The investigation and court proceedings were conducted under the guidance of Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police Sanjay Darade, Additional Commissioner of Police for the Western Regional Division Rajesh Bansode, DCP Krushikesh Rawale, Faraskhana Division Assistant Commissioner of Police Sachin Hire, and Khadak Police Station Senior Inspector Dhananjay Pingale.
Police Inspector (Crime) Sharmila Sutar, Police Inspector (Crime) Samadhan Pawar and API Amol Walsang also worked on the case. Police Sub Inspector Swapnil Bankar handled the court follow-up, assisted by Police personnel Rajaram Gadhve, Bhushan Chavan and Kalyan Ghorpade.
